SCM Archives - Page 15 of 16 - Supply Chain Game Changer™

Quantum Leap to the Top 10 Supply Chain Skills of the Future!

Putting a Shine on Supply Chain’s Image!

There are many exciting quantum leap advances in Technology these days!

The proliferation of the Internet of Things (IoT), Artificial Intelligence (AI), Machine Learning and Robotics, Industry 4.0, Big Data and Analytics, and Digitalization are all phrases that are emblematic of revolutionary changes both today and in the future.

It is important to know that these changes are not just impacting Manufacturing, Engineering and I/T. These technological advances will impact every aspect of our personal and working lives. And one area that will be driving these quantum leap changes is Supply Chain!

What Exactly Is Reverse Logistics?

Reverse Logistics and the Power of Your 3PL!

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A summer job I had during my University years involved the dismantling of old computer input/output machines and the recovery and salvage of all of the parts. For me it was good experience and good money. At the same time the disassembly of most every part of the machines for refurbishment, reuse, and recovery also seemed to be a worthy cause. It was Reverse Logistics before I knew what that was.

I considered it to be salvage, reclamation and repair activity. Over the ensuing years I was involved from time to time in other activities that involved quality problems, returns, repair, reclamation or recycling of some kind.

And then at some point all of these activities were included under the banner of “Reverse Logistics”.

What on earth is Reverse Logistics?

Project Prioritization Simplified!

Are you a Game Changer? Tell us your Story!

We had the “Call To Action” from the CEO. The business needed to be transformed to support growth. And the business needed to be financially stronger and much more productive.

With the mandate established we had named the change initiative that we were about to launch. We had enlisted leaders from every functional organization. And we had began to roll out our communication strategy.

This project involved every employee, every function, and every process in the company. We needed a simple way to prioritize all of the projects that we were about to undertake.

TMS is Mandatory in the Digital Age! Get Yours Free!

Why don’t you have a TMS (Transportation Management System) Solution yet?

We are in the Digital Age!

In Supply Chain that means we want and need full end to end visibility and transparency. To provide that end to end visibility requires electronic connectivity of all nodes of the Supply Chain.

And when it comes to providing that visibility and connectivity with respect to the movement of goods throughout the Supply Chain it means we all need a Transportation Management System (TMS).

But gone are the days when you needed to create your own TMS or even buy one. In this Digital Age you should be able to get this capability for free!

Procurement Integrity Breach – A Sure Way to Get Fired!

Could the CPO Be Replaced by the Chief Value Officer?

The following story about Procurement integrity is true; no names or companies will be mentioned.

“Hello, Rebecca. Great to hear from you this morning. What can I do for you today?” I said to my direct report on my cell phone.

“We have a situation that needs your attention.” Her voice foretold that this was one to pay extra attention to.

“What’s up?”

The Call To Action … Where It All Begins!

The Change Leadership Process … And Guide!

“The Board is REALLY upset. They want a plan to dramatically improve our Supply Chain inventory turnover performance and they want it now. Will you lead this for me?” That was a call to action.

My boss had just got out of the Board meeting and these were his words to me. The company had historically performed very poorly in managing inventory. And it was not only consuming a lot of cash but it was impacting our profitability with the high carrying charges and write-offs. Also it impacted our competitive position as customers and competitors didn’t believe we knew how to manage inventory, and Supply Chain, very well.

This was a Call To Action!

Part Shortages? What is your Supply Line Strategy?

On Time Delivery – Get that right First!

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Have you experienced part shortages that gate your production schedule?

Part shortages can be highly frustrating issues to deal with. They almost always happen within the standard lead time of the components you need. And very often they can stop production immediately.

Everyone wants the shortage resolved immediately. From your Customer to your CEO through to the entire Management chain and everyone in Production … they all want the needed parts NOW!

But there are many reasons why part shortages occur. And there are many actions that can be taken to mitigate their occurrence. You don’t have to live with shortages every day if you have a Supply Line strategy.

Cost Cutting! Brute Force or An Intelligent Program?

Is Your Supply Chain A Cost Centre or a Value Creator?

How many times have you been asked to cut cost? How many times have you been asked to cut costs so deeply that it is beyond your comprehension?

In those situations you can always use the Brute Force method. Hacking and slashing resources and expenses in this way often compromises the very capabilities, skills, morale and services that are keeping your company afloat in the first place. But it can be quick.

But if you have the chance to deploy a proper Change Management program to drive the cost reductions or other improvements that you are looking for then you may have many more constructive opportunities in front of you.

A “Don’t Touch” Strategy will Dramatically Lean out your Supply Chain!

10 Signs You Should Reboot Your Lean Program!

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The box I was looking at in the Pick-To-Light (PTL) lane was full of at least 1-2 dozen different skus with as many as one to twenty of each sku in the box. It looked like the insides of a piñata in there. Although a piñata is used in celebrations I was quite sure that when the retail store opened the box they wouldn’t be celebrating.

All along the PTL conveyor every box looked like an explosion of different skus in different quantities. At every station an employee was following the lights and picking a different quantity of each sku from one set of boxes and putting them in the “piñata” box.

I knew that this was the way it had historically been done, and the company had just spent millions and millions of dollars automating this historic process, but from a Lean perspective the whole approach was wasteful, slow, and expensive.

Was it really necessary to touch every single piece of every single sku multiple times?

Blockchain Technology is the Antidote to the Bullwhip Effect!

Blockchain Continues to Make its Way into the Supply Chain World!

It happens everywhere, all the time in retail and in ecommerce: a supplier doubles their output to prevent a shortage in case multiple distributors place their orders simultaneously; a fulfillment warehouse doesn’t call in enough workers during Black Friday and delays package shipments by days. Could blockchain technology change all that?

It’s the bullwhip effect, and it’s a huge reason why something like €3.5 trillion (worth $4.1 trillion) are locked up in net working capital in today’s supply chains.

5 Trends in the Gartner Hype Cycle for Emerging Technologies

Supply Chain Investment Challenges – Real and Imagined!

Widespread Artificial Intelligence, Biohacking, new platforms and immersive experiences dominate this year’s Gartner Hype Cycle.

Waiting curbside for an Uber or Lyft driver might one day be the old-fashioned way of getting around. Instead, passengers will need to head to the helipad to catch a ride from a flying autonomous vehicle.

Not only will these future taxis take to the sky to potentially reduce traffic, they’ll operate independently of a human pilot.

How AI and the IoT Can Change Transportation Management!

The Top 5 Impacts of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in Logistics!

Analysts predict that by 2020, 75% of new cars will feature IoT connectivity. The percentage increase describes consumer applications, but the idea of connected vehicles should garner interest from other sectors such as shipping, logistics, and transportation management.

Leaders in these industries would be wise to plan for a future where AI and the IoT transform transportation management.

Here are five possible applications to consider:

The Industrial Revolution from Industry 1.0 to 5.0!

Putting a Shine on Supply Chain’s Image!

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The history of Industry 4.0 tracks the manufacturing industry from the industrial revolution to the digital transformation and beyond.

Each new stage represents advancement of the industrial revolution in the manufacturing process that has changed the way we think about and work in the industry.

The Current State of the Shipping Capacity Crunch!

Truck Drivers – Unsung Heroes of the Supply Chain! (Infographic)

The shipping capacity crunch is not a new topic, but the end of 2017 is shaping up to reveal an unprecedented crunch, reports Chris Brady of Logistics Viewpoints.

An active hurricane season, the forthcoming implementation deadline for electronic logging devices (ELD) and record-shattering projections for the upcoming holiday shipping season reflect some of the top factors affecting the current state shipping capacity crunch.

Moreover, according to Dustin Braden of the Journal of Commerce (JOC), the driver shortage is worsening in tandem. To successfully mitigate the potential setbacks from the shipping capacity crunch, your organization must understand more about its current and projected driving forces.

What is Big Data?

5 Seismic Shifts in Supply Chain Technology!

I remember manually plugging 16kB (that’s right “kilobyte”) memory chips into an original IBM Personal Computer. The crunching sound they made was unforgettable. I was ecstatic that I had increased the total memory to 128kB, and then to 256kB … WOW! At that time that was a lot of memory. Who could ever need to store that much data? That was “Big Data“.

Let’s fast forward to today. The memory on your handheld smartphone and other devices is measured in Gigabytes (GB). Over 2.5 quintillion bytes of information are generated every day. Every move, every transaction, every image, every event and every location in everyone’s lives are recorded.

That is Big Data!