Robotic Process Automation in Strategy and Strategy Implementation

This chapter discusses the concept of robotics, which is followed by a discussion of the robotic process automation (RPA). The benefits of the RPA are also outlined in this chapter. The chapter further explores the RPA in strategy and strategy implementation. Robotics and RPA concepts are often confused. The confusion that occurs may be caused by the fact that there are some crossovers between robotics and RPA. Robots are used to automate physical tasks, such as in manufacturing. So many types of automation have nothing to do with physical robots. Furthermore, so many branches of robotics have nothing to do with automation. Robots have consistent characteristics including a certain form of mechanical aspect. This aspect of a robot helps it complete tasks in the environment for which it is designed. They also would need electrical components that control and power the machinery, and they would typically contain some form of computer programming. RPA can be viewed as bringing together business models, strategy, process, data, humans and robots. This is done in order to achieve efficiencies within the business processes. RPA has several benefits, including cost reduction, time efficiencies, better accuracy rate, improved governance environment, better customer advocacy and retention, improved checks and balances, increased speed and productivity, easy integration into existing technologies and super-scalability. The firm applying RPA gains advantage as the performance tracking occurs on an ongoing basis and is timely and free of human intervention. Those charged with governance are able to harness this information and respond timely should the need arise to ensure that the strategic responsibilities and objectives assigned to relevant employees are on track. The firm applying RPA gains advantage of having a tool for eliminating human intervention and for integrating plans, processes and structures.