Schools urged to adopt OPEX, CEOs eye AI-driven process automation – PEX Research & Reports News

PEX Network’s weekly news bulletin rounds up the latest research, reports and publications in operational excellence (OPEX), digital transformation, artificial intelligence (AI) and automation, business process management (BPM), process mining and process intelligence and more.

This week includes:

• Schools urged to adopt OPEX framework to boost operational capacity
• CEOs target AI-driven process automation
• Decarbonization key to achieving OPEX for metals and mining companies
• Digital transformation essential for the future of maritime businesses

Schools urged to adopt OPEX framework to boost operational capacity

Schools can boost operational capacity by up to 30 percent using commercial-style OPEX techniques. That’s according to a new report from the Institute of School Business Leadership (ISBL) and the Association of School Business Officials (ASBO) International. The study asserts “with confidence” that most schools and school trusts have a minimum operational capacity creation opportunity of 20 to 30 percent if they regard teachers and pupils as customers, applying improvements across their central functions such as finance, HR, payroll, procurement, contract/supplier management, technology services and estates management.

The research revealed that just 20 percent of trusts have currently adopted the OPEX approach, creating a “game-changing opportunity” for the vast majority of trusts and the wider sector, said ISBL CEO Stephen Morales. “OPEX is the natural next step in the sector’s improvement journey. At its basic level, OPEX is about reflecting on what we do and asking ourselves the question: are there incremental improvements that can be made? OPEX is a major opportunity to improve if schools and trusts accept that there is an improvement journey to go on.” The report includes a practical, hands-on framework for using OPEX approaches in schools and trusts of all sizes.

Download the PEX Report 2024/25 to explore the core ingredients of successful OPEX and business transformation.

CEOs target AI-driven process automation

CEOs are increasingly prioritizing process automation in AI application, according to a new report by IoT Analytics. The What CEOs talked about in Q3 2024 report is based on data from more than 95,000 corporate earnings calls of US-listed companies from Q1/2019 through Q3/2024. It found that, in Q3 2024, CEOs discussed using AI and automation to streamline processes at a higher rate than quarters before, up 59 percent.

“For large enterprise clients, they look at work streams like invoice processing, invoice accuracy, the types of things that are both ingested via scanning and things that are printed, PDFs and their formats, and all the handling of all of that robotic process automation [RPA] and all the types of advancements in that space is just helping clients be much more efficient,” commented, John Bruno, COO, Xerox Holdings Corporation.

Based on insights from the report, CEOs should be asking themselves if they are adequately exploring practical AI applications like process automation, predictive maintenance and digital twins within their as well as how these enhance operational efficiency and reduce costs, according to IoT Analytics.

Lee Bogner, Mars discusses AI and process management

Decarbonization key to achieving OPEX for metals and mining companies

Decarbonization is key to achieving OPEX for metals and mining companies, according to new research from KPMG. The 2024 KPMG Global Metals and Mining Outlook offers key insights into how industry leaders can navigate the complexities of decarbonization, achieve OPEX and drive sustainable growth. Over 450 C-level executives provide their perspectives on the industry's most pressing challenges and opportunities, from accelerating technology investments to overcoming skills shortages.

The report found that 57 percent of executives see integrating decarbonization into their overall corporate strategy as the most effective way to meet sustainability goals, while 61 percent are more confident than they were two years ago about their company’s growth prospects. More than half (57 percent) of respondents said the most effective way of meeting their company’s decarbonization goals is to integrate them into the overall corporate strategy, with 47 percent claiming that skills shortages are the most important challenge that must be overcome when implementing the latest technologies.

Digital transformation essential for the future of maritime businesses

Digitalization is essential for the future of maritime businesses with measuring progress toward digital maturity a vital component of success. That’s according to The Benchmark: Measuring the Progress of Digital Transformation in Ship Operations report from Lloyd’s Register and Thetius. The report offers a comprehensive framework for organizations to assess their position along the digital transformation spectrum, from foundational levels to advanced data-driven decision-making.

“Digital transformation is more than a trend; it’s a fundamental shift in how the maritime industry operates,” the authors wrote. “By benchmarking against industry standards and peer organizations, businesses can position themselves more competitively in the face of increasing market pressure and regulatory demands.” The report emphasized the importance of strategic alignment, adaptability, data-driven decision-making, innovation, customer-centric approaches, agile operations, collaboration, connectivity and cyber security awareness in maritime digital transformation.

Nao Anthony, Commonwealth Bank and Tariq Munir, PepsiCo discuss the complexities and challenges of digital transformation

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