Technology | SupplyChainBrain

Technology: Page 1473

Supplier Relationship Management: These Ties Are Critical to Value Chain Success

Analyst Insight: While traditional supply chain processes focus on efficient transactions, value chain networks are built on effective relationships. The difference is not trivial, challenging deep-seated traditional supply chain paradigms. With 70 percent to 80 percent of a product's components sourced externally vs. made in house, supplier relationship management is critical to value chain success.

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Warehouse Logistics: Preparing for the Best of Times by Managing through the Worst

Analyst Insight: For most companies, the management focus on order fulfillment concerns cost-containment. To lower operating expenses, companies should look to both cost savings (via efficiency gains) as well as cost avoidance (via accuracy improvements). Making these changes in the short term can yield long-term benefits, as those improvements that save costs now can also position companies to better handle the greater volumes that will follow a rebound in consumer demand.

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SC Security & Risk Management: Are We Living In A Less Risky World?

Analyst Insight: Despite the fact executives downgraded risk levels in our recent risk survey, the impact of current economic conditions is long lasting. Global supply chains will continue to face major risks in 2010 and beyond. As such, designing a supply chain risk management strategy is still critical.

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Transportation & Distribution: Moving Beyond Recessionary Tactics with Four Winning Strategies for Your Supply Chain

Analyst Insight: The economy and reductions in demand have focused priority on tactical initiatives within the supply chain. In 2010 there will be renewed focus beyond securing distribution efficiencies and renegotiating transportation rates (2009's top actions). As we exit the recession, companies are encouraged to embrace a 4-step strategy for transformational change.

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Retail: Effective Supply Chains Are Critical to Retailers

Analyst Insight: The retail industry will face many difficult challenges in 2010. Unemployment and underemployment are high and living standards for Americans continue to erode, leaving little money for purchases outside of necessities. Also, issues in housing, banking and health care will continue. Although there may not be much sales growth in 2010, retailers can still strengthen their bottom lines by having an effective retail supply chain, which is essential to reduce costs and maintain high service levels.

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Cadre Technologies Issues Event-Management System for WMS

Transportation Management: Trends and Advancements for the Next Decade

Analyst Insight: Today's transportation organizations are being affected on all sides by rising costs and demands. Top performers in this economy are extending beyond the basics of domestic and international systems and beginning to create and extend automated processes to address advanced capabilities like dynamic optimization and the daily use of analytic tools to monitor events and communicate and collaborate on a near real-time basis.

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Transportation & Distribution: From Local and Tactical to Global and Strategic

Analyst Insight: As the economic recovery proceeds, companies should be changing their sights from mere tactical cost-cutting measures to more strategic improvement initiatives. Productivity increases and cost containment are now considered a given at the leading companies. The bigger benefits are coming from companies that are integrating logistics and distribution more broadly into innovative supply chain improvement strategies.

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Supply Chain Security & Risk Management: There's Help for the 'Dirty' Work of Dealing with Risk Management

Analyst Insight: The dirty underside of supply chain is confronting the many risks inherent in 24x7-operations entrusted to "partners" in far-flung regions who are conducting fraudulent activities as well as dealing with unpredictable events. The big market here is risk transfer-insurance and others services to mitigate the impact of events. In addition, step by step, we are beginning to see approaches-metric and risk assessments methods, auditing and monitoring services, and technology - to support risk avoidance and assure recovery.

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Supply Chain Visibility: First Comes Visibility, Then Comes Needed Improvements

Analyst Insight: Global competition, ongoing business transformation, and the increased lead-times / complexity of global supply chains are creating a situation where pipeline inventory and landed costs have increased dramatically. But before a company can reduce pipeline inventory or landed cost, it needs visibility into them. Hence, improving supply chain visibility is a key strategic imperative that has been, and is, growing in importance in managing the multi-enterprise supply chains.

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Sourcing & Procurement Solutions: Being a Leader Means Taking Costs Out

Analyst Insight: The number one strategy for sourcing and procurement executives is taking costs out. But that requires an enterprise view of procurement and sourcing resources, including spend, business process, supplier contracts, organizational structure, and employees. Leading organizations have accelerated their strategic cost-reduction activities to ensure immediate sourcing and procurement ROI.

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SaaS & On-Demand Systems: Is the Cloud Within Your Reach?

Analyst Insight: Many businesses have been paying more attention to the concept of software as a service (SaaS) and how it can be incorporated into their IT portfolios. The most commonly stated benefits -rapid deployment, lower cost, and scalability - must be balanced by other key decision criterion, such as fit, ROI, and risk.

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