It Is HERE!

September 4, 2012
9:09 pm

Six months ago, I founded a new firm with a promise to redefine the industry analyst market. Today, with the launch of the SCI Community, we have taken an important step in realizing our vision.
The SCI Community is open and global. It is free and available for supply chain leaders and teams everywhere. We have tried to make it fun!
It is designed specifically for the supply chain professional. We at Supply Chain Insights LLC have worked for the past six months to deliver what we think is a set of unique services:

Financial Supply Chain Benchmarking. It is just too hard to get meaningful financial supply chain data. We have built a database on financial ratios that go back over 20 years. Want to understand how your company stacks up against a peer group on Working Capital, Inventory Turns, Free Cash Flow, Altman Z, or Return on Assets? Ask us to run a custom cut on the data for you.
Technology and Consulting Ratings and Reviews. We go to YELP for a rating on a restaurant, check out Expedia for a hotel recommendation; but up until this point, there was no place for supply chain leaders to rate software or consulting partners. The SCI Community gives supply chain leaders a place to share.
Industry Events Ratings and Reviews. There are a lot of events. How do supply chain leaders know which are the good ones? The community allows ratings and reviews of the events so you know which ones to attend.
Ask an Industry Expert. Want to ask an industry analyst a question? The SCI Community is a place to go. Pose a question to our panel of experts and engage in discussion.
Supply Chain Wiki. Need help getting your group on the same page on supply chain terms? Check out our Supply Chain Wiki.
Meaningful Discussion Groups. Follow the tags and the discussion groups to get in on the action.
Blogs, Videos, and Webcasts. Listen, share and learn.
Open Content Research. It is part of our strategy to redefine supply chain research. We believe that it should be open and actionable. On our community today, there are nine research reports, three new surveys and the opportunity for you to tell us what should be on our future research agenda.
Posting of Content. The community allows supply chain leaders everywhere to post and share content. If you have an article that you are proud of, post it for others to rate and review.
Meaningful Networking. Connect with supply chain leaders like you. Network with supply chain leaders you respect. Do you have a question? Ask another supply chain professional directly in the SCI Community.

I believe that research sells and relationships renew. It is my goal to deliver deep research that is actionable. The community is part of my vision.
Check it out today! Let us know what you think.

Case Study: A Scrappy Demand Management Approach

June 9, 2026 5:37 pm

This study of Franklin Sports shines a light on the work that needs to be done at the sales account level to challenge a retail forecast, and also highlights the importance of a new technique for a forecast engine — reinforcement learning.

Artificial intelligence comes in many forms — large language models, generative AI, machine learning, unstructured text mining, deep learning, neural networks, reinforcement learning, agents, and agentics. While the industry is wigging out about agentics, I think reinforcement learning is a great step forward in the journey of Artificial Intelligence.

Can We Side-Step the AI Spin Cycle?

June 7, 2026 3:44 pm

When it comes to combining tech, 1+1+1 should equal more than 1. The impact should be exponential. Unfortunately, today, the answer is 0.

What do I mean? Let me explain.

I find that the supply chain technology market moves slowly along traditional technology lines. Conferences are usually focused on the use of technology, not on redefining work. This bothers me. I want it to bother you as well.

Here I share some insights to drive change.

Supply Chain Health Check: The Power of an Orbit Chart

May 27, 2026 9:49 pm

An orbit chart is a powerful tool for understanding the “health” of a supply chain and its potential for improvement. The supply chain is a complex, non-linear system with limited trade-offs. The relationship between trade-offs varies by industry, region, and size. The orbit chart is a diagnostic we use in the Supply Chains to Admire work. Here I explain the use case.

Industry Solutions Should Drive Value Networks: They Don’t Today

May 19, 2026 10:06 pm

Today, companies require industry-specific supply chain solutions. The performance of 82% of the industries–I term this industry potential–is going backward while companies are trying to

Are You Writing a Check You Cannot Cash?

May 14, 2026 10:16 pm

Don’t let a well-intending, but ill-informed consultant or technologist set an expectation that you cannot meet. No when wins when there is a check written that cannot be cashed. In this case, the consultant will move to the next account leaving you holding the bag. Fight back with a data-driven argument. Help the organization think about inventory more holistically.

The Sad Demise of the Food Industry

May 11, 2026 6:02 pm

For the period of 2016-2025, the industry average was 11% operating margin and 7.82 inventory turns, with a 35% decline in industry inventory performance. Few companies were aware of or adapted to the shift in industry potential.
Today, the shifts are faster as consumers trade down to cheaper brands and retail private label gains market share. Major inflationary spikes in protein, especially beef and eggs, due to supply shortages and disease-related disruptions in 2025, continue the never-ending ride in commodity volatility. Yet, companies are insular to adapt their supply chain practices. Putting AI on top of traditional supply chain processes is a recipe for disaster.

Supply Chain Shaman