SupplyChainBrainMore from SupplyChainBrainAll LogisticsBig Data Drives Supply ChainsAnalyst Insight: More companies are using some type of "big data" software and analysis to drive their entire supply chains. Almost all supply chain organizations recognize this to be a competitive necessity. Big data is being used along all supply chain levers, from buy, make, move and sell. Successful applications require coordinated decisions across organizations and along the entire supply chain. - Nada R. Sanders, Professor of Supply Chain Management & Iacocca Chair, Lehigh UniversityMarch 4, 2014All LogisticsTime for an End-to-End Transformation in Food & Beverage Industry?Analyst Insight: Food and beverage companies lag consumer packaged goods companies in corporate performance. With rising raw materials costs and volatility, coupled with increased compliance for food safety, they are facing greater change and increased risk. As they move into 2014, their supply chains are not as mature and their challenges are greater. - Lora Cecere, CEO and Founder, Supply Chain InsightsMarch 4, 2014All LogisticsThe Nasty Questions to Answer in Your Next Location PlanAnalyst Insight: Facility location planning is a six-dimensional balancing act encompassing long-term facility commitments with need for agility, predictable demand patterns with seasonal and spiky demand surprises, material handling investments with facility flexibility, return on investment with immediate operations effectiveness, cutting-edge technology with common sense, and operational efficiency and cost reduction with technology investment. Consequently, the best FLP results are those that design in the most needed capabilities, leaving space to accommodate the flexibility that drives location success. - Robert Sabath, Principal Essentialist SCM, TRISSENTIALMarch 3, 2014Logistics OutsourcingEvent Management: React, Anticipate, ActAnalyst Insight: The supply chain has traditionally been managed from a holistic, top-down perspective. As such, events have historically been treated as occurring outside of the supply chain cycle. - Jorge Garcia, Senior Analyst, Technology Evaluation CentersMarch 3, 2014Business Strategy AlignmentSustainability Grows Up and Starts to Pay OffSustainability has for many years been growing in importance, but until recently was largely seen as a sideshow meant to burnish the image of a company and its brands. Early efforts by supply chain leaders to integrate concepts of sustainability into their operations were often meant to test notions of cost savings that align naturally with reduced environmental impacts. The results are beginning to show. - Kevin O'Marah, Chief Content Officer and Head of Research, SCM WorldFebruary 28, 2014All TechnologyCRM from a Supply Chain PerspectiveAnalyst Insight: Customer relationship management evolved from contact management, a sales-focused process for suppliers. In many cases, CRM must be rethought; it should be stood on its head, starting with customers' needs and working back to suppliers. Because most companies lack sufficient resources to satisfy every customer, this approach initially leads to frustration. But "every customer totally thrilled" is the wrong objective. To the contrary, it's critical to focus: to "wow" the most profitable customers, and serve them perfectly. Supply chain responses must match segmented and targeted relationships to build satisfaction and profit. - Robert Sabath, Principal Essentialist SCM, TrissentialFebruary 28, 2014All TechnologyFive Forces to Understand and Leverage in CPG IndustryAnalyst Insight: Years ago in the consumer products industry, the "supply chain of the future" looked much like today's supply chain. Industry change was gradual and incremental. But the pace of change today demands a more proactive and aggressive approach to future logistics planning. Market and competitive forces are completely reshaping how supply chains need to operate in the future. There are several opportunities for companies to improve their market position by improving internal operations. - Charles Trimarco, Managing Consultant-Supply Chain Management, Capgemini ConsultingFebruary 28, 2014Business Strategy AlignmentBest Practices for Dealing with CPG Supply Chain Talent ShortagesAnalyst Insight: The consumer packaged goods (CPG) industry is in the midst of a supply chain talent shortage across all functions, but particularly in planning roles. CPG companies have had to adapt many strategies to maintain an adequate level of supply chain talent in their organizations. Today, it is more important than ever for these companies to place a premium on retaining and finding supply chain talent. - Bruce Tompkins, Executive Director, Tompkins Supply Chain ConsortiumFebruary 27, 2014Business Strategy AlignmentOMG If U R Not Implementing an M-commerce Strategy, I Am LOL!Analyst Insight: In the world today, there are 6.8 billion people; 4 billion have mobile phones. Only 3.5 billion use a tooth brush! There are more U.S. mobile subscriptions than people; 70 percent use their smartphones during their in-store experience! Why should we care in CPG? One fifth of searches are for CPG products. Online-to-offline (O2O) commerce is expected to grow 50 percent over 5 years, outpacing offline commerce and exceeding online ecommerce by over 400 percent (!), according to Forrester Research. - Rich Sherman, Principal Essentialist, TrissentialFebruary 27, 2014All TechnologyOvercoming Trust Issues at the Executive LevelCollaboration has been an alluring concept in the world of supply chain for years, but many have found that pilots often fail to expand beyond the honeymoon phase. Part of the problem may be trust gaps at the senior executive level that are worse than at lower managerial levels. This is not irrational, but reflects the fact that top executives see a struggle over jointly created value that is less obvious further down the organisation. - Kevin O'Marah, Chief Content Officer and Head of Research, SCM WorldFebruary 26, 2014Previous PagePage 497 of 590Next Page
