Wednesday, January 29, 2014

SUPPLY CHAIN

Do you have the supply chain you "designed" and built--and deserve?  Is this your supply chain?

Tuesday, January 28, 2014

SUPPLY CHAIN RISK

#SupplyChainRisk identification and mitigation is for all manufacturers, retailers, and wholesalers.  It is not just for multinational corporations.

Monday, January 27, 2014

3PL

Too many #3PLs talk about what they do, and not what customers need.  As a result, they lack competitive differentiation and a solid value proposition.  Why is that?

SUPPLY CHAIN MANAGEMENT

#SuppyChainManagement is about competitive differentiation and about the customer! That is more than analyzing costs or operations.

Saturday, January 25, 2014

SUPPLY CHAIN MANAGEMENT

Too many companies define their supply chain by costs, tasks, and/or functions. In other words, do they really know what #SupplyChainManagement is?
 
 

Friday, January 24, 2014

RESHORING

Anecdotal stories aside, how likely is reshoring to happen?  How much--given what has happened over the past 40 years as to factories closed, machinery sold, trained employees gone? Would reshoring mean a movement away from global trade?

Thursday, January 23, 2014

SUPPLY CHAIN TECHNOLOGY

The importance of technology is directly proportional to the length and to the complexity of the supply chain.


Wednesday, January 22, 2014

SME & SUPPLY CHAIN MANAGEMENT

Much is written about "big"---big ships, big companies, big technology, collaborating (with big), and so on.  What is a Small Medium Enterprise to do to be competitive with its supply chain?

Tuesday, January 21, 2014

SUPPLY CHAIN RISK

The insurance industry--and too many companies--focus on #SupplyChainRisk in terms of assets. That shows a narrow understanding of supply chains and the scope of supply chain risk. It leaves many risk situations unrecognized and unaddressed.



Saturday, January 18, 2014

INVENTORY

Inventory is a factor of uncertainty--a buffer.  The longer the cycle time, the more the uncertainty, the more the inventory.

 

SUPPLY CHAIN CYCLE TIME COMPRESSION

Cycle time extends from the time a company knows it has the need for product until that product is sold and paid for. The sub-sets of that time should be identified and assessed.

Friday, January 17, 2014

SUPPLY CHAIN EROSION

Will mega ships, the impact of these vessels on ports, operating and filling them-- combined with ongoing carriers actions-- add to the global supply chain erosion caused by ocean carriers?
http://www.ltdmgmt.com/global-supply-chain-performance-erosion.asp

SUPPLY CHAIN SEGMENTATION

Guide to #SupplyChainSegmentation -- Create Value, Counter Monolithic Supply Chain, Redesign Supply Chain 






Thursday, January 16, 2014

SUPPLY CHAIN MANAGEMENT

The Best Companies understand there are supply chains within supply chains.  There is no single supply chain.

Tuesday, January 14, 2014

SUPPLY CHAIN TECHNOLOGY

Is focusing on track-and-trace technology really managing the supply chain?  Or is it "the-easy-way"?

Monday, January 13, 2014

LEAN LOGISTICS

In the real world, how compatible are lean manufacturing and #LeanLogistics?  Does manufacturing push its lean problems on to the supply chain?




Wednesday, January 8, 2014

MEGASHIPS

#Megaships have a theoretical break even. With trade volumes, excess supply, and pricing, what is the real break even?

Tuesday, January 7, 2014

GLOBAL SUPPLY CHAIN MANAGEMENT

These reports from Purchasing Managers and JP Morgan on global manufacturing means that #GlobalSupplyChainManagement is still very important. Are reports of nearshoring overhyped?  See http://www.businessinsider.com/jpm-global-manufacturing-january-2014-2014-1 




Monday, January 6, 2014

MONOLITHIC SUPPLY CHAIN


Many firms view their supply chain as providing a monolithic service that is defined by costs.  There is no differentiation as to customers beyond any specificity in customer instructions on handling orders and shipments.

Sunday, January 5, 2014

Saturday, January 4, 2014

LOGISTICS OUTSOURCING

Which takes more effort--- managing a logistics function / part of your operation OR managing a 3PL?  Where is the risk greater?

SEGMENTATION

Who needs segmentation analysis more?  Companies for their suppy chains or 3PLs for their markets?