Supply Chain Shaman

APRIL 27, 2022

Supply chain excellence is easier to say than to explain. At each company, there is a relationship between the metrics of growth, margin, inventory, customer service, and asset strategy. For the purpose of this article, I will use Return on Invested Capital (ROIC) as the proxy metric to discuss asset utilization.)

Procurement Analytics 369

Procurement Analytics Manufacturing Procurement Supply Chain Planning Software Supply Chain Design Software 369

Supply Chain Shaman

MARCH 21, 2024

Training ensued, and the expectation of changing work was shared. We explore the concept of holistic inventory strategies focused on the form and function of inventory. The shift from Inside-out to Outside-in is impossible using a crawl, walk, and run strategy. Lack of aligned metrics. Lack of executive buy-in.

Inventory Reduction 434

Inventory Reduction Supply Chain Planning Software Cost Reduction Strategies Supply Chain Design Software 434

Kinaxis

DECEMBER 3, 2014

Reason #4 Making key decisions by modelling the supply chain in Excel. Reason #9 Relentless pursuit of one supply chain metric at the expense of other metrics. Yet, these are similar instructions as what is passed down to the supply chain from executives focused on a specific supply chain metric. Sound ridiculous?

Expense Reduction 250

Expense Reduction Procurement Analytics Cost Reduction Strategies Metrics 250

Supply Chain Shaman

JANUARY 9, 2024

How Do You Define Excellence? In retrospect, I find that technology is an enabler, but only if we are clear on what defines supply chain excellence. Many believe that an ex-supply chain exec knows the definition of supply chain excellence. The group’s response is, “Are these supply chain metrics?”

Supply Chain Planning Software 386

Supply Chain Planning Software Pharmaceutical Supply Chain Planning Gartner 386

Supply Chain Shaman

DECEMBER 15, 2022

When reviewing strategy decks for supply chain teams, I often see statements like “move from a functional-silo’d focus to a drive a more holistic response.” ” Followed by “How are you organized, and what defines functional excellence? And, how do you tie functional excellence to corporate value?”

Manufacturing Procurement 397

Manufacturing Procurement Supply Chain Design Software Supply Chain Planning Software Procurement Analytics 397

RFgen

DECEMBER 4, 2024

As companies across industries have discovered, a well-optimized supply chain can drive significant improvements throughout their operations. We’ll examine the key components of efficient supply chains, explore essential performance metrics, and uncover the fundamental drivers that influence efficiency.

Sourcing Strategies 96

Sourcing Strategies Waste Reduction Inventory Reduction Expense Reduction 96

Supply Chain Shaman

OCTOBER 16, 2023

Clear operating strategy and definition of supply chain excellence across plan, source, make and deliver. Most companies buy decision support technology, but do not redefine work to improve decisions. A shift from functional metrics to a balanced scorecard. I write this post as a guide. What Does Good Look Like?

S&OP 390

S&OP Supply and Demand Forecasting Supply Chain Design Software 390

Supply Chain Shaman

MAY 13, 2024

How aligned do you believe your organization is to drive these metrics? Observations on What It Takes In the Mea Culpa post, I wrote that I used to believe that excellence in S&OP was a ratio of 60/30/10. (60% Clearly Define an Operating Strategy. Strategy definition precedes process definition.

S&OP 393

S&OP Supply and Demand Inventory Reduction Expense Reduction 393

SCMDOJO

MARCH 24, 2025

Introduction Gardner, (1954) and Huntzinger, (2007) define Purchase price variance (PPV) as a metric used to measure the effectiveness of cost-saving efforts by calculating the difference between the planned cost (standard pricing) allocated for purchasing activities and the actual cost incurred.

Purchasing Skills 69

Purchasing Skills Negotiating Skills Negotiate Pricing Procurement Analytics 69

SCMDOJO

JANUARY 9, 2025

Think of them as apples and gearseach essential and effective on its own, yet when combined; they create a formidable mechanism for achieving procurement excellence. This article delves into how these two elements, working together, can transform procurement strategies into long-term competitive advantages.

Optimal Sourcing 98

Optimal Sourcing Manufacturing Procurement Procurement Solutions Negotiating Skills 98

Supply Chain Shaman

FEBRUARY 18, 2021

Initially, the output was published to procurement to design strategic buying strategies. Watermelon Metrics Don’t Drive The Right Results. I love the metaphor of watermelon metrics. The issue is that traditional functional metrics drive underperformance—the greater the variability, the larger the gap.

Supply Chain Planning Software 355

Supply Chain Planning Software Supply Chain Design Software Supply and Demand Procurement Analytics 355

Silvon Software

APRIL 16, 2025

By leveraging analytics and key performance indicators (KPIs), manufacturers can optimize inventory, reduce waste, and boost profitability. In this post, well dive into six critical KPIs that influence inventory optimization. Tracking inventory flow and performance across your supply chain is a must.

Optimal Sourcing 65

Optimal Sourcing Inventory Reduction Supply Chain Optimization Price Mitigation Strategies 65

Supply Chain Shaman

AUGUST 14, 2016

The client leaned across the table and asked, “Is a customer-centric supply chain strategy the same as a demand-driven supply chain strategy?” Drawing from the Whiteboard: Building Customer-Centric Supply Chain Strategies. It had been a long night. However, I had little time to be tired. ” I smiled.

Material Savings 246

Material Savings Inventory Reduction Price Reduction Cost Reduction Strategies 246

Supply Chain Shaman

OCTOBER 29, 2014

The promise was the delivery of a decision support system that would allow the organization to optimize the relationships between cash, cost and customer service against the strategy. To drive maximize the value of planning, organizations need to be aligned against an operating strategy. This leads to a sub-optimal response.

Supply Chain Planning Software 379

Supply Chain Planning Software Modeling Demand Planning Software Optimization Software 379

Supply Chain Shaman

JULY 6, 2020

Ed argued that instead of buying new packaging equipment that we should work with R&D to have a base flavor and add the color and flavoring at the head of the machine. Despite goals to improve agility and resiliency, functional metrics for manufacturing efficiency continually throw the supply chain out of balance. The So What?

Agile and Lean Supply Chain 362

Agile and Lean Supply Chain Supply Chain Design Software Supply Chain Planning Software Supply Chain Strategy 362

DELMIA Quintiq

DECEMBER 28, 2020

Ultimately, what KPIs, as metrics and indicators derived from the set of plans are taken into account and prepared for each scenario. Working with Excel spreadsheets does not contribute the efficiency, speed and agility necessary for planning teams to bring the best plans to the company. Technology for Effective Planning.

Supply Chain Planning Software 296

Supply Chain Planning Software Scenario Planning Modeling Prescriptive Analytics Software 296

Logility

MAY 22, 2020

Users are accustomed to building everything in Excel and manipulating the data as needed for their own particular use, typically using static reports or spreadsheets that are siloed in specific departmental needs. A key first step is to have buy-in at the highest level of the organization. Starting at the Top.

Analytics Software 148

Analytics Software Metrics Supply Chain Design Software Supply Chain Software 148

Supply Chain Shaman

JUNE 7, 2018

For the past month, I have been working alongside companies implementing digital strategies. Or agreement on the definition of supply chain excellence. As a result, functional excellence anchors action. The problem is that each form of decision support solution optimizes the outcome within a function. Movement by degrees.

Supply Chain Planning Software 287

Supply Chain Planning Software Supply Chain Design Software Optimization Software Forecasting Software 287

SCMDOJO

APRIL 11, 2025

Running procurement and supply chain without metrics is like driving blindfolded. Identify Bottlenecks & Opportunities: Quickly spot areas that are underperforming and need attention or areas where you’re excelling. Control Costs: Track value beyond just the purchase price and manage inventory effectively.

Pricing Training 72

Pricing Training Optimal Sourcing Purchasing Skills Negotiating Skills 72

Logistics Viewpoints

MARCH 9, 2023

The classical approach involves functional silos, sequential decisions, and Excel and people to render a plan executable. Theory and practical implications are clear: optimizing each silo does not imply optimizing the end-to-end system. each with discrete plans generated typically in sequential batch runs.

Supply Chain Planning Software 282

Supply Chain Planning Software Modeling Forecasting Software Optimization Software 282

Supply Chain Shaman

DECEMBER 23, 2014

In 2014, ecommerce strategies grew in importance. At that time, manufacturers talked about customer-centric supply chains, but were afraid to aggressively adopt ecommerce strategies. Manufacturers, today, are aggressively pursuing e-commerce strategies. Make test and learn an active part of your supply chain strategy.

Packaging 332

Packaging Inventory Reduction Supply Chain Design Software San Francisco 332

Supply Chain Shaman

FEBRUARY 1, 2024

This is why I host training twice a year to challenge existing technology paradigms. Optimization engines to improve functional metric performance resulted in an exploding number of planners. days to receive a purchase order confirmation. The average purchased order changes 3.5 Yes, the class is now closed.

Supply Chain Planning Software 392

Supply Chain Planning Software Optimal Sourcing Manufacturing Procurement Waste Reduction 392

Procurement Academy

JANUARY 16, 2025

A process audit report is designed to, ultimately, streamline processes, enhance decision-making and drive overall procurement excellence. Typically, a procurement audit report will review areas such as the agreement of contracts, pricing data and purchase information, financial statements, stakeholder data and supplier performance records.

Procurement Analytics 52

Procurement Analytics Sourcing Strategies Optimal Sourcing Negotiating Skills 52

Supply Chain Shaman

JANUARY 14, 2013

It was a story where people believed that functional excellence leads to supply chain superiority. Year after year, well intentioned people toiled against improving metrics that reduced, not improved, the effectiveness of the supply chain. Metrics comparison of Kellogg Co. You got it! vs. General Mills, Inc. A Case Study.

Supply Chain Planning Software 260

Supply Chain Planning Software Supply Chain Design Software Optimal Sourcing Modeling 260

Supply Chain Shaman

JUNE 29, 2014

With the purchase of i2 by JDA, and Logictools by IBM, manufacturing companies serious about network design started looking for a company, with a well-established community, that was more serious about network design. This analysis needed to be completed monthly and fed to newer forms of inventory optimization technologies.

Supply Chain Design Software 268

Supply Chain Design Software Supply Chain Design Network Design Software Supply Chain Planning Software 268

Logistics Viewpoints

DECEMBER 1, 2022

Theme 2: Online buying will fuel home delivery growth, challenges and new strategies. In 2023, consumers will be less forgiving and poised to buy from retailers whose delivery performance is commensurate with the rest of the shopping experience. Figure 1: U.S. Container Import Volume Year-over-Year Comparison.

Predictive Analytics Software 293

Predictive Analytics Software Logistics Network Optimization Software Cost Reduction Strategies Resource Reduction 293

Logistics Viewpoints

DECEMBER 14, 2021

Millions of shoppers, like my Dad, are not going back to their old habits because there are now faster and more convenient ways for buying daily household needs. It excels on a union of E-Commerce mobile apps and last-mile delivery innovations. Inventory Optimization. However, this also comes with its planning challenges.

Supply Chain Planning Software 288

Supply Chain Planning Software Forecasting Software Supply Chain Design Software Optimization Software 288

Logistics Viewpoints

JULY 18, 2022

Driving an excellent supply chain depends on how people are recruited and managed, processes, and the technology used. In the annual report where they report on their key performance indicators (KPIs), they don’t just report on core financial metrics and the NPS, they also have people metrics. Training is also clearly important.

Supply Chain Design Software 300

Supply Chain Design Software Supply Chain Planning Software Supply Chain Software Network Design Software 300

Supply Chain Shaman

DECEMBER 17, 2018

Nick Lynch is the Global Excellence Manager at Shell Lubricants, a division of Shell Global. Completed in 2012, the ERP project forced the company to standardize organizational design, roles, and metrics. What can often look like compliance in APO could actually be numbers calculated in Excel and posted into the SAP system.

Demand Planning Software 322

Demand Planning Software Supply and Demand Supply Chain Planning Software Supply Chain Design Software 322

Supply Chain Shaman

JUNE 16, 2014

I have learned that supply chain systems are more complex than I originally thought, and that the relationships between supply chain metrics are nonlinear. They also enable the evaluation of networks for both sales and procurement relationships to optimize the flows upstream and downstream. I believe that it matters.

Supply Chain Design Software 319

Supply Chain Design Software Network Design Software Supply Chain Planning Software Supply Chain Network Software 319

Supply Chain Shaman

SEPTEMBER 20, 2015

When I hear companies discussing the implementation of a customer segmentation strategy, I ask a series of questions: Who is your customer? How do they buy from you? What are you trying to accomplish through the execution of a customer segmentation strategy? How do they buy from you?” Why does it matter to you?

Inventory Reduction 150

Inventory Reduction Cost Reduction Strategies Sourcing Strategies Supply Chain Strategy 150

Supply Chain Shaman

MARCH 8, 2016

As an analyst in the supply chain market for 15 years, I have written many articles on best-of-breed technology companies purchased by a larger company. The Terra Technology investment is one of what we believe will be a series of purchases to build inter-enterprise cloud-based software platforms to redefine supply chain planning.

Supply Chain Planning Software 150

Supply Chain Planning Software Supply Chain Network Software Forecasting Software Demand Planning Software 150

Talking Logistics

OCTOBER 5, 2016

As McCarthy put it, after a customer buys a bed, it’s his responsibility “to make sure we deliver it to their home brilliantly.” During my trip to England earlier this year , I had the opportunity to explore those questions and more with Brian McCarthy, Logistics Director at Dreams , Britain’s leading bed retailer.

Eliminating Excel in Purchasing 0

Eliminating Excel in Purchasing Supply Chain Network Software Supply Chain Planning Software Optimization Software 0

Supply Chain Shaman

DECEMBER 4, 2018

For the past five years, the team at Supply Chain Insights identified Supply Chains to Admire Award Winners by analyzing performance by peer group on the key metrics of growth, operating margin, inventory turns and Return on Invested Capital (ROIC). The company’s current strategy is to bring a Connected Enterprise to life.

Supply Chain Software 30

Supply Chain Software Case Study Supply Chain Planning Software Supply Chain Design Software 30

Jaggaer

MARCH 24, 2025

As organizations continue to invest in these tools, their potential to reshape procurement strategies is immense, giving early adopters a serious competitive advantage. Predictive AI, on the other hand, uses historical data to forecast potential disruptions, price changes, and supply chain risks.

Optimal Sourcing 52

Optimal Sourcing Procurement Analytics Procurement Solutions Waste Reduction 52

Supply Chain Shaman

OCTOBER 7, 2012

The less conversion of materials in the inventory strategy, the greater the flexibility of the supply chain. Additionally, through network strategies, be sure to design your warehouses for flows. The goal here should be to make the right trade-offs between inventory strategies and manufacturing policies.

Supply Chain Design Software 231

Supply Chain Design Software Supply Chain Planning Software Optimal Sourcing Inventory Reduction 231

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. In the setting of strategy goals, executive teams often set unrealistic goals because they are not aligned with supply chain potential. The front office and back office strategies are not aligned.

Inventory Reduction 199

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