February, 2016

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No Easter Bunny?

Supply Chain Shaman

Dear Supply Chain Leader, Today, sitting in my seat in 11K on a Cathay Pacific flight between Hong Kong and Boston, I want to report that there is no Easter Bunny. There is also no Santa Claus. Yes, our parents perpetuated the image of that elderly white-haired gentleman, a symbol of Christmas love. This bunny in the basket is not real. Sorry to break the news.

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How to Become a Supply Chain Planning Leader in the Gartner Magic Quadrant

ToolsGroup

Being selected for the Gartner Magic Quadrant leader’s quadrant is a pretty big deal. For a software vendor, it’s like winning an Academy Award. So I can say we at ToolsGroup were proud to be recently recognized as a leader in the newly released Magic Quadrant for Supply Chain Planning System of Record (SOR). I thought this would be a good time to reflect on how a supply chain software vendor gets into the leaders quadrant.

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Keith B. Carter on The Path to Actionable Intelligence

AIMMS

Big data, analytics, BI…Everyone in business today has heard these terms at some point, and yet the path to analytics-driven business improvement remains somewhat elusive. We spoke with Keith B. Carter, Actionable Intelligence Expert and Decision Sciences Visiting Senior Fellow at the National University of Singapore Business School and Affiliate Professor Business Analytics Center, to unravel some of the difficulties managers face while embracing an analytics culture and discuss some best

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Why Hasn’t the Music Industry Supply Chain Responded to the Vinyl Resurgence?

Kinaxis

by Kevin McGowan If you read any of the articles about the “vinyl resurgence” in the music industry, it’s easy to understand why record companies, artists, and fans are getting so excited. The pendulum has swung ever so slightly from music fans streaming music on their phones and tablets to buying an actual physical object — a 12” slab of vinyl.

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4 Ways To Drive Supply Chain Excellence in the Food Industry

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.

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[INFOGRAPHIC] Circular Supply Chain Vs. Linear Supply Chain: An Evolution

GlobalTranz

Recycling and reuse of scrapped products have become hot-button topics in the modern world. A quick scan of Craigslist shows how entire businesses have been created on the sole purpose of reclaiming raw materials from existing goods. For example, some people are offering to pay up to $10 for old, discarded car batteries. Old computer equipment, such as monitors, printers, and hard drives, can fetch great value when recycled and reused properly.

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Embracing the Digital Supply Chain

Supply Chain Shaman

This week I am busy packing. It is the same feeling that I had as a child getting ready for camp. For the next 18 weeks I will be in the air. I will be speaking and working with clients in wonderful locations in Brussels, China, Germany, London, Mexico, Peru, and South Africa. In the process I needed a visa for China, and I wandered into an old-fashioned photo shop to have my picture taken for the visa application.

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A Hierarchy of Needs for Supply Chain Planning

ToolsGroup

Abraham Maslow created his magnum opus “Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs” by studying the best performing humans and their needs. While reading more about his theory, I realized that best performing supply chain systems also possess certain hierarchical needs. Similarly to a human being’s need of self-actualization, supply chain systems are designed to achieve high service levels while being cognizant of competing pressures such as demand volatility, competition, etc.

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Keith B. Carter on The Path to Actionable Intelligence

AIMMS

Big data, analytics, BI…Everyone in business today has heard these terms at some point, and yet the path to analytics-driven business improvement remains somewhat elusive. We spoke with Keith B. Carter, Actionable Intelligence Expert and Decision Sciences Visiting Senior Fellow at the National University of Singapore Business School and Affiliate Professor Business Analytics Center, to unravel some of the difficulties managers face while embracing an analytics culture and discuss some best

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What are Companies Looking for When Hiring in Supply Chain?

Kinaxis

by Alexa Cheater This guest post comes to us from Argentus Supply Chain Recruiting , a boutique recruitment firm specializing in Supply Chain Management. From time to time, Argentus’ recruiters give talks to people entering the field of Supply Chain at venues like APICS, Centennial College, Rotman University, and others. The reason we do this is to do our small part in the immense task of helping ready the next generation of Supply Chain talent to face what experts predict will be a shortage of

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15 Modern Use Cases for Enterprise Business Intelligence

Large enterprises face unique challenges in optimizing their Business Intelligence (BI) output due to the sheer scale and complexity of their operations. Unlike smaller organizations, where basic BI features and simple dashboards might suffice, enterprises must manage vast amounts of data from diverse sources. What are the top modern BI use cases for enterprise businesses to help you get a leg up on the competition?

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Logistics & Supply Chain Risk Management: Pivoting to Resiliency with these 3 Simple Processes

GlobalTranz

Supply chain risk management and resiliency are hot-button topics in the industry. However, minute supply chain entities do not understand how resilience relates to risk management and what it means for improving focus on the supply chain. As the supply chain continues to grow in complexity and regulation, the opportunities for problems and other events to impact operations negatively will consequently grow.

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The Omni-channel Effect on Manufacturers: Strategies for Success

Talking Logistics

Much has been said about how omni-channel is transforming the retail industry, but what impact is it having on manufacturers? How is it affecting their supply chain and logistics processes? What impact is it having on their talent and technology requirements? How are leading manufacturers overcoming these challenges? Is omni-channel serving as a catalyst for enhanced collaboration between manufacturers and retailers?

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IoT Visibility Comes to Ocean Shipping

Logistics Viewpoints

A rich stream of data has long been available to improve ocean visibility. AIS is an automatic tracking system used on ships. But CargoSmart is doing something new – they are using this near real time data to improve vessel scheduling and shipment tracking.

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What’s Driving Disruptive Innovation in Supply Chain Planning?

ToolsGroup

Disruptive innovation is changing the supply chain planning vendor space. Later we will investigate why, but first let’s look at what’s happening, starting with the recently released Gartner Magic Quadrant for Supply Chain Planning System of Record (SOR). In the latest Magic Quadrant there was a fairly major reordering in the vendor landscape. Gartner says the Supply Chain Planning (SCP) market has reached a tipping point after years of relatively slow evolution.

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Freight Procurement Simplified: Bids from Hours to Minutes

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

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Exploring the Many Applications of AIMMS in Supply Chain Planning

AIMMS

As you may have heard, AIMMS was recently featured in Gartner’s Hype Cycle for Supply Chain Planning (SCP). The Hype Cycle is a great resource for Supply Chain and IT leaders. It offers an overview of the enormous breadth of solutions for Supply Chain planning, giving you insight into the many fields where you can leverage technology to boost your company’s performance.

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The Ongoing Impact of E-Commerce on the Supply Chain

Kinaxis

by Bill DuBois A recent post on Logistics Management cites some figures supporting the idea that e-commerce is a runaway train continuing to gather momentum. Based on data for the latest major shopping days, Cyber Monday has eclipsed Black Friday when it comes to sales numbers and what consumers did to meet their holiday shopping needs. This finding continues a clear statistical trend.

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Warehouse Cost Reductions: 3 Understandings Driven By Inventory Management & Lean Principles

GlobalTranz

This is the second part of my series on various ways to reduce overall costs as it relates to logistics and warehouse cost reductions. In the first part I put forth 6 areas of focus in order to reduce logistics costs. Today, I will now address how a focus on inventory will allow for warehouse cost reductions as well. These are based on my 40 years working in operations at Schwinn and other companies as well as consulting many companies on how to select the best 3PL for my client's needs.

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The Biggest Mistake When Selecting a 3PL

Talking Logistics

One of our most popular Talking Logistics episodes of all time is Important Factors to Consider When Evaluating and Selecting a Third-Party Logistics (3PL) Partne r (6,220 views to date), which we summarized in a follow-up post and also included in our first Talking Logistics YOUniversity course, Fundamentals of Selecting and Working with 3PL Partners.

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How to Master Product Portfolio Management

Pursuing product portfolio management excellence empowers organizations to unlock the full potential of their offerings. This comprehensive guide unveils 10 essential keys that serve as the building blocks for success.

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Internet of Things (IoT) is changing mining supply chains, and not a moment too soon

DELMIA Quintiq

Gloomy news about the mining industry is not abating, not even for one minute. The price of iron ore, coal, and copper make the eyes of mine operators and traders alike glaze over. The statistics suggest a prolonged slump ahead. In this grim environment, large and small operators are responding with predictable countermeasures. Mines are shuttered, capital projects postponed, equipment purchases cancelled, workforces severely trimmed, and cash is squirreled away.

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A Detailed Look at What's Driving Disruptive Innovation in Supply Chain Planning

ToolsGroup

Last week offered an overview of how disruptive innovation is changing the supply chain planning vendor landscape. We mentioned that Gartner said that this significant disruption was driven by end users’ changing priorities and needs. Today examine those drivers in more depth across three dimensions: Top 10 SCP Capabilities - Rated by End Users. Top 10 Most Commonly Cited Issues by End Users.

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Through the Hype Cycle: Exploring the Many Applications of AIMMS Technology in Supply Chain Planning

AIMMS

As you may have heard, AIMMS was recently featured in Gartner’s Hype Cycle for Supply Chain Planning (SCP). The Hype Cycle is a great resource for Supply Chain and IT leaders. It offers an overview of the enormous breadth of solutions for Supply Chain planning, giving you insight into the many fields where you can leverage technology to boost your company’s performance.

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Show Them They Can Fly: Changing Mindsets About Supply Chain Management

Kinaxis

by Alexa Cheater I recently had the opportunity to hear our CEO John Sicard talk about the challenges supply chain software providers such as Kinaxis face when demonstrating to businesses the value in updating their supply chain management practices. It likely doesn’t come as any big shock to most of you that a lot of times, organizations are resistant to change.

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The Ultimate Guide to Transportation and Load Building Optimization

Enhance your transportation and load building efficiency with our comprehensive guide. Learn to tackle today's supply chain challenges and optimize your approach with advanced planning strategies. This guide covers: Supply Chain Challenges: Discover how transportation planning can address critical issues and improve efficiency. Load Building Benefits: Understand how effective load building can enhance your transportation processes.

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Logistics Cost Reduction: 6 Focuses to Create More Profit

GlobalTranz

This is the first of a two-part series where I will curate and cull information from my 4 decades of experience in logistics cost reduction at various positions in the supply chain. In this first part, I will focus on 6 places that you can apply to your organization to reduce costs and increase profit. According to the CSCMP's "State of Logistics" Report from 2015, logistics costs now make up over 8% of the GDP.

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The Impact of SOLAS on Ocean Shipping and Data Management

Talking Logistics

The Regulation’s Impact on Ocean Shipping and Data Management. The revised Safety of Life at Sea (SOLAS) container weight verification requirement is a significant change in the ocean cargo supply chain. Also known as the Verified Gross Mass (VGM) requirement, the International Maritime Organization (IMO) regulation is scheduled to go to effect on July 1, 2016, leaving the industry with little time to adapt. .

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The Internet of Things is Nothing New

Logistics Viewpoints

I’ve made the argument before that the Internet of Things is nothing new. In the logistics space, for example, we’ve been taking RF scans and using that data to improve warehouse processes since at least 1975 when McHugh Freeman, an early warehouse management system supplier, began business. Internet protocols make it easier to communicate that sensor data to applications.

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How Many Slaves Work For You?

SCM Research

When we buy our new shirt, phone or coffee, we rarely think about slavery in the global supply chains of these products. Slavery? In the 21 st century? Isn’t slavery a thing of the past? Well, it might surprise us, but slavery still exists and it exists in almost every global supply chain. It has been estimated that 200,000 child slaves work in Ivory Coast alone, that a large proportion of coltan that is used for the capacitors of our phones is mined by slaves, and that the cotton we need

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What Makes a Warehouse Worker Happy?

The 2024 Newcastle Systems Worker Satisfaction Survey provides insights into the life of a warehouse worker and what matters to them.

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Why Should You Help Us With Research?

Supply Chain Insights

Our philosophy is, “You give to us. We give to You.” This is how our research process works. It is unique. We believe in Open Content. Unlike other analyst firms, we do not believe that research should be locked behind a firewall. When you see us field a research study you will know three things: Confidence. Your responses are held in confidence. We only report the data in aggregate.

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Amazon Shakes Up the Omni-Channel Supply Chain – Again

Kinaxis

by Alexa Cheater It seems like these days everyone in the retail space is playing a game of catch up to Amazon. The online retail giant has had an overwhelmingly strong impact on the way in which businesses sell their goods to the end consumer. Practically defining the very concept of omni-channel, they were early adopters of online and mobile sales.

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Light Bulbs To Rugs, IKEA’s Commitment To Reverse Logistics & The Circular Supply Chain

GlobalTranz

Reverse logistics presents unique challenges and opportunities. To meet these challenges and take advantage of these opportunities, companies need to be both prepared and flexible. Ikea, a company known for innovation , is facing the enigma of reverse logistics head on. As part of the company’s sustainability strategy, Ikea is challenging the perception that its products are disposable by creating opportunities to recycle and reuse products.