ivalua

JULY 27, 2015

The always astute Pierre Mitchell from Spend Matters recently called out an unnamed solution provider for “trying to create some thought leadership about upstream value creation and downstream value capture.” This reminded me of a prior post I wrote about the subject and I wondered if Pierre was writing about me. If so, in my (imperfect?) attempt to make a point about the relative value of strategic sourcing, I failed to realize that thought leadership is apparently the exclusive domain of pun

Leadership 149

Leadership Suppliers Strategic sourcing Strategic sourcing 149

The Network Effect

JULY 31, 2015

Note: This is an ongoing series of posts on new developments within the automobile supply chain, with examples of best practices. In my last three posts, I talked about order aggregation , new inventory replenishment policies and why a network model makes so much sense. Today I want to discuss the all important ASN. . The ASN is the electronic transfer of shipment data from a supplier to a customer.

supply chain software solutions 70

supply chain software solutions Import Supply chain Quantity 70

Supply Chain Collaborator

JULY 6, 2015

Plenty of food shippers already have some form of solution in place to automate their transportation planning and management processes. Whether they use a solution provided by a logistics IT provider, a basic tool provided by their 3PL or a homegrown system, it’s clear that manual processes are no longer up to the increasingly complicated task. If you’re a food or beverage shipper using any of the above defined solutions, now is a pivotal time to consider what you can do to improve your transpor

Supply Chain Efficiency 66

Supply Chain Efficiency Supply Chain Optimization Logistics Supply chain 66

Supply Chain Action Blog

JULY 10, 2015

The supply chain is more properly designated a value network through which many supply chains can be traced. Material, money and data pulse among links in the value network, following the path of least resistance, accelerated by d igital technologies, including additive manufacturing, more secure IoT infrastructure, RPA, and, potentially, blockchain. .

Supply Chain Optimization 40

Supply Chain Optimization Networking Supply chain Supply 40

Advertiser: GEP

“What should we do about the tariffs?” There’s no straightforward answer — every leader has a different expectation. CFOs want numbers. COOs want action. CEOs want strategy. And supply chain and procurement leaders need to be ready with the right response — fast. That’s why GEP has created a simple three-part framework that will help CPOs and CSCOs brief the board and C-suite with clarity and confidence.

Supply chain

ivalua

JULY 22, 2015

In last week’s blog , I began discussing telltale signs that you have entered the new age of strategic sourcing. Leading manufacturers have proven that best-in-class strategic sourcing can create measurable and sustainable shareholder value by contributing to top line growth and bottom line profitability. The first two signs dealt with goal alignment and understanding internal customer needs.

Strategic sourcing 147

Strategic sourcing Strategic sourcing Sourcing Supplier consolidation 147

ivalua

JULY 15, 2015

Since its inception in the late 1980s, strategic sourcing has always been about getting the best value for the goods and services purchased from third party suppliers. Strategic sourcing requires an intense focus on the total cost of ownership, while incorporating customer needs, organizational goals, and market conditions. The decision making process used to select suppliers must be fact-based and driven by a rigorous analytical approach.

Strategic sourcing 147

Strategic sourcing Strategic sourcing Sourcing Cost of ownership 147

ivalua

JULY 2, 2015

A Nation’s Strength. by Ralph Waldo Emerson. What makes a nation’s pillars high. And its foundations strong? What makes it mighty to defy. The foes that round it throng? It is not gold. Its kingdoms grand. Go down in battle shock; Its shafts are laid on sinking sand, Not on abiding rock. Is it the sword? Ask the red dust. Of empires passed away; The blood has turned their stones to rust, Their glory to decay.

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ivalua

JULY 27, 2015

The always astute Pierre Mitchell from Spend Matters recently called out an unnamed solution provider for “trying to create some thought leadership about upstream value creation and downstream value capture.” This reminded me of a prior post I wrote about the subject and I wondered if Pierre was writing about me. If so, in my (imperfect?) attempt to make a point about the relative value of strategic sourcing, I failed to realize that thought leadership is apparently the exclusive domain of pun

Leadership 100

Leadership Suppliers Strategic sourcing Strategic sourcing 100

The Network Effect

JULY 1, 2015

Note: This is the next installment in an ongoing series that explores shelf-connected supply networks. In the first post, I asked whether a shelf-connected system was possible with traditional ERP systems. In my second post, I discussed how new approaches to forecasting processes are required in a shelf-connected world. . Today’s cloud platforms can support the advanced forecasting methods we’ve discussed in previous posts, but the best ones go step further, by enabling both plannin

Networking 68

Networking Supply Inventory Inventory planning 68

The Network Effect

JULY 24, 2015

SMMt Ltd/Flickr. Note: This is an ongoing series of posts on new developments within the automobile supply chain, with examples of best practices. In my last two posts, I talked about new inventory replenishment policies and why a network model makes so much sense. Today I want to talk about order aggregation, as this is the next logical step. Order aggregation follows immediately after a replenishment policy has established a recommended set of orders.

Supply chain 66

Supply chain Real-time Visibility Supply Networking 66

Speaker: Andrew Skoog, Founder of MachinistX & President of Hexis Representatives

Manufacturing is evolving, and the right technology can empower—not replace—your workforce. Smart automation and AI-driven software are revolutionizing decision-making, optimizing processes, and improving efficiency. But how do you implement these tools with confidence and ensure they complement human expertise rather than override it? Join industry expert Andrew Skoog as he explores how manufacturers can leverage automation to enhance operations, streamline workflows, and make smarter, data-dri

Innovation

The Network Effect

JULY 17, 2015

Mark Roy/Flickr. This morning I read an article that addressed the use of forecasts and predictions to understand the future of retail. Although an interesting read, I take exception to understanding forecasts and predictions as one in the same. To me a forecast is a method to calculate future performance based on an analysis of varying factors and patterns.

Supply chain 64

Supply chain Supply Leadership Networking 64

Supply Chain Collaborator

JULY 29, 2015

An article in this week’s Transport Topics detailed the operational challenges facing intermodal shippers in the face of growing economic activity. The double whammy of increasing freight volume and an ongoing, acute driver shortage has driven a boom in the utilization of intermodal truck to train shipping. The article reports that intermodal carriers are having a great year in spite of “an array of operational, financial and technical issues” challenging their ability to handle the growth.

e2e 60

e2e Route optimization Supply Chain Optimization Supply Chain Efficiency 60

The Network Effect

JULY 24, 2015

You may have already seen our coverage of the joint-project between One Network, Resolve, and the Rwandan Ministry of Health to deliver medicine to the people of Rwanda, but if you haven’t, here’s a great video from Rwanda that explains the project and it’s benefits. If you want to learn more about the project, I suggest you download a case study on the Rwanda project here.

Supply chain 60

Supply chain Networking Supply 60

Supply Chain Collaborator

JULY 24, 2015

Savvy shippers have been taking the long view in their efforts to overcome what promises to be an ongoing capacity crisis, by investing in private fleet resources. Yes, it is a front-loaded capital expense to purchase equipment and add costs associated with driver training, retention and compensation. However, several pieces of news this week seem to validate the long-term efficacy of this strategy.

Price 60

Price Inventory Quality Logistics 60

Speaker: Jason Cottrell and Gireesh Sahukar

Retailers know the clock is ticking–legacy SAP Commerce support ends in 2026. Legacy platforms are becoming a liability burdened by complexity, rigidity, and mounting operational costs. But modernization isn’t just about swapping out systems, it’s about preparing for a future shaped by real-time interactions, AI powered buying assistants, and flexible commerce architecture.

Risk

Supply Chain Collaborator

JULY 14, 2015

Benjamin Disraeli said, “The secret of success in life is for a man to be ready for his opportunity when it comes.” There are some retailers – whose industry is characterized by high volume imports from China and elsewhere – who can vouch for the verity of this statement. They’d be the ones who were able to flex their supply chain and logistics plans to overcome some very challenging obstacles in the last 12 months.

Supply Chain Optimization 60

Supply Chain Optimization Logistics Import Supply chain 60

The Network Effect

JULY 31, 2015

winnifredxoxo/Flickr. Note: This is a series of posts that explore the technology transformation that many supply chains are undergoing, and discuss how these changes can help the wider organization move from “good” to “great”. Today I want to talk about something called the Balanced Scorecard. . The Balanced Scorecard is interesting in that its definition actually reflects the traditional ERP limitations we discussed previously.

Networking 57

Networking Supply chain management Supply chain management Supply chain 57

The Network Effect

JULY 17, 2015

CWCS Managed Hosting/Flickr. Note this the second installment in a series of posts on how master data management affect a company’s financial health. In my first post, I explored whether Wall Street should care about your master data management strategy. . Fiscal responsibility is core to the makeup of all corporations, whether public or private.

Data 54

Data Management Networking Consumer demands 54

The Network Effect

JULY 1, 2015

I can still remember how excited and proud I was when I presented my Mom an autographed copy of our book, “Flowcasting the Retail Supply Chain For those of you who don’t know Betty Doherty, she’s a word wizard – loves to read and even dabbles with writing her own poetry. I knew then, that Mom would read the book. A couple of weeks after she received her gift I got her feedback.

Retail Supply Chain 52

Retail Supply Chain Raw materials Supply chain Networking 52

Advertiser: ZoomInfo

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.

Data

The Network Effect

JULY 10, 2015

Got Credit/Flickr. Pursuing improved forecasts is certainly not an academic exercise. Better forecasting translates directly into making better business decisions. Some research indicates a 6% forecast improvement could improve the perfect order by 10% and deliver a 10-15% reduction in unnecessary inventory. Layering a demand sensing capability onto the overall demand management process will generate significant improvements to a company’s core KPI’s.

Demand 50

Demand Management Order Fulfillment Inventory 50

Supply Chain Action Blog

JULY 10, 2015

The supply chain is more properly designated a value network through which many supply chains can be traced. Material, money and data pulse among links in the value network, following the path of least resistance. If each node in the value network makes decisions in isolation , the potential grows for the total value in one or more supply chain paths to be less than it could be. .

Supply Chain Optimization 40

Supply Chain Optimization Networking Supply chain Supply 40

The Network Effect

JULY 10, 2015

TruckPR/Flickr. Prior to today’s advanced cloud platforms, the prevailing strategy was to implement CPFR, or Collaborative Forecasting, Planning, and Replenishment. CPFR defines the flow as Creating the Sales Forecast, Creating the Order Forecast, Generating Orders, Executing Orders, and then gathering Replenishment feedback. As we all know this flow is necessary, but in today’s replenishment world just isn’t sufficient.

Logistics 56

Logistics Supply Chain Optimization Inventory Demand 56