Supply Chain Shaman

APRIL 2, 2025

Background I find that each conference provides the audience with a new framework to consider. The issue is that when companies optimize functional metrics, they throw the supply chain out of balance and sub-optimize value. The third step is to do a data inventory. Many messages to the market, but where is the value?

Optimal Sourcing 195

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Supply Chain Shaman

JUNE 24, 2022

The future inventory fire sale. At conferences, I hear many discussions about risk management and control towers. One of my stark realizations this year is that smaller companies are beating larger and often more established companies on growth metrics, inventory turns, operating margin, and Return on Invested Capital (ROIC). (In

Supply Chain Planning Software 397

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Supply Chain Shaman

JUNE 29, 2021

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). A focus on functional metrics throws the supply chain out of balance.) We Give to You.

Supply Chain Planning Software 370

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Supply Chain Shaman

MAY 12, 2025

Don’t waste your time at conferences playing buzz word bingo or immerse yourself in yesterday’s tech. Form and socialize your own hierarchy of metrics. Design your supply chain with a focus on the form and function of inventory. Here is the metrics framework that I am using at present in my outside-in classes.

Modeling 221

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Supply Chain Shaman

SEPTEMBER 17, 2014

I smiled on the week following the conference as the accolades piled up in my inbox. Attending the conference was Alexia Howard, Senior Research Analyst – US Foods for Sanford C. Attending the conference was Alexia Howard, Senior Research Analyst – US Foods for Sanford C. Aligned Metrics. Bernstein & Co.,

Optimal Sourcing 365

Optimal Sourcing Supply Chain Design Software Supply Chain Planning Software Manufacturing Procurement 365

Supply Chain Shaman

MAY 22, 2013

This week, Gartner is hosting their annual supply chain conference. The research tries to establish “ who did supply chain best ” by looking at a weighted formula of Year-over-Year Growth, Return on Assets (ROA), and Inventory Turns for the Fortune 500 companies. See how different the progress is on this metric by industry?

Gartner 304

Gartner Pharmaceutical Supply Chain Chemicals 304

Supply Chain Shaman

JUNE 19, 2018

It is now our fifth year of analyzing balance sheets to understand which companies are outperforming their peer groups on the metrics of growth, operating margin, inventory turns and Return on Invested Capital (ROIC) while driving improvement. This is the fun part of my job. This work is not easy. What Can We Learn? In Table 1.

Gartner 277

Gartner Supply Chain Design Software Supply Chain Design Supply Chain Strategy 277

Supply Chain Shaman

MAY 1, 2014

As hospitals adopted consignment planning programs, inventory progress slowed. The turns are the lowest of any industry, and despite investments in technologies and processes, inventory turns have only improved 3%, and Cash-T0-Cash (C2C) cycles have declined 4%. This precipitous drop in margin hurts. Companies are feeling pain.

Supply Chain Planning Software 333

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Supply Chain Shaman

SEPTEMBER 9, 2014

Nineteen of the 200 companies met the performance criteria of improving operating margin, inventory turns, and ROIC together in concert for the years of 2006-2013 or 2009-2013. Yes, we will do this study yearly in the preparation for our annual conference. There are a lot of misconceptions about inventory.

Pharmaceutical 307

Pharmaceutical Gartner Supply Chain Design Software Supply Chain Design 307

Kinaxis

SEPTEMBER 9, 2014

by Melissa Clow September is a busy time of year for us at Kinaxis – Many folks here are flying the skies to attend various conferences. Here’s the supply chain conferences we love and will be attending. Gartner Supply Chain Executive Conference. Automotive Logistics Global Conference. September 10-11. London, UK.

Conference 154

Conference Gartner Supply Chain Planning Software Supply Chain Design Software 154

Supply Chain Shaman

JUNE 29, 2014

This week, I spoke at the Llamasoft Summercon Conference. The conference was low-key. We laughed, and felt a bit silly, leaving the conference room holding our new furry tchotchkes. It could no longer be just about inventory levels. I smiled as I began to present the story of the “Metrics that Matter.”

Supply Chain Design Software 268

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Supply Chain Shaman

APRIL 25, 2013

The relationship between corporate financial performance and supply chain metrics was complex; and in my first attempts, I was unable to derive a correlation. I wanted to better understand which metrics truly mattered. The Metrics That Matter Are Different by Industry Sector. However, as many of you know, I am stubborn.

Supply Chain Design Software 310

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Supply Chain Shaman

MARCH 19, 2014

Instead, what I observed when I looked at the data, was that most companies that I had worked with (in my role as an industry analyst, I had worked with over 300) were going backwards on margin and inventory turns. Resiliency is the pattern at the intersection of operating margin and inventory turns. “Ugh,” I said.

Gartner 382

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Logistics Viewpoints

FEBRUARY 15, 2023

Results from The Conference Board’s C-SUITE OUTLOOK survey showed supply chain disruptions, labor shortages, and rising inflation to be 3 of the 5 high impact external factors on the minds of CEOs. Negative Impact from External Factors The Conference Board survey results indicated labor shortages and inflation to be top concerns for CEOs.

Supply Chain Planning 289

Supply Chain Planning Supply Chain Optimization Optimal Sourcing Supply Chain 289

Supply Chain Shaman

OCTOBER 20, 2012

Here is the list: Supply chain technology implementations have reduced inventory. Seemingly, most supply chain leaders that are reading the press, or going to industry conferences, would believe that all four statements are true. Here they are: The Lie of Inventory Reduction. Supply chain excellence matters. The reason?

Inventory Reduction 281

Inventory Reduction Cost Reduction Strategies Resource Reduction Material Savings 281

Supply Chain Shaman

MARCH 27, 2014

I also continued to work on the manuscript for the book Metrics That Matter to publish in the fall of 2014. The average client that has implemented demand sensing technologies has reduced inventory by 11%. Spending the weekend writing and then off to New York to work with a client and then speaking later in the week at a conference.

Supply and Demand 342

Supply and Demand Inventory Reduction Demand Planning Software Forecasting Software 342

Supply Chain Shaman

JUNE 19, 2013

It comes in many flavors–increase in inventory, changes in sales policies, new product lines– all add to the complexity. The only industry that has made progress in inventory management is consumer electronics. The only industry that has made progress in inventory management is consumer electronics.

Forecasting 320

Forecasting Supply Chain Planning Software Agile and Lean Supply Chain Forecasting Software 320

Supply Chain Shaman

OCTOBER 29, 2020

If the word collaboration was listed on a card as a drinking game at supply chain conferences, we would be drunk at many. Inventory, in this time of uncertainty, is the organization’s most important buffer to protect against variability. However, organizations are not good at managing inventory. Cash-to-Cash Metrics.

Optimal Sourcing 299

Optimal Sourcing Supply Chain Design Software Waste Reduction Inventory Reduction 299

Supply Chain Shaman

MAY 29, 2014

I just don’t think the comparison of very different industries in a spreadsheet based on growth, inventory values, and Return on Assets (ROA) is meaningful. As a result, the metrics have to be viewed together as a pattern over time. In the journey, the supply chain leader needs to improve the potential of a portfolio of metrics.

Gartner 366

Gartner Inventory Reduction Supply Chain Planning Software Pharmaceutical 366

Supply Chain Shaman

JANUARY 8, 2014

Interview for Metrics That Matter. My kitchen table is piled high with interviews for the upcoming book, Metrics That Matter. I need it for my conference on September 10th-11th, 2014. I recently interviewed him for my upcoming book, Metrics that Matter, that publishes in August 2014. ” Supply Chain Leader.

Procurement Analytics 279

Procurement Analytics Manufacturing Procurement Metrics Procurement Solutions 279

Logistics Viewpoints

MAY 27, 2024

At the recent Coupa Inspire user conference, Nico De Golia, the director of cloud logistics sustainability for Microsoft’s cloud supply chain, spoke about how the Coupa supply chain design solution, powered by Llamasoft, is helping them achieve reduced emissions. A clear goal needs to be combined with good data and metrics.

Supply Chain Design Software 305

Supply Chain Design Software Cost Reduction Strategies Inventory Reduction Supply Chain Design 305

Supply Chain Shaman

SEPTEMBER 3, 2015

We were discussing the results of the planning benchmarking work that we have just finished, and I was sharing some insights on inventory management when one of the panelists emphatically stated, “Inventory is a waste to manage. We feel so strongly about this that we do not have an inventory planning role.”

Waste Reduction 150

Waste Reduction Inventory Reduction Inventory Optimal Sourcing 150

Supply Chain Shaman

JULY 22, 2019

It is not as simple as trading-off inventory, cost, and customer service. In the Supply Chains to Admire analysis, the focus is to understand the relative performance of a company within a peer group of growth, operating margin, inventory turns, and Return on Invested Capital (ROIC). Celebrating Success. Target Setting.

Supply Chain Design Software 304

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Supply Chain Shaman

MAY 3, 2015

When it comes to the management of inventory in value chains, frustration abounds. Executive, after executive, lament, “They have purchased many technologies and sponsored many projects to reduce inventories, but they are not seeing results.” Inventory is the culmination of many business decisions. Tracking Progress.

Inventory Reduction 150

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Supply Chain Shaman

JUNE 30, 2018

Companies with the lower score on the Index are driving faster rates of metrics improvement. Energizer and Unilever are driving the fastest rates of improvement and Clorox and P&G improvement rates are the slowest on the Metrics That Matter of Growth, Operating Margin, Inventory Turns, and Return on Invested Capital (ROIC)).

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Supply Chain Shaman

APRIL 1, 2015

I am speaking this morning at the Terra Technology conference and doing a book signing of my new book, Supply Chain Metrics That Matter. In parallel, I have been hard at work on a report on multi-tier inventory optimization for the last two weeks. It is morning in Orlando. The sun is rising. This inbound news adds to the story.

Supply Chain Design Software 150

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Supply Chain Shaman

NOVEMBER 9, 2014

I also believed that this company would have the best inventory and customer service. It is one of the primary reasons why nine out of ten manufacturing companies are stuck at the intersection of operati ng margins and inventory turns.” My favorites are customer service, operating margin, inventory turns, and ROIC.

Manufacturing Procurement 318

Manufacturing Procurement Optimal Sourcing Benchmarking Supply Chain Design Software 318

Supply Chain Shaman

SEPTEMBER 20, 2015

During the year, I go to a lot of conferences. When I hear them at a conference, I squirm uncontrollably in my seat. Instead, in the SanDisk journey , they adjusted the speed of response to their customer segments, and actively designing inventory postponement strategies. Source: Dictionary.com. This makes me yawn.

Inventory Reduction 150

Inventory Reduction Cost Reduction Strategies Sourcing Strategies Supply Chain Strategy 150

Supply Chain Shaman

JULY 3, 2017

It is hard work to maintain the status quo in metrics performance. A balanced portfolio of metrics delivers the greatest value. As a result, supply chain leaders focus on unrealistic goals of inventory or costs, they will throw the system out of balance. Companies balance supply chain metrics better in good times than bad.

Inventory Reduction 199

Inventory Reduction Supply Chain Planning Software Supply Chain Design Software Cost Reduction Strategies 199

Supply Chain Shaman

MAY 14, 2013

This week, at Supply Chain Insights LLC, we published our 11th report in the series titled Supply Chain Metrics That Matter. When companies look at singular metrics (labor costs or inventory), they have moved backwards. Aligning metrics matters. Functional metrics in isolation degrade value.

Supply Chain Design Software 256

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Supply Chain Insights

SEPTEMBER 2, 2014

Today, 90% of publicly-traded companies are stuck at the intersection of operating margin and inventory turns. While most companies have been able to make progress in one of these two critical metrics in the period of 2006-2013, they have not been able to make progress on both together. It is needed. What is disruption?

Supply Chain Design Software 253

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Supply Chain Shaman

JULY 12, 2022

Growth agendas with the spiraling demand require cash, supplier shortages necessitate the shortening of payables, and the longer/more variable transport lead times decrease inventory turns increasing the need for cash. The Dollar stores are struggling with higher inventory levels, but are outperforming the sector. The answer?

Supply and Demand 221

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Supply Chain Shaman

JULY 29, 2013

We have been taught, as supply chain leaders, that over the last decade supply chain processes have improved costs, shortened cycle times, improved customer service and decreased inventory. Based on our recent research, we find that only 1% of process-based companies are making progress on both operating margins and inventory.

Supply Chain Planning Software 350

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Logistics Viewpoints

OCTOBER 25, 2021

Longbow Advantage had their first user conference in Nashville, Tennessee last week. But this conference was focused on a near real-time analytics solution they developed called Rebus. Here “near real-time” is defined as a refresh of key metrics every five minutes.

Real-time Visibility 261

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Supply Chain Shaman

AUGUST 7, 2019

We draw a timeline on a conference room wall and using customer shipment and compliance data, we plot the issues with customer service and product outages. In the period of 2010-2018, within the chemical industry, margins fluctuated, largely driven by the price of crude, but inventory turns plummeted. inventory turns.

Supply Chain Design Software 271

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Supply Chain Shaman

APRIL 16, 2014

I have taken myself off the road to write the book Metrics That Matter. On the 2nd of April, I sat before a board discussing how a company could exceed expectations in the delivery of Return on Invested Capital (ROIC) and superior operating margins and fail at the delivery of customer service and inventory. It is a slow week.

Supply Chain Design Software 298

Supply Chain Design Software Agile and Lean Supply Chain Modeling Supply Chain Planning Software 298

Supply Chain Shaman

OCTOBER 8, 2019

Next year’s conference will be on September 8th-11th in Franklin, TN, south of Nashville, TN. The design of the conference includes tours of several modern warehouses and centers of excellence. Granular data by volume is a must to be able to manage replenishment, network design, and inventory targets. Time horizon.

Supply Chain Design Software 207

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