An Outlook for the Future of Supply Chain!

The purpose of this article is to introduce an outlook for Supply Chain and my view on the current and future state of Supply Chain Management; aiming to continue growing my network of like-minded professionals.

Upon graduating with a master’s degree in Chemical Engineering in 2017, I started my Supply Chain career planning inventory and managing orders on Excel to fulfil online consumer and retail business demand for a haircare product.

Albeit with dynamic data to analyse and understand, the manual and repetitive nature of many tasks confirmed my interest in roles exploiting technology and automation. As a digital native born at the end of the millennial era, it is fair to say I also expect nothing less.

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What is Deep Learning? And What Does it Mean for Supply Chain?

When I start writing text messages or emails these days I automatically receive prompts for the next words that I may want to use, or even phrases to complete my sentence, as I’m typing.

The word and phrase suggestions are ones that are consistent with the type of language I would use. And the name suggestions are unique to people I know and communicate with regularly.

My Google mini recognizes family voices instantaneously and responds not only to our questions but adds custom comments directed at each of us individually.

It’s clear to me that my computer and smart phone and Google mini are learning what language I typically use. With increasing accuracy they can predict what I might want to write next based on words I am typing. And the voice activated devices are increasingly interactive.

How does this Machine Learning, or Deep Learning, actually work? And how will it shape Supply Chain now and in the future?

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Smart Manufacturing: 5 Factors That Make Your Factory Smart!

The manufacturing industry has been changing rapidly, aided by the newest software systems and machinery. Consumers continue to demand customized products, adding to the challenge of low-cost production.

Manufacturers have been forced to look hard at their production methods, labor costs, and transportation expenses, among numerous other areas throughout the organization. This focus has resulted in the emergence of smart factories in which machines and software share information and collaborate as never before.

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Digital Procurement Ecosystem Creation in 8 Minutes!

I was in Paris last week, touring around as people do in Paris, and visited Fondation Louis Vuitton. What does that have to do with a Digital Procurement ecosystem?

If you’ve never been before and are a fan of art, architecture, and culture, I can highly recommend adding it to any future itineraries.

The museum’s collections are magnificent, and the building itself is a true masterpiece. Beyond the artwork, Fondation Louis Vuitton offers an experience to tour the multiple levels of decks that interweave themselves between the inside and the outside of the building’s structure.

On one of the decks sits a piece of artwork named “Where the Slaves Live”. It is a living organism, composed of inorganic and organic materials, forming a ‘living sculpture’ that is a small scale ecosystem- an ever-changing work of art.

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Supply Chain’s Moment of Truth Poll Results!

Time will prove that the global Coronavirus pandemic has marked a major inflection point across the entire history of Supply Chain Management. Largely unknown and not understood before the pandemic, Supply Chain’s visibility and importance has seen an unprecedented level of exposure during the pandemic.

Everyone now understands that when Supply Chains fail, much of what enables our personal and professional lives also stops. The fragility of Supply Chains experienced during the pandemic demands improvements in the robustness and resilience of this core function.

It has created a Moment of Truth for Supply Chain. Will companies revert back to their old ways of doing things after the pandemic or will they make the improvements needed for the future?

We conducted our Supply Chain’s Moment of Truth Poll to find out.

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Digital Opportunity for 3PL Logistics Operations!

Third-party logistics (or 3PL) providers, are standing on the brink of breakout growth given the digital opportunity. The shipper ecosystem is burgeoning with more delivery orders, more inventory to be managed, more deliveries and more services than ever before.

The global 3PL market, valued at $728.6B USD back in 2018, is expected to reach $1.5 BILLION by 2025. While 3PL providers want to adapt to this new market opportunity, their existing logistics operations often have a hard time keeping pace with these growing demands.

In this increasingly challenging environment, technology has become an integral part of expanding and maintaining competitive logistics services.

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The Competitive Edge: How IoT Solutions are Redefining Supply Chain Management!

In today’s rapidly evolving business landscape, supply chain management has become more critical than ever before. With consumers demanding faster delivery times, higher product quality, and greater transparency, companies are constantly seeking ways to gain a competitive edge.

Enter the Internet of Things (IoT) solutions, which are revolutionizing the way supply chains operate. In this blog, we will explore how IoT solutions, along with digital transformation services is transforming supply chain management and why it’s essential for businesses to embrace this technology to stay ahead in the market.

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Effective Sales Contract Lifecycle Management Best Practices!

Supply chain management and contract lifecycle management are key ingredients to business success. The journey from idea to end product to shipment and delivery is exciting, yes, but rather complicated — fueled with many moving parts.

How well a company manages its supply chain processes can directly impact its bottom line. In a 2021 Statista survey, over half of businesses surveyed found the supply chain disruptions to be extremely challenging, with faster response time as the most difficult hurdle to conquer.

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What is 5G? And What Does it Mean for Supply Chain? (Infographic)

There was a time not that long ago when there were no cell phones or smart phones. Now they are literally billions of smartphones and cell phones. This doesn’t even include the number of desktops, laptops, tablets, and all other internet enabled electronic devices.

The latest technology that will be driving this massive infrastructure is 5G. Much as with all of the technologies before it the latest generation of technology will lead to profound advances in capabilities.

This will invariably impact the Supply Chain of the future.

What is 5G technology? And how exactly will it impact Supply Chain?

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The Hitchhiker’s Guide to Digital Procurement!

Navigating the complexity of the global supply chain as a procurement professional can sometimes feel like taking a walk through the Amazon without a compass, or entering into outer space without an oxygen tank, especially when considering digital procurement.

It’s important that procurement teams take into account the new risk reality and challenges that face them, their organizations and their value chains. As the world around us continues to put the pedal to the metal within the digitalization of business solutions, procurement can’t decide to slow down for every speed bump.

At the same time, it’s never smart to punch the gas if you haven’t packed a spare tire. You never know when you might run into something sharp along the way.

Finding the perfect balance between preparation and action can be tricky.

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Stand Out Digital Supply Chain Strategies!

Unchaining Change Leadership

The digital economy is bringing a paradigm shift in the business models and Digital Supply Chain strategies across the world, thus blurring the industry boundaries. No matter the niche, the customer today expects both products and services to be delivered real quick and tailored to unique requirements.

Effective digital supply chain strategies can help organizations stand out from the crowd. It is then that companies can make themselves faster, granular, flexible and accurate.

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The Digital Supply Chain Journey : Step 1 – The Vision!

The Digital Supply Chain is the future. The end to end electronic connectivity of all elements of the Supply Chain, as enabled by an extensive array of exciting new technologies, will define all progression over the next few decades. But how does this Digital Supply Chain journey begin?

Simply, this journey begins with a vision. A vision of the objectives, of the end state, and even a vision that is fuzzy but is emboldened by a certainty that digitalization in any and all of its forms is the right direction.

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