Supply Chain Shaman

JULY 19, 2020

After finishing the Supply Chains to Admire report and the Youtube series (to be released this week), this is my feeling. What Is Supply Chain Excellence? The seven years of work on the Supply Chains to Admire is part of my quest to answer Keith’s question. Here, in this blog, I explain. I did not have a good answer.

Supply Chain Design Software 415

Supply Chain Design Software Supply Chain Planning Software Supply Chain Design Agile and Lean Supply Chain 415

Logistics Viewpoints

FEBRUARY 16, 2021

In a survey of 150 global manufacturing executives, 47% committed to improving supply chain visibility and tracking. According to the Global Supply Chain Disruption and Future Strategies Survey Report, this goal was the top-ranked planned tool investment. What is supply chain visibility? Agility to act on transparency.

Supply Chain Visibility 316

Supply Chain Visibility Agile and Lean Supply Chain Supply Chain Planning Software Scenario Planning 316

Logistics Viewpoints

JULY 19, 2021

Part of their transformation includes a journey to implement and improve their connected planning capabilities. Connected planning, based on the Anaplan solution, improves both their profitability and their service capabilities. Tata Steel Europe has a complex supply chain. So, what is “connected planning?”

Supply Chain Planning Software 278

Supply Chain Planning Software Scenario Planning Supply Chain Planning Negotiating Skills 278

Supply Chain Shaman

APRIL 9, 2021

We stubbed our toe in supply chain management at the beginning of the decade. Facing The Issues of Supply Chain Performance. As I work through this year’s Supply Chains to Admire , I cannot help but shake my head. The black veil of the pandemic is a supply chain wake-up call to build better. Rise in Inventories.

Supply Chain Planning Software 360

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

Logistics Viewpoints

JUNE 1, 2021

Why should we consider Promotion Planning in Inventory Management? Whether it be e-commerce, brick-and-mortar, or both, retail companies care about the inventory they keep. During promotional management, especially for big events around special days and holidays, inventory levels need to be adjusted to meet the peaks in demand.

Inventory Management Software 214

Inventory Management Software Supply Chain Planning Software Inventory Management Optimal Sourcing 214

Supply Chain Shaman

JUNE 29, 2021

Each year, we compile a list of top-performing Supply Chains, termed the Supply Chains to Admire. Using balance sheet data from 2011 to 2019, we chart companies’ progress by peer group on rate of improvement and performance in the metrics of growth, operating margin, inventory turns, and Return on Invested Capital (ROIC).

Supply Chain Planning Software 370

Supply Chain Planning Software Supply Chain Design Software Supply Chain Planning Supply Chain Design 370

ToolsGroup

JUNE 2, 2023

But then, supply chain disruption became the rule instead of the exception, consumers changed their tastes as often as their socks, and global competition started playing hardball. Suddenly, managing inventory is the name of the game for companies trying to manage working capital and maximize profit while keeping customers happy.

Real-time Visibility 294

Real-time Visibility Manufacturing Procurement Optimal Sourcing Inventory Reduction 294

Supply Chain Shaman

MARCH 27, 2023

My goal is to engage the supply chain community in a no smoke and mirrors discussion. My observation is that the supply chain community perpetuates a number of myths about planning. This post is a reflection from twenty years as an analyst in supply chain planning. What is supply chain excellence?

Supply Chain Planning Software 315

Supply Chain Planning Software Supply Chain Planning Scenario Planning Supply Chain Design Software 315

Logistics Viewpoints

OCTOBER 14, 2024

During my current supply chain planning market research, I have received briefings from several SCP companies. Many say that they are using generative AI, a type of AI that can create new content and ideas, as part of their journey toward autonomous planning. Solvoyo has a metric they call the user acceptance rate.

Supply Chain Planning Software 243

Supply Chain Planning Software Supply Chain Planning Procurement Analytics Scenario Planning 243

Supply Chain Shaman

SEPTEMBER 3, 2018

” Here is an excerpt from the article: “…it isn’t by becoming more efficient that the supply chains of Wal-Mart, Dell, and Amazon have given those companies an edge over their competitors. According to my research, top-performing supply chains possess three very different qualities. ” Hau Lee, October 2014.

Supply Chain Planning Software 317

Supply Chain Planning Software Supply Chain Design Software Agile and Lean Supply Chain Supply Chain Software 317

Supply Chain Shaman

DECEMBER 28, 2020

When I started my business in 2012, I frequently wrote about the future using the moniker of Supply Chain 2020. We had just recovered from a recession, and my goal was to help supply chain leaders create a better supply chain by the end of the decade. At that time, Supply Chain 2020 seemed so far away. I was wrong.

Supply Chain Planning Software 418

Supply Chain Planning Software Forecasting Forecasting Software Modeling 418

Supply Chain Shaman

MAY 13, 2024

In my recent Mea Culpa post, I mentioned my prior work on Sales and Operations Planning (S&OP), and the importance of leadership. If you have walked in the shoes of the supply chain leader, you are probably laughing by now. In assessing the health of the plan, what do you measure? Is your plan feasible?

S&OP 349

S&OP Supply and Demand Inventory Reduction Expense Reduction 349

ToolsGroup

MARCH 18, 2019

Trends and other market forces that impact commercial opportunities need to appear on the planning radar. Therefore, traditional push-driven supply chains are wholly unfit for this situation. They also cut inventory levels, grew sales and resolved capacity issues. Their S&OP program, however, was only the beginning.

Supply Chain Planning Software 228

Supply Chain Planning Software Supply Chain Planning Scenario Planning Agile and Lean Supply Chain 228

ToolsGroup

MAY 15, 2024

These scenarios encapsulate the daily struggles of modern businesses navigating through uncertainty, where decision-centric planning emerges not as a luxury but as a necessity. In our previous discussion on decision-centric planning , we explored its fundamental principles and how it can revolutionize supply chain management.

Supply Chain Planning Software 177

Supply Chain Planning Software Scenario Planning Supply Chain Planning Supply Chain Software 177

Supply Chain Shaman

JANUARY 2, 2023

A large consumer products manufacturer with nine Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) instances and several divisions wanted to discuss forecasting. 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.

Supply and Demand 373

Supply and Demand Modeling Demand Planning Supply Chain Planning Software 373

Logistics Viewpoints

JULY 30, 2024

But shippers looking to avoid disruptions and ensure that tight inventory levels don’t lead to missed sales opportunities pulled their orders forward. As companies look ahead to the next three to six months, they’re weighing costs, risks, and demand as they plan and adapt their inventory strategies.

Inventory Reduction 239

Inventory Reduction Real-time Visibility Supply Chain Planning Software Supply Chain Design Software 239

Supply Chain Shaman

MARCH 21, 2024

Supply Chain Planners Analogous to Secretarial Pools? In my forty years of studying supply chain planning, the groups became larger, but with questionable results. Taxonomy of Outside-in Planning Based on the Art of the Possible To accomplish this goal, we need to discard the current crawl, walk, and run models and just jump.

Inventory Reduction 403

Inventory Reduction Supply Chain Planning Software Cost Reduction Strategies Supply Chain Design Software 403

Logistics Viewpoints

SEPTEMBER 20, 2022

“May you live in interesting times,” widely attributed as a Chinese curse, some claim this as a blessing; whichever side you take, this is exactly what’s happening in the supply chain world since 2020, and it looks like we will be living with this blessing/curse for a while longer. Emerging Themes for Supply Chain Planning.

Supply Chain Planning Software 226

Supply Chain Planning Software Agile and Lean Supply Chain Supply Chain Planning Forecasting Software 226

Supply Chain Shaman

APRIL 27, 2022

Supply chain excellence is easier to say than to explain. Executive teams strive to drive improvement in supply chain results; yet, sadly, only four percent of public companies succeed. The supply chain is a complex non-linear system. Now, I view the company as a supply chain laggard. The reason? A Case Study.

Procurement Analytics 339

Procurement Analytics Manufacturing Procurement Supply Chain Planning Software Supply Chain Design Software 339

Logistics Viewpoints

MARCH 9, 2023

Autonomous Supply Chains In this competitive environment, a CPG manufacturer needs to fight to get space on retailer shelves in each region, keep those shelves stocked, compete and collaborate simultaneously with e-commerce, and maintain its operating margins. each with discrete plans generated typically in sequential batch runs.

Supply Chain Planning Software 233

Supply Chain Planning Software Modeling Forecasting Software Optimization Software 233

Supply Chain Shaman

JANUARY 9, 2024

Today, we published The Supply Chains to Admire for 2023. Supply Chains to Admire Winners 2023 Examine Your Own Paradigm. Most supply chain leaders are stuck in their own paradigms. As an old gal, with over forty-years of supply chain experience, writing this report for ten years taught me many lessons. I admit it.

Supply Chain Planning Software 299

Supply Chain Planning Software Pharmaceutical Supply Chain Planning Gartner 299

Logistics Viewpoints

JANUARY 23, 2024

This year, a recurring theme that I saw was about using supply chain data to improve the customer experience across the entire value chain. Here are the ones that stood out to me, especially as it relates to supply chain data. This new dashboard gives retailers a lot of supply chain data to see where they stand.

Supply Chain Planning Software 246

Supply Chain Planning Software Supply Chain Software Supply Chain Planning Modeling 246

ToolsGroup

AUGUST 20, 2019

More and more businesses are hopping on the outsourcing bus and letting the experts take the wheel to drive supply chain planning processes. Several years ago ToolsGroup pioneered business process outsourcing (BPO) as an alternative to in-house supply chain planning (SCP). Those companies also reduced planning spend.

Supply Chain Planning Software 214

Supply Chain Planning Software Supply Chain Planning Gartner Supply Chain Software 214

Supply Chain Shaman

OCTOBER 16, 2023

Let me start by saying that t he process is not a panacea to solve all supply chain ills. Clear operating strategy and definition of supply chain excellence across plan, source, make and deliver. Clear operating strategy and definition of supply chain excellence across plan, source, make and deliver. Drives Value.

S&OP 333

S&OP Supply and Demand Forecasting Supply Chain Design Software 333

Supply Chain Shaman

SEPTEMBER 22, 2024

He shared that he worked for a freight forwarder providing supply chain planning services for a major retailer. The organization did not want to waste cycles defining a good plan. Most supply chain leaders focus on cost reduction and are unclear on value-based outcomes. I feel that supply chain processes are analogous.

Cost Reduction Strategies 376

Cost Reduction Strategies Waste Reduction Inventory Reduction Supply Chain Planning Software 376

Supply Chain Shaman

JULY 25, 2021

As a guest writer for Forbes, public relations firms constantly pepper me with requests to speak to technologists boasting of having answers to improve supply chain resilience. I strongly believe that historical supply chain practices are not the answer. They need to evolve to help today’s supply chain business leader.

Procurement Analytics 370

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

Logistics Viewpoints

JUNE 1, 2023

That’s why staying on top of the latest supply chain planning trends is so important – they can make all the difference when it comes to staying competitive, reducing costs, and meeting your customers’ needs. Here are some highlights from these trends in 2023 and implications on supply chain planning.

Supply Chain Planning Software 223

Supply Chain Planning Software Supply Chain Design Software Supply Chain Planning Supply Chain Software 223

Logistics Viewpoints

APRIL 4, 2022

A large multinational is undergoing an impressive supply chain transformation that will run through 2023. While the company has several different goals, two key focuses are improved agility and resilience, and more autonomous planning. A Complex Supply Chain. In some case they manage inventory at the customer’s site. “We

Supply Chain Transformation 220

Supply Chain Transformation Supply Chain Planning Software Modeling Scenario Planning 220

Logistics Viewpoints

MAY 19, 2022

He had a load full of cotton bales, and while idling away hours at a shipyard watching stevedores load other cargo onto ships he dreamed up containers that transformed global supply chains. Supply chain optimization has also improved in significant ways that can address these trade-offs better than before.

Optimal Sourcing 266

Optimal Sourcing Modeling Supply Chain Optimization Optimization Software 266

Supply Chain Shaman

JULY 6, 2020

This is a story for the Eds, Franks, and Toms working together in supply chains across the globe. It is also a story for a young supply chain manager attempting to make a difference, but feeling stymied. He felt that inventory was no problem, he would just cut it at the end of each quarter to make the balance sheet goals.

Agile and Lean Supply Chain 297

Agile and Lean Supply Chain Supply Chain Design Software Supply Chain Planning Software Supply Chain Strategy 297

Logistics Viewpoints

JULY 22, 2021

Sales & Operations Planning (S&OP) as a process has been around since the 1980’s. While the terminology evolved, the underlying thesis of S&OP has stayed the same, i.e., bridge the divide between sales forecasts and operational plans while respecting the budget. Does this mean at some point in time we move on from S&OP?

S&OP 271

S&OP Supply and Demand Optimal Sourcing Supply Chain Design Software 271

Supply Chain Shaman

JANUARY 8, 2024

This weekend, I edited the Supply Chains to Admire report. Planning Needs to Change. We have successfully reduced warehouse labor, but planning is more labor intensive today, and less effective. This work completed in 2013 defined the Supply Chains to Admire. The full report publishes this week. Performance Declines.

Supply Chain Design Software 243

Supply Chain Design Software Supply Chain Planning Software Modeling Software Supply Chain Network Software 243

ToolsGroup

APRIL 25, 2019

Anyone who has done demand planning knows it is extremely complex, with forecasting challenges and rapidly shifting consumer demand, often exacerbated by seasonality, new product introductions, promotions, and myriad causal factors (e.g. weather, social media). Set Specific Business Objectives at the Start.

Supply and Demand 227

Supply and Demand Demand Planning Modeling Supply Chain Planning Software 227

ToolsGroup

JANUARY 30, 2024

Optimize inventory productivity across all channels with JustEnough v2023.4 Smart retailers are planning their wholesale channels just as strategically as they leverage storefronts and e-commerce. We’ve also added critical new features across the platform to allow for higher inventory productivity— no matter your channel or market.

Supply Chain Planning Software 156

Supply Chain Planning Software Supply Chain Planning Scenario Planning Retail 156

Supply Chain Shaman

JANUARY 2, 2024

As I wrote, I reflected on the Generative AI hype cycle in the supply chain market and the contribution to noise. I questioned in this time of uncertainty if supply chain leaders will value data-driven content. They underperform in their peer groups against companies weaker in planning. The reports took me two months to write.

Gartner 284

Gartner Supply Chain Planning Software Supply Chain Design Software Case Study 284

Supply Chain Shaman

FEBRUARY 1, 2024

While consultants know the answers (or believe they do), I believe my goal as a research analyst is to unearth new questions that should be asked (and answered together openly in the supply chain community) to improve value. Optimization engines to improve functional metric performance resulted in an exploding number of planners.

Supply Chain Planning Software 342

Supply Chain Planning Software Optimal Sourcing Manufacturing Procurement Waste Reduction 342

Logistics Viewpoints

SEPTEMBER 19, 2023

Supply chain resiliency and sustainability are top priorities for CEOs today. To achieve these goals, corporate leadership must focus on two key areas: shift from internally focused supply chains to collaborative supply networks and actively design their supply chains.

Supply Chain Design Software 266

Supply Chain Design Software Supply Chain Design Supply Chain Planning Software Supply Chain Software 266