Supply Chain Shaman

APRIL 9, 2021

Yes, companies held more inventory (measured in days of inventory) in 2019 than at the start of the 2007 recession. Over 85% of companies turned their systems off, turning to spreadsheets and ad hoc manual analysis. The myopic focus on IT standardization resulted in the purchase of technology, but not value delivery. Mistake #3.

Supply Chain Planning Software 360

Supply Chain Planning Software Procurement Analytics Supply Chain Performance Manufacturing Procurement 360

Supply Chain Shaman

OCTOBER 5, 2018

and L’Oréal’s approach to business that has allowed the company to continuously rank as a Supply Chains to Admire winner for four consecutive years. Based in Paris, L’Oréal is a global personal care manufacturing company. It is the world’s largest cosmetics company with annual sales estimated at over €26B.

Case Study 261

Case Study Inventory Reduction Agile and Lean Supply Chain Study 261

Supply Chain Shaman

MAY 13, 2024

Background I have worked with hundreds of organizations over the past twenty years as an analyst to help companies on their journey on Sales and Operations Planning. The more that I see, the more that I understand how companies go so wrong so fast. How aligned do you believe your organization is to drive these metrics?

S&OP 348

S&OP Supply and Demand Inventory Reduction Expense Reduction 348

Supply Chain Shaman

MARCH 21, 2024

The Company was attempting to gain economies of scale by grouping manufacturing technologies within a common infrastructure to reap the benefits of a co-generation facility, a centralized warehouse, and a talented administrative team. Early in the 1980s, the company invested in an IBM/360 mainframe along with three “portable computers.”

Inventory Reduction 402

Inventory Reduction Supply Chain Planning Software Cost Reduction Strategies Supply Chain Design Software 402

Supply Chain Shaman

JULY 25, 2021

Only four percent of companies outperformed their peer groups. While market potential declined, individual company performance declined faster. I strongly believe that we adopted practices in the last two decades that degraded performance and threw companies out of balance. The Focus Inside-out Supported by Functional Metrics.

Procurement Analytics 370

Procurement Analytics Supply Chain Design Software Agile and Lean Supply Chain Supply Chain Planning Software 370

Supply Chain Shaman

JANUARY 8, 2014

Interview for Metrics That Matter. My kitchen table is piled high with interviews for the upcoming book, Metrics That Matter. Prior to joining Starbucks, he worked at the executive leadership level in Europe, Latin America and North America at ICI, a global chemical company. How do you define the metrics that matter?

Procurement Analytics 260

Procurement Analytics Manufacturing Procurement Metrics Procurement Solutions 260

Supply Chain Shaman

JANUARY 9, 2024

Nvidia, Northrup Grumman, PACCAR Inc, PCA (Packaging Corporation of America), ResMed, Rockwell Automation, Ross Stores, Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing (TSMC) Company, Tempur-Pedic, TJX, Toro, Toyota, West Pharma, United Tractors, and Urban Outfitters. How Do You Define Excellence? Most companies are not clear. I admit it.

Supply Chain Planning Software 298

Supply Chain Planning Software Pharmaceutical Supply Chain Planning Gartner 298

Supply Chain Shaman

OCTOBER 16, 2023

For most companies, building a great S&OP process is a missed opportunity. Clear operating strategy and definition of supply chain excellence across plan, source, make and deliver. Most companies buy decision support technology, but do not redefine work to improve decisions. I write this post as a guide. The result?

S&OP 332

S&OP Supply and Demand Forecasting Supply Chain Design Software 332

Supply Chain Shaman

FEBRUARY 18, 2021

No company interviewed was able to successfully use their current what-if solutions to model pandemic impacts. Companies need an easy-to-use sandbox deployment to visualize supply chain constraints and the impact of variability. Initially, the output was published to procurement to design strategic buying strategies.

Supply Chain Planning Software 283

Supply Chain Planning Software Supply Chain Design Software Supply and Demand Procurement Analytics 283

Supply Chain Shaman

MAY 21, 2013

In the last five years, while the physician is still important, the buying decisions transitioned from the supplier to the care provider. They are primarily focused on cost management on new purchase decisions. Pharmaceutical companies are facing a patent cliff with a 24% decline in operating margins over the last decade.

Modeling 240

Modeling Modeling Software Pharmaceutical Procurement Analytics 240

Logility

MAY 22, 2020

Users are accustomed to building everything in Excel and manipulating the data as needed for their own particular use, typically using static reports or spreadsheets that are siloed in specific departmental needs. A key first step is to have buy-in at the highest level of the organization. Starting at the Top.

Analytics Software 148

Analytics Software Metrics Supply Chain Design Software Supply Chain Software 148

Kinaxis

SEPTEMBER 16, 2014

While there was always passionate discussions on companies and metrics, the end goal was to raise awareness of supply chain as a practice. Some interesting insights: There were 0 companies from Retail, Paper & Packaging, Pharmaceutical, or Medical Devices. Most of this middleware was Excel and Meetings.

Supply Chain Planning Software 279

Supply Chain Planning Software Gartner Supply Chain Design Software Agile and Lean Supply Chain 279

RFgen

DECEMBER 4, 2024

As companies across industries have discovered, a well-optimized supply chain can drive significant improvements throughout their operations. Meanwhile, tech companies are capitalizing on streamlined processes to bring innovative products to market at unprecedented speeds.

Sourcing Strategies 92

Sourcing Strategies Inventory Reduction Waste Reduction Expense Reduction 92

SCMDOJO

JANUARY 9, 2025

Think of them as apples and gearseach essential and effective on its own, yet when combined; they create a formidable mechanism for achieving procurement excellence. By engaging in rigorous supplier selection and negotiation, companies can secure better pricing and ensure higher quality standards. Click here!

Optimal Sourcing 98

Optimal Sourcing Manufacturing Procurement Procurement Solutions Negotiating Skills 98

Supply Chain Shaman

JUNE 29, 2014

Don was quirky, and the company story was different. The company has skillfully navigated the market to survive and now thrive. In mature companies, it is no longer under the shadow of planning. The largest opportunities for companies lie in the gaps between the links of the supply chain. Reflections. The reason?

Supply Chain Design Software 268

Supply Chain Design Software Supply Chain Design Network Design Software Supply Chain Planning Software 268

Supply Chain Shaman

MAY 1, 2023

We find that companies with an analytics center of excellence drove progress faster than those with a supply chain center of excellence. While companies build Supply Chain Centers of Excellence, most are not clear on what good looks like. When you ask, “What defines supply chain excellence?”

Inventory Reduction 245

Inventory Reduction Cost Reduction Strategies Waste Reduction Resource Reduction 245

Supply Chain Shaman

DECEMBER 4, 2018

For the past five years, the team at Supply Chain Insights identified Supply Chains to Admire Award Winners by analyzing performance by peer group on the key metrics of growth, operating margin, inventory turns and Return on Invested Capital (ROIC). As a B2B company, procurement management is essential.

Supply Chain Software 30

Supply Chain Software Case Study Supply Chain Planning Software Supply Chain Design Software 30

Supply Chain Shaman

JULY 6, 2020

Ed argued that instead of buying new packaging equipment that we should work with R&D to have a base flavor and add the color and flavoring at the head of the machine. Despite goals to improve agility and resiliency, functional metrics for manufacturing efficiency continually throw the supply chain out of balance. The So What?

Agile and Lean Supply Chain 296

Agile and Lean Supply Chain Supply Chain Design Software Supply Chain Planning Software Supply Chain Strategy 296

DELMIA Quintiq

DECEMBER 28, 2020

Ultimately, what KPIs, as metrics and indicators derived from the set of plans are taken into account and prepared for each scenario. Working with Excel spreadsheets does not contribute the efficiency, speed and agility necessary for planning teams to bring the best plans to the company. Technology for Effective Planning.

Supply Chain Planning Software 296

Supply Chain Planning Software Scenario Planning Modeling Prescriptive Analytics Software 296

Supply Chain Shaman

JANUARY 14, 2013

It was a story where people believed that functional excellence leads to supply chain superiority. Year after year, well intentioned people toiled against improving metrics that reduced, not improved, the effectiveness of the supply chain. Yet companies are still investing millions of dollars in these upgrades.

Supply Chain Planning Software 260

Supply Chain Planning Software Supply Chain Design Software Optimal Sourcing Modeling 260

Supply Chain Shaman

JANUARY 2, 2023

The Center of Excellence at the company wanted to improve base-level capabilities but struggled to move forward due to the traditional views of the planning team, which they felt were self-serving. The team was not calibrated on the role of forecasting and the basics around process excellence. The current state is a quagmire.

Supply and Demand 372

Supply and Demand Modeling Demand Planning Supply Chain Planning Software 372

Supply Chain Shaman

MARCH 8, 2016

As an analyst in the supply chain market for 15 years, I have written many articles on best-of-breed technology companies purchased by a larger company. I have followed both of these companies for 15 years and writing this post is bittersweet. The founders remain, and the company is private, and tightly-held.

Supply Chain Planning Software 150

Supply Chain Planning Software Supply Chain Network Software Forecasting Software Demand Planning Software 150

Talking Logistics

OCTOBER 5, 2016

As McCarthy put it, after a customer buys a bed, it’s his responsibility “to make sure we deliver it to their home brilliantly.” Tying it back to the importance of the customer experience, McCarthy offered this advice: “Some companies are afraid to talk about their service because of cost, but there’s no shame in selling a great service.

Eliminating Excel in Purchasing 0

Eliminating Excel in Purchasing Supply Chain Network Software Supply Chain Planning Software Optimization Software 0

Supply Chain Shaman

AUGUST 12, 2020

When Gartner purchased AMR Research in December 2009, the methodology became the Gartner Supply Chain Top 25. The methodology did not include a peer group analysis, and I strongly felt that chemical, retail, and telecommunications companies should not be compared in the same analysis. So, I sucked it up and consented. The result?

Gartner 243

Gartner Supply Chain Software Procurement Analytics Manufacturing Procurement 243

Logility

AUGUST 7, 2017

Ask yourself, “Are your supply chain metrics bogging you down?” ” To manage a supply chain containing complex dependencies between teams, departments and partner companies across international boundaries requires a rich set of metrics. These metrics help measure how fast your supply chain is creating value.

Procurement Analytics 121

Procurement Analytics Metrics Gartner Supply Chain Planning Software 121

Logistics Viewpoints

DECEMBER 14, 2021

Millions of shoppers, like my Dad, are not going back to their old habits because there are now faster and more convenient ways for buying daily household needs. It excels on a union of E-Commerce mobile apps and last-mile delivery innovations. It is now possible for Q-commerce companies or retailers to use this model.

Supply Chain Planning Software 265

Supply Chain Planning Software Forecasting Software Supply Chain Design Software Optimization Software 265

Supply Chain Shaman

OCTOBER 29, 2014

They are precipitated by a strategic relationship between a consulting company and the executive team. The second generation of solutions were built and marketed by Enterprise Resource Planning technology companies like SAP and Oracle. The average company has more than one instance of both.) Data surrounds the company.

Supply Chain Planning Software 311

Supply Chain Planning Software Modeling Demand Planning Software Optimization Software 311

Supply Chain Shaman

JUNE 3, 2013

It was funded by 50 large consumer products manufacturing companies (CPG). The high-flying company had no clarity of purpose or clear governance, but the funds kept coming. In the Gartner article, I cautioned companies to invest only if three conditions were met: A well-defined scope. Transora had a short history.

Supply Chain Design Software 258

Supply Chain Design Software Supply Chain Planning Software Procurement Analytics Manufacturing Procurement 258

Supply Chain Opz

MARCH 31, 2015

What are the essential purchasing books you should read? In this article, we will uncover the best purchasing books to help you get the edge over competition. Background Historically, purchasing people are considered a kind of clerical workers who are expected to perform basic tasks such as document issuance and price negotiation.

Procurement Analytics 100

Procurement Analytics Purchasing Skills Eliminating Excel in Purchasing Negotiating Skills 100

Supply Chain Shaman

FEBRUARY 1, 2024

He feels he has the answer for companies. ” However, his company remains small with a couple of clients. If it was an answer, why is the company not growing? As I analyze business results , I see that most companies are really stuck. How did the company perform against the plan?” On average, it takes 2.8

Supply Chain Planning Software 340

Supply Chain Planning Software Optimal Sourcing Manufacturing Procurement Waste Reduction 340

Supply Chain Shaman

JUNE 7, 2018

For the past month, I have been working alongside companies implementing digital strategies. In most companies, I find, that there is an organizational imperative, but no consensus on the goal. Or agreement on the definition of supply chain excellence. As a result, functional excellence anchors action. I am tired.

Supply Chain Planning Software 230

Supply Chain Planning Software Supply Chain Design Software Optimization Software Forecasting Software 230

Logistics Viewpoints

DECEMBER 1, 2022

Theme 2: Online buying will fuel home delivery growth, challenges and new strategies. In 2023, consumers will be less forgiving and poised to buy from retailers whose delivery performance is commensurate with the rest of the shopping experience. Figure 1: U.S. Container Import Volume Year-over-Year Comparison. Somewhat nailed it.

Predictive Analytics Software 273

Predictive Analytics Software Logistics Network Optimization Software Cost Reduction Strategies Resource Reduction 273

Kinaxis

DECEMBER 12, 2017

When making discretionary purchases, I could look at my projection to make sure that if I made that purchase, I would have enough money in the bank, not only now, but at the end of the month when my mortgage and car loan came out. Then could I buy it? For me, this was game changing! What if I save my money this month?

Supply Chain Planning Software 193

Supply Chain Planning Software Supply Chain Design Software Scenario Planning Supply Chain Planning 193

Logistics Viewpoints

SEPTEMBER 19, 2022

Investment is flowing into supply chain companies. In 2021, more than $25 billion was invested in supply chain companies in just the first three quarters of the year. One successful private equity backed company is the unicorn Locus Robotics. Mr. Welty tried to accelerate the growth of this WMS company with outside investment.

Modeling Software 268

Modeling Software Supply Chain Planning Software Logistics Network Optimization Software Demand Planning Software 268

Supply Chain Shaman

MARCH 9, 2020

As I shopped at Best Buy for office supplies, I struggled to not think about the massive disruption of electronics supply chain. Companies spend millions of dollars to implement supply chain planning technologies to drive insights for better decisions; however, there is a failure to design a work environment to enable success.

Supply Chain Design Software 308

Supply Chain Design Software Supply Chain Planning Software Optimal Sourcing Supply Chain Design 308

Supply Chain Shaman

NOVEMBER 9, 2014

I find that many times companies have the wrong name, or a misnomer, for what they are trying to achieve. It was a large multinational company. This team is not buying the message. So much so, that three years ago, I founded a research company to focus on understanding supply chain excellence. It was not measured.

Manufacturing Procurement 286

Manufacturing Procurement Optimal Sourcing Benchmarking Supply Chain Design Software 286

Supply Chain Shaman

FEBRUARY 18, 2013

Pharmaceutical companies are struggling with falling margins and rising inventories. They each lag in their understanding of supply chain excellence, and are now struggling to build effective supply chain teams. In our work with pharmaceutical companies, most executives wince when we mention inventories.

Pharmaceutical 170

Pharmaceutical Supply Chain Network Software Eliminating Excel in Purchasing Procurement Analytics 170