Analytical innovation and digital transformation drove step-change capabilities within the office and marketing. The traditional supply chain is inside-out, triggering processes on the back of order-to-cash and procure-to-pay financial processes. There is the need for an analytics strategy that can power outside-in, real-time processes using structured AND unstructured data. Or to move from predictive analytics to prescriptive/cognitive capabilities to sense/learn and act? MORE

In a prior post on 2018 supply chain predictions, I shared how NC State’s Poole College of Management engages directly with industry through student-led projects. I also predicted how this type of engagement would continue to grow in the future, as organizations begin to recognize the value of having an objective, third party view on their problems can create innovative solutions. MUFG Union Bank Strategic Performance Metrics. Yum Brands Beef Analytics. MORE

Furthermore, Big Data will transform how companies view operations through a combination of internal and external metrics, merging all processes from procurement logistics with last-mile delivery. Moreover, internal use of a TMS will shift as TMS-as-a-Service ( TMSaaS ) will encourage more companies to upload their processes into the cloud, further adding to the capacity and insights gained from Big Data and predictive analytics. MORE

I will be wrong again,” I stated last year before making my supply chain and logistics predictions for 2017 , and I was right. Meanwhile, the debate around electronic logging devices (ELDs) did not die down as I had predicted — in fact, it continues today (December 18, 2017), which is when the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration will start enforcing the mandate. In short, I continue to be wrong — and sometimes right — with my supply chain predictions. MORE

The rankings are based on a composite score based on the opinions of Gartner’s analysts; a group of peer voters (mostly supply chain practitioners, professionals and experts; in the interests of full disclosure, I myself am part of the peer panel); some metrics, including return on assets, inventory growth and revenue growth; and a corporate social responsibility (CSR) component score. So the CSR score too is more of a popularity contest than a consistent metric. MORE

Technology Will Reshape Procurement Practices. Better procurement practices translate into better overall sales, but the role of procurement in driving sales’ statistics will change throughout 2017. Today, procurement drives up to 67 percent of sales, explains Johnathan Webb of Forbes magazine, as procurement professionals look for innovative ways to produce effective, superior products. Procurement strategy was not always evident. MORE

Implement supply chain actions, including with internal procurement teams, with suppliers and through broader collaboration, and develop measurable targets for these efforts. Study the needs of your supply chain in order to make informed predictions. “Many manufacturers practice demand-driven logistics, meaning they are focused on their customers’ buying signals. The need to predict demand is fairly obvious. MORE

Manufacturers who excel at orchestrating analytics, Business Intelligence (BI), quality management and real-time monitoring to improve manufacturing strategies are growing 10% faster than their peers. MORE

Features: Manage customers, vendors, stocks and inventory replenishment through diverse selling channels, billing, invoicing and full order fulfillment.Start-to-end tracking: the software follows inventory from the initial order to the final delivery.Execute real time workflow and productivity metrics, access real-time inventory visibility. A procurement analytical software is totally needed for FMCG firms in order to run their supply chain smoothly at the lowest cost possible. MORE

The goal is deeper analytics to sense and respond across make, source and deliver. The Ariba infrastructure is so heavily entrenched in indirect procurement processes that it is hard to adapt to the solution to manage direct materials in the supply chain. 2) Advanced Analytics. Most of the analytics today in B2b networks are descriptive and operate with latency of days and hours. Let’s first examine the opportunity to deepenen analytics. . MORE

I recently interviewed a large semiconductor company that developed a cross-enterprise initiative to drive analytical learning across its entire supply chain. There are systems directors in both the procurement and logistics/planning teams. An important governance mechanism that drives analytical process is the Supply Chain Director’s Council, whose mandate is to focus on the availability and ability of the supply chain to deliver parts and core finished goods to customers. MORE

The algorithms iteratively query data with many using constraint-based modeling to find the core set of factors with the greatest predictive accuracy. Key factors influencing inventory levels, supplier quality, demand forecasting, procure-to-pay, order-to-cash, production planning, transportation management and more are becoming known for the first time. One of the most challenging aspects of managing a supply chain is predicting the future demands for production. MORE