We met for five years at the Wyndham Hotel on Broad Street in Boston. It was usually for breakfast. My calendar was so full that it allowed very little face-to-face meeting time with a struggling start-up like Optiant; but since I have a passion to help start-ups, I rolled out of bed early for the breakfast club. The group, due to turnover, was never the same. The names changed—Jonathan, Sean, Matt,…
Kodak owned the original patents for the digital camera, but did not create the market. Why? They were afraid of killing the profitable FILM market. The rest is history. Blockbuster could have easily created Redbox; but they were too tied to the conventional definition of the STORE. A simple redefinition of delivery created NEW value. Software as a Service (SaaS) is growing in popularity with the Line-of-Business (LOB) buyer; yet, only…
We have a black hole in the center of supply chain applications. A black hole you say? Yes, a black hole has developed between transactional systems focused on order-to-cash and procure-to-pay processes and supply chain optimization technologies. It is not there by design. It has evolved because the design of supply chain technologies were insufficient to meet today’s requirements. Understanding the Black Hole What is a black hole? In quantum…
This week I am off on vacation. On some beautiful Caribbean island, I will raise my glass to toast Barbie. Barbie, you might say? Yes, this year, my early childhood friend is 50. I am DEFINATELY telling my age when I share that she consumed the first 10 years of my life. I am also telling my age when I share that Supply Chain Management (SCM) has consumed the last 20 years of my…
I am excited to join Altimeter Group (www.altimetergroup.com) to continue to do the research that I love in the way that I love to do it. In my work at Altimeter Group, I will continue to focus on the evolution of supply chain excellence and the use of technologies in consumer value networks (retail through consumer products). The primary driver of my choice to join Altimeter Group is the opportunity to collaborate with smart people…
It is time to get nervous, but guide the supply chain with a steady hand. Hold tight. It will be a jerky rudder. Expect turbulent times. Why? The most money is made through the successful navigation of the supply chain in a market recovery. However, it will be a rough recovery. Today, demand is rising, commodity speculation is increasing, and markets are responding at VERY different rates (stronger demand in emerging economies and growing hopes in modern trade…
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About Lora Cecere
Lora Cecere is the Founder and CEO of Supply Chain Insights , the research firm that's paving new directions in building thought-leading supply chain research. She is also the author of the enterprise software blog Supply Chain Shaman. The blog focuses on the use of enterprise applications to drive supply chain excellence. Her book, Bricks Matter, published in December of 2012.
As an enterprise strategist, Lora focuses on the changing face of enterprise technologies. Her research is designed for the early adopter seeking first mover advantage. Current research topics include the digital consumer, supply chain sensing, demand shaping and revenue management, market-driven value networks, accelerating innovation through open design networks, the evolution of predictive analytics, emerging business intelligence solutions, and technologies to improve safe and secure product delivery.
She comes to the stage with over thirty years of diverse supply chain experience. She spent nine years as an industry analyst with Gartner Group, AMR Research, Altimeter Group and is now the founder of her own firm Supply Chain Insights. Prior to becoming a supply chain analyst she spent fifteen years as a leader in the building of supply chain software at Manugistics and Descartes Systems Group, and twenty years as a supply chain practitioner at Procter & Gamble, Kraft/General Foods, Clorox, and Dreyers Grand Ice Cream (now a division of Nestle).
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