For quite some time now, humans have been consumed by the notion of time travel. While Hollywood classics such as Back to the Future and Planet of the Apes make light of this seemingly impossible concept, scientists have had little success in making time travel a reality. However, following years of research and development, it seems scientists may have finally found a way to manipulate the laws of physics and thus make time travel possible.
According to one of the UK’s leading figures in this field, Professor Brian Cox from the University of Manchester, time travel is already a regular occurrence and happens on a daily basis. While the Physicist argues that it may take considerable investment to commercialize time machines, according to British press, a fully functioning time machine is already being tested in Russia.
Although the technology behind the time machine is being kept under close wraps, rumours suggest this revolutionary development is based upon Einstein’s theory of relativity by which the relative gravitational pull and velocity of an object can be manipulated in order to generate a distinct movement in time. Physicists first observed this phenomenon after it became apparent that the GPS satellites which orbit earth at speeds of up to 9,000 mph were traveling through time 38 microseconds per day faster than anything on earth. While 38 microseconds does not sound like much, it was enough to convenience scientists that this phenomenon existed.
Considering the endless list of possibilities this scientific breakthrough presents, the potential benefits of time travel are undeniable. For instance, the technology could be used to help identify tomorrow’s social trends, evaluate the future impact of controversial decisions or even find cures to the diseases which plague the world today. Equally for businesses; the development of this time machine promises to revolutionize entire industries and could completely redefine how organizations operate.
In areas such as logistics and operations, time travel will enable businesses to achieve a whole new level of supply chain efficiency. For example, with the ability to travel forward in time, supply chain managers could gain access to exact demand figures and thus go back to present day to ensure all aspects of the supply chain are aligned to achieve 100% fulfilment rates. Furthermore, time travellers could travel backwards in time to the origin of supply chain issues and prevent them long before they occur. Given that this would enable businesses to consistently satisfy demand while also completely eliminating waste resulting from unexpected supply chain issues, time travel promises to mark a huge step forward for supply chain management.
Perhaps, you may have realized by now that this is in fact an April fool’s special. While there is a small amount of truth in the possibility of time travel, there is no working time machine currently in existence and it is unlikely there will be any time soon. Despite this however, through adopting supply chain management techniques which are available today, businesses can create similar effects to time travel.
For example, through collecting historic supply chain data in as much detail as possible and then using advanced analytics to yield useful information, businesses can determine supply chain best practices and adopt them accordingly. While such insights are essential for monitoring and improving operational performance, this information can also be used to help businesses gain insight into the future. Through identifying past trends, seasonal fluctuations and the potential impact of risk, highly accurate forecasts can be generated which in turn can be used to help managers prepare for the supply chain challenges that lie ahead.
While advanced analytics and accurate forecasting can help businesses take a more proactive approach to managing their operations, to take full advantage of such practices, it is essential that the information is shared across the business. By harmonizing the flow of supply chain data across the procurement, manufacturing, distribution and sales teams, businesses can align the internal supply chain to satisfy the customer requirements and thus create a far more responsive supply chain.
While time travel is sadly not yet possible, given the vast array of supply chain management techniques and technology available today, there are plenty of viable alternatives to time travel which can help businesses drive their efficiency.
