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90, then 80, followed by 76. The highway rolls ahead of me. There are endless mile markers. It is a long day. Today, I am cruising major freeways traveling from Chicago to my new home in Pennsylvania. MORE
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. MORE
Another plane, another client; and yet another discussion. They are sounding a bit the same. I am trying to not sound like a broken record. Regional supply chain companies are attempting to define global requirements. MORE
I was sitting with a representative from the United Nations on my way back from Colombia. As we took off from Bogota, we discussed the potential of blockchain to help her with feeding children in the highlands of the Colombian-Venezuelan border. MORE
Personalization. Market microsegmentation. New product launch. There are many good reasons to add items to product portfolios, but companies are better at adding than eliminating items. Discontinuing products is a struggle with tension between supply chain and marketing functions. MORE
François-Régis Le Tourneau leads the efforts at L’Oreal for Standards & Prospective Process Improvement. At the Supply Chain Global Summit 2018 , Francois discussed the impact of digitalization, Industry 4.0, MORE
Nick Lynch is the Global Excellence Manager at Shell Lubricants, a division of Shell Global. Located in the United Kingdom (UK), he has more than twelve years of experience in progressive roles driving demand-drive projects for their global supply chain. MORE
Yowza: Excitement or approval. Get a cup of coffee. This is a long post. <Bear <Bear with me… > Here I share a nine-step process in an attempt to help companies unravel the process for buying supply chain planning software. The genesis for this post stems from frustration. MORE
Yawn. I spent time this week completing reference calls on the use of S&OP technologies. Seeking the next sequel in technology adoption, I want to write how the confluence of new technologies changed companies’ abilities to improve decisions. MORE
Oh my! The blog post, What About Them Apples , raised a lot of heated discussion on LinkedIn. Quite the dust-up… Why? While I am advocating rethinking supply chain planning, for some consultants, the only path forward is the adoption of DDRMP. The recommendation is a broad-brush approach. MORE
Inquiry is increasing. Company dissatisfaction with supply chain planning is growing. The goal is to improve insights while decreasing the number of planners. The growing dissatisfaction is on the inadequacies of today’s technologies. MORE
The Supply Chain Insights Global Summit is over, but we hope the energy to define Supply Chain 2030 is just beginning. Our goal is to build a guiding coalition to think differently to improve outcomes. MORE
…the weekend is just around the corner. Happy Valentine’s Day to all my blog readers. This is my 440th blog post and the tenth anniversary Supply Chain Shaman. It seems hard to believe that I have been typing away over these years building an audience of over 20,000 global readers. MORE
Across from me, sits an empty chair. In fact, sadly, there are many empty chairs in the room. Five people canceled at the last minute due to travel restrictions. Today, I am facilitating the Network of Networks share group in Antwerp. The reason the seats are empty? MORE
We finished dinner. I pressed my neatly folded napkin to my lips. As we waited for coffee, silence hung heavy in the air. My client writhed in her seat and hung her head as she asked, “I read your article on control towers, but I am confused. What is an easy definition? MORE
As I flew to Dallas, I worked on this post. Before boarding the plane, I watched a traveler pull a diet Coke from the bin and thought about the struggle to source sweetener with the rise of COV-19. MORE
To drive global scale, companies need to design the supply chain to buy globally and execute locally. Not many companies have cracked this code. The design of the supply chain is fundamental to making this happen. Managing complexity is key. MORE
May was a conference month. Social media awash with pictures of supply chain professionals attending the Lady Gaga event at SAP’s Sapphire, celebrating with drinks at the Gartner event, or rocking to the ZZ Top performance at JDA’s Icon conference trumpeted excitement. The news from these events? MORE
Welcome to a new year. Congratulations. You made it through 2018. It has been a while since I penned a blog post on New Year’s predictions, but today as I sit and drink my hot chocolate, I feel the itch to write. The bears are starting to chase the bulls from the field. MORE
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. MORE
Remember the Peter, Paul and Mary song, Puff the Magic Dragon ? It was a song from my youth. While there is a raging debate on song intent— Was the goal of the song to celebrate a children’s story from Oliver Wilde about the loss of innocence or is it a statement about the use of drugs? —in MORE
I watch the news channels on mute. The reason? I hate political pundit debates. When the nonsensical banter reaches a crescendo, I shake my head and ask myself the question of “Why?” I wonder why people are listening. MORE
I dialed-in, took a sip of coffee, rocked back in my seat. I asked, “ How can I help you?” This is my standard modus operandi. When not traveling, I answer nine calls on average a day.) When I asked the question, an awkward silence followed. MORE
For the past six years, I have spent my labor day weekend preparing for the Supply Chain Insights Global Summit. Next week, I will welcome over 100 participants to the annual event. The event is designed to Imagine Supply Chain 2030. The format of the conference is different than most. MORE
It has been awhile. After the Supply Chain Insights Global Summit , I took the time to recharge and took a month off from writing. The presentations from the Summit are posted now on the Supply Chain Insights You Tube Channel. This blog post formed in my head as I worked with clients this month. MORE
At what point does erosion cause the side of a mountain to give way? It is usually the small shifts… over time, there is degradation. And, then suddenly, the mountain gives way collapsing to the land below. S&OP Slip Slidin’ Away. MORE
July is my birthday month. In the middle of busy travel, I made time for the annual physical. The reason? I know that early detection is the key to wellness. It is a familiar ritual. The nurse quickly assesses blood pressure, pulse, blood oxygen, height and weight. MORE
My aged hand drapes the barre on the celebration of Global Ballet day. Dutifully, no matter how bad I performed in the last class, I return to the barre, extend my right hand and start a new class. There is a soothing familiarity to refine moves that defy my capabilities. MORE
It was not my goal; but by accident, it became my mission. MORE
I help business leaders transform supply chains. Fiercely independent, I triangulate the market and share insights. While companies like research, they love stories. For me, this poses a dilemma. How so? No one wants their story told, yet they want to know stories of other companies. MORE
Supply Chain Shaman
MARCH 9, 2020
As I flew to Dallas, I worked on this post. Before boarding the plane, I watched a traveler pull a diet Coke from the bin and thought about the struggle to source sweetener with the rise of COV-19.
Supply Chain Shaman
JULY 22, 2019
I watch the news channels on mute. The reason? I hate political pundit debates. When the nonsensical banter reaches a crescendo, I shake my head and ask myself the question of “Why?” I wonder why people are listening.
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Supply Chain Shaman
FEBRUARY 5, 2020
At what point does erosion cause the side of a mountain to give way? It is usually the small shifts… over time, there is degradation. And, then suddenly, the mountain gives way collapsing to the land below. S&OP Slip Slidin’ Away.
Supply Chain Shaman
FEBRUARY 27, 2020
Remember the Peter, Paul and Mary song, Puff the Magic Dragon ? It was a song from my youth. While there is a raging debate on song intent— Was the goal of the song to celebrate a children’s story from Oliver Wilde about the loss of innocence or is it a statement about the use of drugs? —in
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In today's new supply chain paradigm, resilience and agility are key. Is your planning process fit enough to keep up with the pace of change? Is your tech stack helping or hindering your progress? Take AIMMS's new quiz to uncover learnings and benchmark yourself against peers!
Supply Chain Shaman
SEPTEMBER 3, 2018
It was not my goal; but by accident, it became my mission.
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Supply Chain Shaman
SEPTEMBER 13, 2016
The Supply Chain Insights Global Summit is over, but we hope the energy to define Supply Chain 2030 is just beginning. Our goal is to build a guiding coalition to think differently to improve outcomes.
Supply Chain Shaman
FEBRUARY 13, 2020
…the weekend is just around the corner. Happy Valentine’s Day to all my blog readers. This is my 440th blog post and the tenth anniversary Supply Chain Shaman. It seems hard to believe that I have been typing away over these years building an audience of over 20,000 global readers.
Supply Chain Shaman
NOVEMBER 7, 2017
Inquiry is increasing. Company dissatisfaction with supply chain planning is growing. The goal is to improve insights while decreasing the number of planners. The growing dissatisfaction is on the inadequacies of today’s technologies.
Supply Chain Shaman
MARCH 5, 2019
We finished dinner. I pressed my neatly folded napkin to my lips. As we waited for coffee, silence hung heavy in the air. My client writhed in her seat and hung her head as she asked, “I read your article on control towers, but I am confused. What is an easy definition?
Speaker: Rob Handfield, PhD, Bank of America University Distinguished Professor of Supply Chain Management at NC State University
Join this informative webinar with Rob Handfield, Bank of America University Distinguished Professor of Supply Chain Management at NC State University, who will go over how the Coronavirus has impacted supply chains, as well as discussing approaches for preparing your supply chain for future outbreaks of major global disruptions. The world is becoming a riskier place, and it is important to plan for disasters ahead of time.
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Supply Chain Shaman
SEPTEMBER 1, 2019
For the past six years, I have spent my labor day weekend preparing for the Supply Chain Insights Global Summit. Next week, I will welcome over 100 participants to the annual event. The event is designed to Imagine Supply Chain 2030. The format of the conference is different than most.
Supply Chain Shaman
JANUARY 9, 2019
Personalization. Market microsegmentation. New product launch. There are many good reasons to add items to product portfolios, but companies are better at adding than eliminating items. Discontinuing products is a struggle with tension between supply chain and marketing functions.
Supply Chain Shaman
OCTOBER 5, 2018
François-Régis Le Tourneau leads the efforts at L’Oreal for Standards & Prospective Process Improvement. At the Supply Chain Global Summit 2018 , Francois discussed the impact of digitalization, Industry 4.0,
Supply Chain Shaman
DECEMBER 17, 2018
Nick Lynch is the Global Excellence Manager at Shell Lubricants, a division of Shell Global. Located in the United Kingdom (UK), he has more than twelve years of experience in progressive roles driving demand-drive projects for their global supply chain.
Speaker: Brian Dooley, Director SC Navigator, AIMMS
It’s no secret that demand is getting more difficult to predict. Is your demand forecasting process evolving with the times? How does your process stack up against others? Are you satisfied with your level of forecast accuracy? This webinar shares research findings from a recent survey among supply chain planning professionals to help you answer these questions.
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Supply Chain Shaman
OCTOBER 4, 2018
90, then 80, followed by 76. The highway rolls ahead of me. There are endless mile markers. It is a long day. Today, I am cruising major freeways traveling from Chicago to my new home in Pennsylvania.
Supply Chain Shaman
DECEMBER 17, 2019
My aged hand drapes the barre on the celebration of Global Ballet day. Dutifully, no matter how bad I performed in the last class, I return to the barre, extend my right hand and start a new class. There is a soothing familiarity to refine moves that defy my capabilities.
Supply Chain Shaman
OCTOBER 8, 2019
It has been awhile. After the Supply Chain Insights Global Summit , I took the time to recharge and took a month off from writing. The presentations from the Summit are posted now on the Supply Chain Insights You Tube Channel. This blog post formed in my head as I worked with clients this month.
Supply Chain Shaman
MAY 30, 2019
May was a conference month. Social media awash with pictures of supply chain professionals attending the Lady Gaga event at SAP’s Sapphire, celebrating with drinks at the Gartner event, or rocking to the ZZ Top performance at JDA’s Icon conference trumpeted excitement. The news from these events?
Speaker: Max Muller, Attorney and Author
Supply chain managers should constantly be on guard against forces that could cause a significant point-of-failure in or to their supply chains. The sudden loss of a workforce is an evolving danger to those who provide raw materials, subassemblies, finished goods, and/or necessary services to supply chains; and to entities requiring those items or services. Join Max Muller for this timely, fast-paced and guidance rich webinar that will educate you on the specific steps involved in undertaking your own internal audit, as well as providing you with guidance on what your major and/or sole source suppliers should do as well.
Supply Chain Shaman
OCTOBER 12, 2017
Oh my! The blog post, What About Them Apples , raised a lot of heated discussion on LinkedIn. Quite the dust-up… Why? While I am advocating rethinking supply chain planning, for some consultants, the only path forward is the adoption of DDRMP. The recommendation is a broad-brush approach.
Supply Chain Shaman
DECEMBER 4, 2019
Across from me, sits an empty chair. In fact, sadly, there are many empty chairs in the room. Five people canceled at the last minute due to travel restrictions. Today, I am facilitating the Network of Networks share group in Antwerp. The reason the seats are empty?
Supply Chain Shaman
AUGUST 22, 2017
I was sitting with a representative from the United Nations on my way back from Colombia. As we took off from Bogota, we discussed the potential of blockchain to help her with feeding children in the highlands of the Colombian-Venezuelan border.
Supply Chain Shaman
NOVEMBER 28, 2016
To drive global scale, companies need to design the supply chain to buy globally and execute locally. Not many companies have cracked this code. The design of the supply chain is fundamental to making this happen. Managing complexity is key.
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AIMMS conducted research to assess how supply chain teams perceive the accuracy of their forecast and discover the tools and techniques they are using to upgrade the forecasting process. In this report, you will find helpful benchmarks and insights offered by your peers on the latest demand forecasting techniques, forecast granularity and periodicity, and expectations for the future.
Supply Chain Shaman
JANUARY 2, 2019
Welcome to a new year. Congratulations. You made it through 2018. It has been a while since I penned a blog post on New Year’s predictions, but today as I sit and drink my hot chocolate, I feel the itch to write. The bears are starting to chase the bulls from the field.
Supply Chain Shaman
JUNE 19, 2018
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.
Supply Chain Shaman
FEBRUARY 4, 2018
I dialed-in, took a sip of coffee, rocked back in my seat. I asked, “ How can I help you?” This is my standard modus operandi. When not traveling, I answer nine calls on average a day.) When I asked the question, an awkward silence followed.
Supply Chain Shaman
JULY 8, 2019
I help business leaders transform supply chains. Fiercely independent, I triangulate the market and share insights. While companies like research, they love stories. For me, this poses a dilemma. How so? No one wants their story told, yet they want to know stories of other companies.
Speaker: Brian Dooley, Director SC Navigator, AIMMS, and Paul van Nierop, Supply Chain Planning Specialist, AIMMS
Want to build your internal capability, reduce costs and make better decisions? It's easier than you think. This on-demand webinar shares research findings from Supply Chain Insights, including the top 5 obstacles that bog you down when trying to improve your network design efforts.
Supply Chain Shaman
SEPTEMBER 24, 2018
Yowza: Excitement or approval. Get a cup of coffee. This is a long post. <Bear <Bear with me… > Here I share a nine-step process in an attempt to help companies unravel the process for buying supply chain planning software. The genesis for this post stems from frustration.
Supply Chain Shaman
JUNE 7, 2018
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.
Supply Chain Shaman
MAY 18, 2019
Yawn. I spent time this week completing reference calls on the use of S&OP technologies. Seeking the next sequel in technology adoption, I want to write how the confluence of new technologies changed companies’ abilities to improve decisions.
Supply Chain Shaman
NOVEMBER 6, 2016
Another plane, another client; and yet another discussion. They are sounding a bit the same. I am trying to not sound like a broken record. Regional supply chain companies are attempting to define global requirements.
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Network design as a discipline is complex and too many businesses are still relying on spreadsheets to design and optimize their supply chain. As a result, most organizations struggle to answer network design questions or test hypotheses in weeks, when results are demanded in hours. This Buyer’s Guide helps you find easy-to-use technology to become more proactive and less reactive when it comes to network design and optimization.
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