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The problem is that the reduction of costs within one function does not necessarily drive value. For example, if I improve the cost structure in transportation, procurement, manufacturing and sales independently, what decision support framework decides the right trade-offs? You are right. The answer is not th e Gartner Top 25.
Traditionally, procurement has been a process weighed down by manual tasks, fragmented systems, and endless paperwork. Today, procurement is undergoing a transformation. While procurement teams have long worked to add strategic value, Artificial Intelligence (AI) amplifies their impact.
If you’re evaluating procurement technology or exploring ways to drive more value from existing systems, chances are you’re looking beyond tactical fixes – you want a smarter, scalable strategy. Misaligned priorities across finance, legal, and procurement create friction that delays decision-making and reduces impact.
Procurement and supply chain management are often used interchangeably—but in practice, the lines between them can blur in ways that create real friction. Misaligned priorities, siloed systems, and unclear ownership can directly impact key performance indicators like cost savings percentage and procurement cycle time.
Despite the evolution of technology, none of the 28 industry segments I follow can drive improvement at the intersection of operating margin and inventory turns. Functional Metrics and the Lack of Alignment to Strategy. Most focus on cost reduction, assuming that functional cost translates to operating margin. Guess what?
Reducing cost was the primary objective, and most operational decisionsfrom sourcing to fulfillmentreflected that mindset. Resilience is the ability to respond to disruption while maintaining core operations, and more companies are shifting their strategies accordingly. For years, supply chains were engineered to be lean.
Enterprise procurement leaders are under more pressure than ever—juggling cost control, compliance, supplier risk, and internal complexity, all while trying to modernize outdated systems. AI, automation, and generative tools are redefining efficiency, allowing procurement teams to move from reactive to proactive decision-making.
Supply chain efficiency is the cornerstone of success and involves the effective management of processes, resources, and technologies from procurement to production, transportation to warehousing. In the automotive sector, manufacturers are simultaneously reducinginventory costs and delivery times.
This is amplified across the supply chain into an exponential impact on inventory and planned orders for manufacturing. When we measure the bullwhip impact (in my class on outside-in process thinking), the bullwhip between manufacturing and procurement is 2-3X. The use of outside-in signals can reduce it by 40-60%. Most likely.)
Now for the Do’s & Don’ts In the dynamic world of FMCG, your Route to Market (RTM) strategy and distributor partnerships can make or break your brand’s success. Do Set Clear KPIs and Governance Structures : Establish transparent metrics for sales, coverage, and service levels. Ensure margins are fair and sustainable.
In this article, we’ll explain what centralized purchasing is, the challenges it tackles, the benefits of centralized procurement, and the types of companies that can benefit most from it. That’s when a centralized procurement organization structure proves beneficial.
Material Flow: Optimize material flow patterns to accommodate increased volume without creating bottlenecks or excessive inventory. Consider these essential metrics: Asset Utilization: How efficiently are your machines being used? Production, technology, and organizational structure should all support the overall scaling strategy.
You’ll learn how to leverage data to streamline operations, reduce costs, improve efficiency, and exceed customer expectations. Data analytics also offers actionable insights for: Inventory Management: See stock levels across multiple locations in real-time. Ready to get started? Let’s dive in.
According to McKinsey & Company, procurement accounts for 50% to 80% of a company’s cost base. That’s why organizations zero in on strategies to achieve procurement cost reduction. The key thing to remember is that cost reduction in procurement isn’t just about slashing expenses.
In parallel, I started working on a project to eliminate the secretarial pool. Within a year, we eliminated the typing pool. I would never have eliminated the secretarial pool by asking them their opinion. The class discovers the current blackholes of the supply chain (direct procurement and contract manufacturing.
Procurement People should learn the Sales & Operations Planning (S&OP) Process. Procurement professionals can contribute significantly to the S&OP process by providing valuable insights into supply chain dynamics, identifying potential risks, and optimizing sourcing strategies.
Configure to Order: This strategy involves customizing standard products based on customer specifications. PO Collaboration involves close coordination with suppliers to procure materials based on order specifications, tracking delivery timelines, and aligning production schedules to meet customer delivery expectations.
Second, they adapt over time as market structures and strategies evolve. Over the last six years, we studied the connection between business results (growth, operating margin, inventory turns and Return on Invested Capital (ROIC)) and the link to company characteristics. Reward teams for cross-functional metrics.
When I hear companies discussing the implementation of a customer segmentation strategy, I ask a series of questions: Who is your customer? What are you trying to accomplish through the execution of a customer segmentation strategy? In my opinion, we have made procurement increasingly complex without adding value.
Promotion Management is defined as optimizing the utilization of tools, strategies, and resources to promote a product that will generate additional demand. Why should we consider Promotion Planning in Inventory Management? Whether it be e-commerce, brick-and-mortar, or both, retail companies care about the inventory they keep.
The issue is that when companies optimize functional metrics, they throw the supply chain out of balance and sub-optimize value. There is no unifying data model to align procurement and manufacturing, transportation and distribution, revenue management and demand planning, or sales account teams with supply chain planning.
For instance, a student struggling with inventory management concepts can receive supplementary materials, interactive simulations, and one-on-one tutoring sessions tailored to their needs. Conversely, a student who quickly grasps procurementstrategies can be challenged with advanced case studies and leadership projects.
There are many ways an organization can cut supply chain costs. While there are no short-term fixes, enterprises should prioritize areas where they can make the quickest gains to reduce costs. Mastering Direct Spend Management Procurement teams generally do not report to the chief supply chain officer.
However, building such a supply chain requires smart strategies , the right partners, andmost importantlythe ability to adapt quickly when things go wrong. In this article, well explore proven strategies to safeguard your supply chain, minimize risks, and keep your business running smoothly, no matter what obstacles lie ahead.
As these organizations act on their climate pledges, the responsibility to reduce emissions is cascading to suppliers at every level. Tesco and Walmart have announced procurement policies aimed at reducing carbon emissions and promoting sustainability throughout their extended supply chains. Retailers are following suit.
So your company is looking to reduce costs, and you’ve been asked to contribute by reducing your inventory cost. That makes sense – inventory is one of the most capital intensive areas for any product business. Here we explain how you can do this with 16 cost reductionstrategies in inventory management?that
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.) Understanding this relationship requires modeling. (A
Now well dive into best practices in these critical areas to ensure a more effective and resilient sourcing strategy. This helps quickly eliminate the subjectivity that could arise in manual pricing analysis. This allows the procurement team to quickly identify the lowest or most favorable bid based on cost factors.
Only four percent of companies compared to their peer groups improved balance sheet performance of growth, operating margin, and inventory turns. When compared to pre-recession years, we ended the decade with twenty more days of inventory. Days of Inventory Comparison. Now, let’s take consumer products. What can we learn?
Inventories in the chemical industry are at record lows: a forerunner of bad days ahead. While we will recover quickly in retail (moving from painful shortages to a glut of inventory), the chemical industry–sitting four and five layers back in the supply chain–takes longer to recover. Retail shelves are increasingly empty.
What is Vendor Relationship Management (VRM) and Why It’s Essential for Your ERP and Inventory Software? Strong vendor relationships are critical for business success, especially when it comes to managing inventory and procurement. By automating this process, you reduce errors and improve financial reporting accuracy.
In the world of business, managing inventory efficiently can make all the difference between success and struggle. Whether you’re a small startup or a large enterprise, optimizing your inventory is crucial for staying competitive and profitable. Read more on Optimizing Inventory and Lead Time Management on our website SCMDOJO!
What is procurement? In simple terms business procurement is the process of locating and acquiring goods and services from external sources for the business to use. Procurement activities include planning, sourcing, and negotiation, along with risk management, legal and value analysis. Procurement in 2021 and beyond.
Centralized freight management drives efficiency and eliminates the hassle of traditional, chained-to-the-desk management styles. Delays and congestion worsen each year, inventory strains continually affect capacity, and customer needs remain ever-changing. Reducing Reliance on Outdated Systems and Technology .
In today’s dynamic market, procurement is far more than just a buying and purchasing center. Our latest e-book, “ Is Manufacturing Missing Out On Procurement’s Value Add? “ , explores how direct procurement can substantially enhance the manufacturing process. Here are some key insights from the e-book.
Category management isn’t just another procurement trend. With today’s growing cost pressures and increasingly complex supply chains , quick fixes no longer cut it. Category Management (CM) is a strategic procurement approach that groups related purchases into categories to manage each as a strategic unit.
Peeling Back the Lid on Supply Chain World Salad In this world, where board discussions focus on eliminating waste and meeting corporate social responsibility goals, supply chain teams respond with projects like end-to-end planning, control towers, and real-time decisions. Each concept is flawed adding to, not reducing, cost and waste.
This article is derived from our newest SRM White Paper, “One Platform, One Vision – The Benefits of a Unified AI-Driven Supply Chain Planning & Procurement Decision-Making Platform” Ask a procurement leader and a supply chain planner about their biggest priorities, and you’ll likely hear two very different answers.
As I work with companies, I often contrast the strategies, approaches and outcomes within a peer group. They were unclear on their supply chain strategy and the role of supply chain planning. OI has been more focused on transactional efficiency, procurement and IT standardization. It cannot be about singular metrics.
We have found that supply chain metrics are gnarly and complicated.During We believe that a supply chain leader is defined by both the level of performance on the Effective Frontier (balance of growth, Return on Invested Capital, Profitability and Inventory Turns) and driving supply chain improvement.
From rule-based systems to predictive analytics and the generative AI boom, businesses have leveraged these technologies to optimize operations, forecast trends, and create data-driven strategies. Keelvar Keelvar specializes in autonomous procurement and supplier negotiations, making sourcing more efficient and cost-effective.
Leveraging powerful tools like Inventory Management Software , todays COOs gain real-time visibility, streamline operations, and make faster, smarter decisions that keep their businesses ahead of constant change. Develop and execute operational strategies that align with corporate objectives. million annually.
Understanding how your Procurement and Supply Chain KPIs are performing isn’t just a nice-to-have; it’s essential for survival and growth. Is inventory bloating your costs? Why You Need Visibility of Supply Chain and Procurement KPIs? Running procurement and supply chain without metrics is like driving blindfolded.
Spreadsheets just don’t cut it anymore. That’s where manufacturing inventory management software comes in. In this ultimate guide, we’ll break down everything you need to know about manufacturing inventory management software. Keeping track of all your moving parts in manufacturing is a tall order.
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