January, 2014

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Learning to Speak the Language of Demand

Supply Chain Shaman

'New shoes feel awkward. Blisters appear. Feet hurt. The shoes are worn for short periods. Often we shelve them to allow our feet to recover. However, over time, they slowly feel comfortable. They become a part of our wardrobe. Learning to speak a new language is similar. Conversations are strained. Mistakes are made. Pauses are awkward. Confusion reigns.

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Supply chain agility: How big is your gap?

DELMIA Quintiq

'I think you’ll agree that supply chain efficiency is no longer a differentiator. As C.K.Prahalad puts it, ‘Some aspects of managing in a volatile environment, such as focusing on operational efficiency and staying liquid, are givens. But more important are the abilities to scale up and down and reconfigure resources rapidly.’. Prahalad calls organizations where people and capacity can be ‘rearranged and recombined creatively and quickly’ velcro organizations.

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Is Technology as a Priority Means for Achieving Supply Chain.

Kinaxis

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5 New Year’s Resolutions for Supply Chain & Logistics Executives

Talking Logistics

'Coming up with New Year’s resolutions is a popular tradition in many parts of the world. Usually, the focus is on improving our personal lives, such as losing weight, quitting smoking, or spending more time with our family and friends. But what about resolutions to help us improve at work? If you’re a supply chain or logistics executive and you’re looking for ways to improve as a leader this year, here are my five recommendations: 1.

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Speeding Robotics Automation with AI

The $53 trillion manufacturing economy in the US is undergoing a major automation paradigm shift due to Artificial Intelligence (AI). Thanks to new practical frameworks, automation projects that were once impossible or inefficient to implement are now being fast-tracked, and robotics automation is becoming increasingly relevant to a growing number of users and scenarios.

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Transportation and Logistics Industry Trends of 2014

The Logistics of Logistics

'Transportation and Logistics Industry Trends. These trends stand to impact the transportation and logistics industry, with some already taking hold and others unfolding gradually. Each trend has the potential to transform the logistics industry. Trend #1: Cloud Computing Becomes the New Way of Doing Business. Cloud computing shows promise for further growth and transformation in 2014.

Trends 213

More Trending

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E2E: Really?

Supply Chain Shaman

'Over the last month, I have been working with five companies that say that they want to implement an End-to-End (E2E) Supply Chain Strategy. However, when I hear their stories and get their PowerPoint slides outlining their design, I laugh. Why? The slides all look the same. And, they are anything BUT end-to-end. Why does it matter? Nine out of ten companies are stuck.

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When supply chain KPIs aren’t enough

DELMIA Quintiq

'How do supply chains fail even when they appear to succeed? Dan Gilmore, editor-in-chief of Supply Chain Digest, has an interesting take on this question. In an article entitled ‘ Metric Strategies and Supply Chain Performance ’ Gilmore suggests that many companies have KPI targets that are too low. They set targets they know they can achieve, hit them, and then conclude that their supply chain must be performing well.

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Examining Transactions within a Supply Chain Context

SCM Research

'In a previous post, I presented a discussion about the relationship between transaction cost economics (TCE) and supply chain management (SCM) , which was started by Williamson (2008) and continued by Zipkin (2012). This discussion called attention to several theoretical gaps at the TCE/SCM interface. In their 2012 article, Supply Chain-Wide Consequences of Transaction Risks and Their Contractual Solutions , Wever et al. argue that “a shift [is needed] within the TCE literature from a foc

Modeling 160
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FMCG Drinks and disastrous extended Supply Chain overstocking

Enchange Supply Chain Consultancy

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Supply Chain Resilience Checklist

Strengthen your operations with the Supply Chain Resilience Checklist. This practical, easy-to-use tool helps your organization prepare for disruptions and ensure long-term continuity in an unpredictable world. Why Download: Identify and assess critical supply chain risks Ask the right questions to evaluate vendor preparedness Implement effective strategies to reduce vulnerabilities Improve communication, transparency, and coordination across your network What You’ll Learn: How to evaluate and m

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Selecting a 3PL – 8 Things the Great 3PLs Do

The Logistics of Logistics

'Click to register for this free webinar: Selecting a 3PL: 8 Things the Great 3PLs Do (Wednesday, February 12, 1:00 pm – 1:30 pm). Companies with logistics needs are increasingly using 3rd party logistics providers (3PLs). Contracting with a 3PL is a great choice as long as you pick the right 3PL. The right 3PL can save your company money, improve service and generally make life easier.

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In Search of the Carbon Neutral Supply Chain

Supply Chain Network

'Supply Chain Network is taking an active role in assisting companies in their quest to deliver a Carbon Neutral Supply Chain. Check out our Create a Carbon Neutral Supply Chain article to learn more about real actions your organization can take to move toward this lofty goal. Beyond the positive impacts such an action can have for future generations and on the general health of mankind’s home, there are now emerging positive business reasons for pursuing this goal.

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Writing: Working on My Book

Supply Chain Shaman

' . “When I ask my team about customer service, I get high-five reviews. When I meet with my customers, I get thumbs-down feedback. I find the measurement of customer service to be one of the most difficult.” Supply Chain Leader. Interview for Metrics That Matter. My kitchen table is piled high with interviews for the upcoming book, Metrics That Matter.

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Why you shouldn’t miss the Russia & CIS Executive Summit 2014

DELMIA Quintiq

'Ready to achieve operational excellence in your oil & gas operations? Join the upcoming 4th Russia & CIS Executive Summit Oil & Gas in Dubai. Here are highlights you shouldn’t miss: Industry trends & innovations. What’s better than networking with 250 top executives that help shape the future of oil & gas? As one of the summit sponsors, we’re looking forward to exchange interesting ideas and share valuable insights on the industry’s market trends, innovations and stra

Russia 168
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The AI Race Isn’t Just About Tech Superiority – Its the Supply Chain, Stupid!

The race to dominate AI is no longer about who has the smartest algorithms — it's about who can build and scale faster. Behind every AI breakthrough lies a battle for resources: data centers, compute hardware, power, and telecom infrastructure. And right now, even tech giants are hitting a wall. Our latest white paper reveals the six critical supply chain elements that are increasingly separating AI leaders from the rest.

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Impact of Macro Trends on Supply Chains: Densification

MIT Supply Chain

'Density by design. The modern smartphone packs multiple devices into a single unit. Dr. Chris Caplice, Executive Director, MIT CTL, can be contacted at: caplice@mit.edu. In my recent post 4 Trends That Could Redefine Distribution in the US I made the claim that supply chains and distribution in the United States (and elsewhere) have settled into a dominant design where finished products are manufactured overseas, imported into the United States through very few points of entry (ports), and dist

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Origins of the Local Food Systems Movement in North Carolina

Supply Chain View from the Field

'We kicked off our first class on “Local Food Systems” today, with a strong cadre of students from the MBA program, from agroecology, agriculture, and other areas. This is an exciting new class that I was tasked to assemble, as part of a grant from the US Department of Agriculture awarded to NC State University. Nancy Creamer, Professor and Director of the Center for Environmental Farming Systems , kicked the class off with an overview of the history of the local food movement.

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Ann Grackin: Is the Crisis in Demand Management Being Exacerbated by Spreadsheet Dependency?

Logility

This blog post is in response to recent results from the APICS/Logility Survey, Consumer Goods S&OP research, and ChainLink’s end-user research. Demand management has always been at the top of supply chain professionals’ list of challenges. Of late, many companies have also indicated that having grappled with cost cutting a few years back, now they are more focused on growth.

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Beware the Ship-From-Store Spin Cycle

Supply Chain Network

'Seems like every so often there’s a new trend that takes the retail and e-commerce world by storm and the latest of these seems to be Ship-From -Store. An omni-channel nirvana being pumped by systems companies, and falsely supported by ill conceived surveys of analysts alike, the best thing since sliced bread this year is apparently Ship-From-Store.

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State of AI in Sales & Marketing 2025

AI adoption is reshaping sales and marketing. But is it delivering real results? We surveyed 1,000+ GTM professionals to find out. The data is clear: AI users report 47% higher productivity and an average of 12 hours saved per week. But leaders say mainstream AI tools still fall short on accuracy and business impact. Download the full report today to see how AI is being used — and where go-to-market professionals think there are gaps and opportunities.

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LogiSYM – Logistics & Supply Chain Symposium

LSCMS

Date: 26 – 27 March 2014. Venue: NUSS Kent Ridge Guild House, Singapore. LOGISYM promises to be a highly unique event, with the focus being to provide a platform for mid to senior level shippers to hear from the leading solutions providers in the industry. The structure of the symposium is such that delegates will have more interactivity with supply chain peers, allowing the development of ideas and for delegates to acquire actionable take aways to present back at the office.

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Quintiq World Tour: How NTV overcame complexity in passenger rail planning

DELMIA Quintiq

'How did the operator of the most modern train in Europe tackle its complex planning puzzle? Nuovo Trasporto Viaggiatori (NTV) recognized that traditional scheduling methods no longer met the demands of a rapidly changing industry. Which is where Quintiq came in. This year’s Quintiq World Tour kicks off in Rome with a half-day seminar for rail executives.

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Talent is the Future of Supply Chain Management

MIT Supply Chain

'Master’s students from the MIT Global Supply Chain and Logistics Excellence (SCALE) Network presented their thesis projects to supply chain professionals and the MIT community on January 22, 2014. To learn more about SCALE, visit [link]. This post was written by Bob Trebilcock, Executive Editor, Modern Materials Handling , and was published in the magazine’s blog on January 23, 2014.

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Supply chain events calendar Europe for 2014

Supply Chain Movement

'Did not have or make enough time to attend any events this past year? Time is scarce, but to take one step away from reality every now and then is healthy for your helicopter view and development of your vision. So mark your calendar with the relevant supply chain conferences. Supply Chain Movement helps you along with an overview of the most important European supply chain events in 2014.

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From Rigid To Resilient: Why Enterprises Need Modular Commerce Now

Speaker: Benjamin Woll, Tiffany Spizzo, and Jaime Santos Alcón

Enterprise commerce is at an inflection point. Rigid, monolithic platforms slow brands down, but a full replatforming is disruptive and costly. Modular architecture offers a flexible, scalable alternative - allowing enterprise brands to modernize without ripping and replacing their entire stack. Learn how a composable approach helps modernize commerce stacks while maintaining control over critical systems.

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Lora Cecere Asks: Why Do People Question the Value of S&OP?

Logility

Frequently, I get asked the question, “What is the value of S&OP?” When I get the question, I smile. For clients that I have worked with on this topic, the value speaks volumes, but to companies trying to get started, the value proposition is elusive. So, today, let me answer the question by telling a story. In 2005, I engaged with Sonoco Products, a packaging products and services company, to initiate some work on Sales and Operations Planning (S&OP).

S&OP 101
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3 Key Complexities You Must Address in Your Supply Chain in 2014 – Part I

BlueYonder

'As part of our Expert Insight series, Supply Chain Nation recently sat down with Gordon Wade, chief executive officer and director of best practices for the Category Management Association. In Part I of our conversation with Gordon, he discuss the key markets shifts that are increasing complexity in the supply chain – and that retailers and manufacturers must address in 2014.

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Challenges Facing Local Foods in North Carolina

Supply Chain View from the Field

'In the second half of my class on Tuesday, Rebecca Dunning, one of the lead researchers on the NC Growing Together grant, explained some of the channels and opportunities the team has already explored to date. As we noted in my prior blog, one of the biggest challenges for local food producers is the ability to discover and develop market channels to get their produce, fish, meat, poultry, or dairy products to the market.

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Supply Chain Cowboy - Startups, Sourcing, and Sustainability with.

Supply Chain Cowboy

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The Supply Chain in 2025: What to Expect

In 2025, the Supply Chain continues its evolution toward “Logistics 4.0,” inspired by Industry 4.0. Two major characteristics define this transformation: automation, driven by robotic solutions, and prediction, paving the way for an era of planning and simulation powered by Artificial Intelligence (AI).

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Impact of Macro Trends on Supply Chains: Diversification of Sales Channels

MIT Supply Chain

'Hard sell. The rapid adoption of omni-channel retailing by outlets such as Macy’s underlines both the changing face of the business and the strategy’s supply chain challenges. Dr. Chris Caplice is MIT CTL’s Executive Director and he can be contacted at: caplice@mit.edu. Will the splintering of sales channels redefine supply chains in the United States?

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Company kit Supply Chain Movement in 2014

Supply Chain Movement

'Supply Chain Movement is a publication of Supply Chain Media. The 1st edition of Supply Chain Movement quarterly magazine has been launched in 2011. Targeted at the global supply chain community, Supply Chain Movement informs you about the latest market updates and company developments, industry events, blogs and trends on supply chain worldwide. The website provides a platform where experts from around the world are able to blog and share their views on current and future issues.

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Translate Sales and Operations Planning

Logility

Just before the holiday break, dropped the very interesting results of a Gartner survey on the challenges to sales and operations planning in Consumer Goods. The top challenge was surprisingly down-to-earth. It bodes well in that it reveals a maturing of S&OP in the industry and an opportunity to make even more progress. What are we talking about?