Power B2B Networks

December 10, 2014
4:52 pm

If you ask companies if they would like better inventory and global supply chain visibility, you will get an overwhelming answer of, “Yes!” However, if you ask companies how they define and deliver global business visibility, you will get stares like, “Doesn’t everyone know what global visibility means?”
The answer is simple. They don’t. The term supply chain visibility varies by role. In our recent report on defining supply chain visibility in B2B networks, we provide a definition based on a research study of over 70 participants. In our recent work, we continue to try to understand the trends. In Figure 1, it is clear in process networks (the chemical, pharmaceutical, and food industries) that there is a significant difference in capabilities when companies use B2B Networks versus EDI, Fax, email, or spreadsheets.
Figure 1.

It is ironic. Today’s supply chain is more outsourced and subject to risk than ever before, and the technologies are more capable, but the average company runs the network on fax/emails and spreadsheets. Only 9% of flows in the value networks move through B2B networks, despite the compelling business value.
Today, I published a new report on building Digital Supply Chains. One of the first things I recommend that a supply chain leader tackles is B2B connectivity. The more research that I do, the more convinced I am that we have not powered our networks for success. EDI has too much latency, and spreadsheets and email are not equal to the challenge.
So as we enter 2015, I would encourage all supply chain leaders to get serious about building value networks. It is time to give it more than lip service. It matters. I can now prove that the difference in visibility is significant at a 90% confidence level. I hope this gives you confidence to get on with it and power B2B capabilities.
Enjoy the holidays. If you miss reading the Shaman in the next few weeks, and you want some new reading in the area of supply chain excellence, consider tucking my new book, Supply Chain Metrics That Matter, into your suitcase. Today, it is rolling off the presses, as I write, and it will ship from the Amazon warehouses on December 15th.

The book is full of research on building value networks; and as you read it, drop me a line. I welcome your feedback.
I look forward to cracking the first copy of the book and smelling the odor of ink. I may find it so intoxicating, that I will be compelled to write a sequel…. So, bring on the feedback. I am working on the plot… Let me know what you think happens to Joe (the character in Supply Chain Metrics That Matter that doesn’t want to be the ‘average’ Joe) in the next edition.

Warning: Sidestep the Narrative of the Misguided Goldiggers

August 10, 2026 4:58 pm

Ten years ago, I started writing a book titled Stories of the Misguided Gold Diggers. The book was a collection of stories from two decades of stories of technology leaders perpetuating the myth of integrated end-to-end supply chain planning.

I dusted off the manuscript on Saturday. I think that we have a new chapter. Companies focused on putting Artificial Intelligence (AI) on top of existing architectures are putting AI Stupid on steroids.

The Myth of End-to-End Planning

July 31, 2026 9:14 pm

Supply chain planning, supply management, supply chain execution, network design, and transportation/logistics management operate in silos. Not much has changed over four decades. The connections flow back through transactional systems: order-to-cash and procure-to-pay. There is a myth that companies can buy an end-to-end supply chain management solution. This is largely a myth. Here we explain.

Lead Time: A Broken Gossamer

July 16, 2026 6:38 pm

If you are struggling with supply chain planning, dancing in the light of shiny objects, and scratching your head, please read on. My goal is to help you.

Please do not AI Stupid. What do I mean? AI Stupid is putting agents and agentics on top of existing architectures believing that making them faster and hands free add value. To me, this is fools play.

I love AI. I am excited about new technologies. To this end, I want to shine a light on how new technologies can help address the black holes and inconsistencies in today’s supply chain, which largely stem from the limitations of the first generation of supply chain planning and execution technologies. In this blog, I give you three places to start.

Do You Need a Supply Chain Coach?

July 9, 2026 5:27 pm

Supply chain is where the rubber hits the road. For a public company, over 40% of market capitalization is tied to the trade-offs between growth, operating margin, inventory management, and Return on Capital Employed.

The road for supply chain improvement is fraught with issues. Here we share some and offer some advice.

Is your Supply Chain AI Ready?

June 11, 2026 2:39 pm

A simple quiz to assess an organization’s AI readiness.

The pace of change is fast and furious. Every day, technology advances faster than we can digest. A great challenge to have.

Determining whether a supply chain is “AI-ready” is less about technology and more about the gray matter between the ears of supply chain leaders. Leadership, alignment, and clarity of goals matter.

Too few companies are clear on the definition of supply chain excellence. Measuring and rewarding functional metrics reduces the firm’s value. Putting agentics on top of today’s processes can make bad practices run faster, reducing value.

The toughest job for the supply chain leader is challenging existing supply chain paradigms that were defined by the limitations of decades of supply chain technologies. As the curtain lifts on the potential of new forms of technology, process redefinition is our opportunity, but only if we are clear on what drives value. (Here, I link to the Supply Chains to Admire reports to help you define value. The next report will be published on June 23rd, along with my Dynamic Benchmarking Product, to help you define value in the face of your AI readiness. More information about the launch is at the bottom of this blog.)

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.

Supply Chain Shaman