Adding value beyond the individual assets
As miners look to update their operating models in order to align their companies to the new global imperatives, the temptation is to perceive a straight choice between a ‘centralized’ approach focused on linking and integrating the global enterprise, and a ‘decentralized’ approach focused on delivering accountability to the mining asset.
Should decisions be made at the corporate centre or devolved to the operations? Should each operating unit be self-sufficient in terms of commercial and technical services, or should these be provided by a separate service organization? The reality is that global operating models need to be more sophisticated than this binary choice.