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For example, if I improve the cost structure in transportation, procurement, manufacturing and sales independently, what decision support framework decides the right trade-offs? In today’s architectures and functional metrics, value optimization does not exist. Align functional metrics to reliability to deliver value.
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.
If you would like to participate in a current research study, we would love your help and participation in the contract manufacturing study. Use of Supply Chain Descriptors Most organizations are locked into functional silos driven by functional metrics. The metrics defining success in manufacturing and procurement do not align.
Enterprise procurement teams face growing pressure to deliver strategic value – managing supplier risk, ensuring compliance, and supporting sustainability – all without sacrificing speed or control. This blog explores the most common challenges in digital procurement and the capabilities that matter most.
In this type of environment, traditional procurement software and manual processes are insufficient – and many procurement teams are looking to artificial intelligence (AI) for answers. Key Takeaways Understand the potential impact of AI – including Generative AI & AI Agents – in procurement.
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than ever—juggling cost control, compliance, supplier risk, and internal complexity, all while trying to modernize outdated systems.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.
Strategic sourcing and innovative solutions are often viewed as two distinct procurement tools, but they should not be seen in isolation. 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.
But, I want to understand this more, and as a result, I have a new study in the field to gain additional insights, and I would love your input. In 2012, I placed the first alignment study in the field. Functional Metrics. To respond, follow this link. To entice you to participate let’s look at the data more closely.
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 organizations layered in functional metrics and driving a cost agenda, this is a tough nut to crack. In the face of variability, this is two-to-six weeks too long to make allocation or procurement decisions. Tougher than most understand. United States Inflation Rates and GDP Inflation is the highest in forty years. Interested?
I am currently working on a couple of case studies for this blog on how business leaders used digital twin modeling during the pandemic. Initially, the output was published to procurement to design strategic buying strategies. Procurement became an island–isolated from the demand signal except for MRP.
After two decades of study, I think because it is a lack of understanding. 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.)
We have found that supply chain metrics are gnarly and complicated.During In our program, cost avoidance, while desirable, does not count towards the metric. We would not have succeeded without a team effort across R&D, the business leaders, and SC disciplines of engineering, procurement, and manufacturing.
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. Focus functional metrics to improving reliability. ” Hau Lee, October 2014.
Do Set Clear KPIs and Governance Structures : Establish transparent metrics for sales, coverage, and service levels. Do Invest in Distributor Capability Building : Provide training, digital tools, and performance incentives. A well-equipped distributor is an extension of your brand and a key to market penetration.
Two recently published studies identify the top disruptions that impacted industry, business and global supply chains during 2024 and our expected to be present in 2025. Within the report, each risk is assigned a risk score metric to help global supply chain leaders prioritize planning and mitigation efforts this year.
In research study after study, we see that the greatest challenge to achieving supply chain excellence is the understanding of the supply chain by the leadership team. Closing the gaps happens when there are aligned metrics, clarity of vision and aligned planning processes. Metrics Alignment. They lack cohesion.
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.
Koganti urged the procurement audience to look for whats referred to as “foresight function” in planning tools, which is capable of enhancing data analysis, scenario generation and trend identification , allowing for more informed and proactive decision-making, albeit with human oversight.
OI has been more focused on transactional efficiency, procurement and IT standardization. As I write my new book, Metrics That Matter, I am studying the patterns of corporate performance based on choices in supply chain program execution. It cannot be accurately represented by studying two years, or even three.
In the height of the e-commerce craze, the marketplace offerings started with a focus on e-procurement. The widely-held view was that the e-procurement market would fuel the next generation of marketplace applications. The rebirth of marketplace offerings is not on the back of e-procurement or ERP. The debates were heated.
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. And, in our Digital Manufacturing Study.
When you track transportation metrics and KPIs like transit time, on-time pickups, and percent of truckload capacity utilized across your carrier partners, you can identify trends and opportunities for streamlined OTR transportation management. Harvard Business Review Analytic Services study?report
Tesco and Walmart have announced procurement policies aimed at reducing carbon emissions and promoting sustainability throughout their extended supply chains. AI can integrate with procurement platforms, utility meters, logistics trackers and internet of things sensors to gather real-time data. Retailers are following suit.
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). As a B2B company, procurement management is essential.
“I study supply chains. In our work, we tie research from quantitative and qualitative studies to financial results to drive new insights. This starts by clearly defining the roles of each function, and then focusing the cross-functional teams on the same metrics. I am passionate about it. What do you think?
In my forty years of studying supply chain planning, the groups became larger, but with questionable results. The class discovers the current blackholes of the supply chain (direct procurement and contract manufacturing. Lack of aligned metrics. Surprisingly to most, the work became more efficient and less political.
In May 2022, Ivalua commissioned Forrester to survey over 400 procurement leaders across the globe to ask how they plan to minimize the frequency and impact of supply disruptions. This places limitations on the value that procurement generates for your organization and impacts the resilience and agility of the supply chain.
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. It is clear basics matter.
Conversely, a student who quickly grasps procurement strategies can be challenged with advanced case studies and leadership projects. For example, a student might work on a project that involves analyzing sales data to predict future product demand, thereby learning how to adjust procurement strategies accordingly.
In fact, a recent study , in partnership with Edelman Data & Intelligence, found a broad increased level of confidence from supply chain leaders despite peak season disruptions among those that have successfully implemented data-driven, third-party resources to manage heightened activity levels.
September 26, 2019) A new study by ToolsGroup, a global leader in supply chain planning software, and Spinnaker, a supply chain services company, has found that only 7% of companies are reaping the benefits of digital transformation of supply chain planning. BOSTON, Mass. and HOUSTON, Tex.
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. It directly affects the bottom line, making it crucial to manage effectively. Nari Viswanathan is currently Sr.
Snow fell last night as I worked on my last Supply Chain Metrics That Matter report. The concept of the Effective Frontier is that best in class companies align functional metrics to balance growth, cost, inventory and Return on Invested Capital (ROIC) performance while balancing customer service metrics. The Effective Frontier.
As a result, companies are writing new case studies through their actions or inaction. In this volatile world, efficient procurement led by a CFO is not the answer. Companies driven by functional metrics struggled: they could not adapt quickly to the higher transportation costs.). Business continuity is the overarching issue.
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. The company has shown sustained improvement on this metric. Ferguson does 20 to 30 studies a year using this tool. The company recorded 1.9
by Alexa Cheater Avaya: A supply chain management case study. Tracking success: Metrics matter. Now Avaya is leading the way, exceeding industry benchmarks in 11 key metrics. Rigorous tracking of these metrics helps Avaya feel confident it’s on track to realize success. Procurement spend analysis. Supply planning.
We are trying to understand how supply chain leaders have raised the bar at the intersection of these four sets of metrics on the supply chain effective frontier. I also believe that it is because the organization is not incented to manage cash-to-cash metrics. The results have been eye-opening. ” The Lie of Best Practices.
Both anecdotal evidence and research studies demonstrate that enterprises leveraging these advanced capabilities have fared much better than other companies during the extreme volatility of the past two years. In a study commissioned by Blue Yonder, it is estimated that a typical $10 billion company can save $14.1 Warehouse Robotics.
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In my previous posts, I looked at how to successfully launch a digital transformation and progress to best-in-class Procurement. Most leaders seem to track their progress with metrics such as percent of spend managed and digitization levels, defining best-in-class as being the top quartile or similar high percentage. Stay Flexible.
With the digitization of the source-to-pay process being a key initiative for many chief procurement officers, to the inherent automation which promises to accelerate innovations such as artificial intelligence (AI), digitization is growing. However, it is fundamental to empowering procurement success in the modern age.
While CPI is normally used within project management and earned value analysis, it has significant application and importance within supply chain contexts, particularly in procurement, logistics and warehousing. Example: If a company planned to procure materials worth $100,000 but ended up spending $120,000. A CPI of 0.83
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