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Definitions: Provocateur. A person who or thing which provokes; a challenger, instigator, inciter, irritator; (in later use) specifically = “provocateur.” Incrementalism. Movement by degrees. Known by gradualism. . I am tired. For the past month, I have been working alongside companies implementing digital strategies. In my experience, during the first session, energy is high.
Most companies are still trying to use Excel to optimize their inventories. Supply Chain Insights’ 2018 Inventory Optimization Technologies Study suggests the number may be as high as 75%. These companies struggle to meet service level requirements while respecting financial impacts, and have almost no chance to do it optimally. So inventory optimization software is still “low hanging fruit” for those seeking higher levels of supply chain maturity and improved use of supply chain analytical tool
Want to avoid summer stagnation? To help you stay informed during the summer months and close the year with impact, we prepared a list of our most popular content for your reading and viewing pleasure. The list includes trending blog posts, our latest webinar and a brand-new Buyer’s Guide for S&OP. Read on to get all the goodies. . Best of our blog .
Land O’Lakes Chief Supply Chain Officer, Yone Dewberry, told an audience at eft’s 3PL and Supply Chain Summit in Atlanta in on June 6th, “We’ve created it” (the truck driver shortage). “As an industry” (shippers), “we’ve done this to ourselves.” Land O’ Lakes is a member owned cooperative with revenues of $15 billion. The company is best known for dairy products, particularly butter, but the company also has divisions devoted to animal nutrition and seeds/crop […].
Procurement leaders are at a pivotal moment. With CPOs playing an increasingly strategic role, it’s time to leverage innovation and technology to drive resilience and efficiency. Download The 2025 Annual ProcureCon CPO Report to uncover key insights to thrive in a dynamic procurement landscape. What’s Inside: How CPOs are driving strategic decision-making and technology adoption The top priorities and challenges for procurement in 2025 Why AI, sustainability, and data analytics are essential for
Maintaining scalability and efficiency in an omnichannel-driven world is difficult at best. Warehouse managers face constant pressure to move more products, reduce damage, improve order cycle times, boost employee morale, and more. Legacy systems traditionally used for warehouse management are inefficient in the modern era; even systems in the 5- to 10-year age range.
by Dr. Madhav Durbha. I recently came across a Bloomberg article citing how certain functions of the white-collar workforce at Amazon is getting replaced by automation. Employees drawing six-figure salaries to negotiate multi-million dollar deals with major brands on behalf of Amazon are being replaced by software that predicts what shoppers want, when they want, and how much to charge for it.
by Dr. Madhav Durbha. I recently came across a Bloomberg article citing how certain functions of the white-collar workforce at Amazon is getting replaced by automation. Employees drawing six-figure salaries to negotiate multi-million dollar deals with major brands on behalf of Amazon are being replaced by software that predicts what shoppers want, when they want, and how much to charge for it.
This afternoon, I poured myself a cup of tea to pen congratulation emails to the Supply Chains to Admire award winners. This is the fun part of my job. It is now our fifth year of analyzing balance sheets to understand which companies are outperforming their peer groups on the metrics of growth, operating margin, inventory turns and Return on Invested Capital (ROIC) while driving improvement.
Source: Gartner Research. Gartner Research analyst Paul Lord has developed a thought-provoking approach (shown in the above diagram) for tailoring supply and inventory tactics to different inventory segments. Traditional ABC inventory models segment inventory into A, B and C categories based on annual consumption value. Valuable items with lots of consumption rise to the top.
It's not unusual to pass a Zara store and do a double-take - didn't you just see that on the catwalk? As a brand, their speed and responsiveness to the latest fashion trends are key to Zara’s competitive advantage. Owned by the distribution group Inditex, we had a look at what makes Zara so fast that the New York Times called it "mind-spinningly supersonic ".
Starship Technologies has designed delivery bots that make last mile deliveries. They are not the only company operating in this space, but they are the only company, that has moved beyond the pilot stage to actual commercial operations. To revolutionize last mile deliveries, continuing funding will be needed. The post Will Delivery Bots Revolutionize Last Mile Deliveries?
Savvy B2B marketers know that a great account-based marketing (ABM) strategy leads to higher ROI and sustainable growth. In this guide, we’ll cover: What makes for a successful ABM strategy? What are the key elements and capabilities of ABM that can make a real difference? How is AI changing workflows and driving functionality? This Martech Intelligence Report on Enterprise Account-Based Marketing examines the state of ABM in 2024 and what to consider when implementing ABM software.
The use of full truckload shipping is rising in popularity, resulting from its lower cost as compared to less-than-truckload (LTL) shipping. Unfortunately, the use of full truckload shipments and expenditures have hit an all-time high, reports Kate Patrick of Supply Chain Dive. These rates will have natural implications for smaller shippers seeking to lower overall transportation and freight spend, and paired with a “blurred lines between peak shipping and shopping seasons,” shippers will experi
The American stage director Scott Ellis once quipped, “After raising twins, you get organized.” Manufacturing executives are beginning appreciate that bit of wisdom and are increasingly turning to digital twins to improve their operations. Jeff Hojlo ( @jeffhojlo ), program director, Product Innovation Strategies at IDC, predicts, “By the end of 2020, 65% of manufacturers will be using simulation and digital twins to operate products and/or assets, reducing the cost of quality
“…the art of the possible, the attainable — the art of the next best” ? Otto von Bismarck. This morning I landed in Frankfurt. Keeping with my normal Sunday night ritual, I poured myself a cup of tea to pen my weekly post for the Supply Chain Shaman. I have been writing weekly posts for this blog for eight years. The length of time is hard to believe.
When most people think of supply chain risk, they often think about the impact of major unforeseen “headline grabbing” events - like the tsunami in Japan impacting automotive supply chains or horse meat making its way into British beef supplies. These are big, important and often unpredictable risks. But there is another kind of supply chain risk that isn’t as newsworthy and yet can also be important to the company.
Fulfillment is no longer just about getting products from point A to point B – it's about crafting seamless, scalable, customer first experiences. Flexible fulfillment strategies are more important than ever for those aiming to stay ahead and build resilience as retail enters a new era in 2025. Learn how to optimize fulfillment processes, tackle complex, multi-vendor orders, and create seamless customer experiences – from white-glove delivery for high-value items to quick-ship solutions for ever
Want to avoid summer stagnation? To help you stay informed during the summer months and close the year with impact, we prepared a list of our most popular content on supply chain analytics for your reading and viewing pleasure. The list includes trending blog posts, our latest webinar and a brand-new Buyer’s Guide for S&OP. Read on to get all the goodies.
The chicken industry, especially in the United States, is one of the most successful sectors in agriculture. In a little over 50 years, the industry has advanced from fragmented, locally oriented businesses into a highly efficient, vertically integrated, progressive success story, increasingly supplying customers nationwide and around the globe. Poultry meat, particularly chicken, is a staple diet in most households around the world.
Statistics on the industry-wide use of a transportation management system (TMS), like the Cerasis Rater, are lacking. The most recent report on adoption rates of TMS is from 2015, with only 35 percent of shippers actively using a TMS, asserts Bridget McCrea of Logistics Management. A TMS makes up only a fraction of the full truckload technology available to shippers.
Kernels of truth are often found in idioms. One such idiom advises us to “keep in step with the times.” As I wrote in a previous article, “Generally speaking, that’s pretty good advice. Companies failing to adapt over time have filled history’s dustbin. Going out of business probably wasn’t their goal; but, they discovered change is seldom easy.”[1] One reason companies fail to keep step with the times is their inability to identify exactly what the “times” ar
The Supplier Relationship Management Playbook is your guide to building effective supplier partnerships that drive supply chain excellence. This playbook equips supply chain professionals with strategies for managing compliance, tracking performance, and fostering collaboration to reduce supply chain risks. Inside, you’ll find: Strategies for Compliance: Best practices to help meet regulatory standards.
Companies state that they want bold change; but within the company, I find swirling inaction. It baffles me. Why? Companies are at a tipping point. Traditional processes are not sufficient and there is a war waging between traditionalists and reformers. Within IT organizations, there are many zealots of existing systems. I am speaking to companies that are being held hostage to SAP HANA upgrades with 70% cost overruns and 60% time schedule expansion.
Editor's Note: There will be no blog post next week due to the US holiday. Push-driven supply chains have been around forever. Pull-driven have become increasingly popular and in most cases arguably better. But what about employing push and pull for different products in a single supply chain or distribution network? The mobile phone retail supply chain presents such a case of simultaneously maintaining both strategies.
by Alexa Cheater Wouldn’t it be nice if your supply chain actually performed the way you designed it to? That doesn’t have to be a pipe dream. Supply chain perfection just got one step closer with the Self-Healing Supply Chain and its ability to improve supply chain design assumptions. Supply chains are complex and full of inter-dependencies. A problem in one area can wreak widespread havoc on others.
Worldwide meat production has doubled over the last three decades and increased 20% in just the last 10 years. As meat consumption rises , the pressure is on meat producers to fullfill demand. To accomplish that, they need to be efficient at every step of their supply chain. The meat supply chain is long and complex. It starts from farm, slaughterhouse, processing, packaging and logistics, right up to retail and catering.
Speaker: Eric Berdinis, Ran Sun, & Chris Chmielewski
Procuring freight can be cumbersome, time-consuming, and error-prone. If you’re frustrated with the complex and manual processes for obtaining bids for your contract and spot freight, you’re not alone. In today’s fast-moving supply chain environment, optimizing these processes is critical to staying competitive and cutting costs. Join this exclusive webinar with experts from Uber Freight to learn how the latest digital tools and automation can transform your freight procurement strategy by strea
Shippers face more challenges than ever before when it comes to managing freight spend and allocation. What is going where, and if it is going to location A, what is the best way to send it? While many other questions exist, freight management in today’s world is built on the internet, speed, use of data, and staying attractive to drivers. Yes, your freight must be attractive to drivers to get the best deals, and a TMS provides an invaluable means of creating attractive freight.
Note: Today’s post is part of our “ Editor’s Pick ” series where we highlight recent posts published by our sponsors that provide practical knowledge and advice on timely and important supply chain and logistics topics. In this post, the project44 team highlights the importance of network connectivity, real-time information, and business intelligence and analytics in maximizing the value delivered by transportation management systems (TMS).
Global growth is slowing to levels of GDP. Notice that the average growth for consumer nondurables (often termed household products) is 1.7%, as shown in Table 1. This is a far cry from the pre-recessionary growth rate of 6%. Public markets reward growth; and as year-over-year revenues slow, companies attempt to grow using tactics like new product launch, price incentives and trade promotion management.
High demand for flatbed shipping is rolling mightily into the peak periods of summer, continuing to drive historic supply issues across North America. While it’s difficult to predict how long it will last, what is predictable is that unprecedented demand of flatbed shipping will disrupt the typical cycles and seasonal trends we’ve come to expect, and make securing supply even more difficult as the market and carrier demographics remain fragmented.
Innovation varies widely across sectors and organizations, creating value in diverse forms. Understanding different types is crucial for R&D teams to foster creativity and uncover missed opportunities. This guide explores 25 key types of innovation in management frameworks.
by Mike McAllister Trevor Miles on achieving the path to supply chain transparency. When it comes to creating the perfect supply chain, it all starts with transparency. That’s the stance of Kinaxis thought leader Trevor Miles (follow @milesahead on Twitter), who recently sat down with Business Reporter journalist Alastair Greener in London, England to discuss the future of supply chain, and what the perfect supply chain might look like.
Editor's Note: There will be no blog post next week due to the US holiday. Push-driven supply chains have been around forever. Pull-driven have become increasingly popular and in most cases arguably better. But what about employing push and pull for different products in a single supply chain or distribution network? The mobile phone retail supply chain presents such a case of simultaneously maintaining both strategies.
Across retail, the push to get more products to more consumers in less time is growing. Today, there are dozens, if not hundreds, of individual warehouse management systems ( WMSs ) available, but how do you reap the real-world features within this innovative type of supply chain management systems? How do you know utilizing a WMS in your company is really working to benefit your enterprise?
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