On Tuesday this week I will present the findings from the recent Supply Chain Insights study at the Penn State Forum. As I worked on my presentation, three themes emerged. 1) Opportunity. The most satisfied respondents on the survey were technologists and academics by profession, Baby-Boomers by age group, and those with the ability to work from home. The least satisfied are those in manufacturing work teams. A central theme in…
To drive global scale, companies need to design the supply chain to buy globally and execute locally. Not many companies have cracked this code. The design of the supply chain is fundamental to making this happen. Managing complexity is key. In our interview of the Supply Chains to Admire Winners, we found a unique approach at Carter’s. Here we share the story. About Carter’s Carter’s, Inc., also known as the…
Last week I spoke on the evolution of the digital supply chains and my vision for Supply Chain 2020 at the World Trade Group Event in Miami. I was the last speaker at the event. There were many cancellations in the program, and as a result, I questioned why I had come. However, it turned out OK. The audience stayed for the presentation, and following the event there were many spirited debates…
Social. Mobile. Sensors. 3D printing. The Internet of Things. The list goes on and on. The atoms and electrons of the supply chain are changing. My mind is spinning with the possibilities. Transmitted perfectly, replicated indefinitely; and with a one-time investment in network infrastructure, a digital task performs well with zero marginal cost. As a result, new data types move quicker and more accurately, with lower levels of investment. I…
Benchmarking is a measurement of the quality of an organization’s policies, products, programs or strategies against standard measurements. Business Dictionary.com Writing a Shaman blog post is now a Sunday night ritual. For me, it is a good time to reflect, think and share what I am learning. In my work with Supply Chain Insights, I immerse myself in learning. I continually question my long-held beliefs on supply chain excellence. I…
Over the course of the last two years, we at Supply Chain Insights have worked on a methodology to gauge supply chain improvement. We named it the Supply Chain Index. We have found that supply chain metrics are gnarly and complicated. During the last two months, we have been interviewing supply chain leaders to get their views on the methodology. We believe that a supply chain leader is defined by both…
The snow is falling outside my window. It is the quiet, steady kind that mounds on the window sill… a strong signal for me to relax and enjoy winter. I want to light a fire and curl up on the couch with a good book. I am a voracious reader. I think that this is one of the reasons why I love to write. Three months ago, one of my clients asked me…
Chutzpah: A personal confidence or courage that allows someone to do or say things that may seem shocking to others Merriam Webster If you are fluent in Yiddish, you know chutzpah, meaning nerve, is akin to the Spanish word “cojones” meaning courage, but without an anatomical context as in tener cojones. So, as I sit in this uncomfortable seat, fighting sleep, winging my way to Chicago, I am asking myself a simple set of questions. My…
Last week, I spoke at the S&OP IE event in Boston (http://www.theiegroup.com/SOP/Overview.html). There were 29 speakers. In the course of two days, 80% of the speakers stated “for a successful S&OP implementation, start with process, then follow with technology.” I sat on the back row, and I wanted to raise my hand and shout, “STOP! You are missing the obvious.” The largest problem with S&OP is change management. Companies that…
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