Technology Archives - Supply Chain Game Changer™

Will Driverless Trucks Ever Gain Traction?

6 Technologies that will Change Transportation and Trucking Forever!

Self-driving vehicles (driverless vehicles) are being tested throughout the world, with technology companies focused on bringing greater efficiency and profitability to the freight business.

Heavy hitters, including Uber with its recent purchase of Otto, and Tesla with its initiatives for autonomous driving platforms, have made waves throughout media outlets and investor groups alike.

However, driverless trucks have yet to gain full traction in the broad market for a variety of reasons.

Our 2017 Top 10 List! – Part 2

It’s been a tremendous first year at supplychaingamechanger.com. Our goal has always been to share experiences and expertise. And in the second half of 2017 we had an ever increasing number of articles contributed by industry leaders all of whom have been very generous in sharing their intellect and insights. This is our second 2017 Top 10 List.

Our readers and contributors come from all over the world. They include individuals new to Supply Chain as well as Industry leaders and everyone in between. And they work in many different industries and vocations. But they all have a common interest in Supply Chain, Operations, Business, Leadership, Change Management, Human Resources, Transformation, and Technology.

Most importantly they all have an interest in learning and sharing.

As we end this first year we wanted to publish our 2nd Top 10 List. Our first Top 10 List covered the Top blog posts from the first half of 2017 so our 2nd Top 10 List will cover the second half of 2017.

Thank you for your tremendous, ongoing support.

So here is our 2nd Top 10 List of 2017…

5 Seismic Shifts in Supply Chain Technology!

The Supply Chain Carbon Footprint Reduction Strategy! (Infographic)

Supply chain technology is seeing seismic shifts and changing rapidly as new, innovative solution providers leave traditional legacy players behind.

Tremors. Seismic shifts. In supply chain management technology there is a fault line separating new, innovative technology providers and traditional supply chain software providers, and the gap between them is growing.

Why Polkadot Could Be Great For Blockchain!

Blockchain and Information Governance! (Infographic)

Polkadot is a blockchain 3.0 platform that allows for the creation of interoperable blockchains, offering scalability and security. The idea behind Polkadot is that if you want to create a new application or run an existing one, you could build it on top of one of these interoperable blockchains and have access to all their benefits without having to start from scratch.

This means that anyone who wants to create their own blockchain can do so using this framework instead of having to find engineers who understand how each individual piece works separately in order to build something new from scratch.

Procurement Bots – Transformer or Destroyer?

The 3 Pillars of Digital Procurement!

The last few years have seen a lot of real (and over) hype associated with the emergence of Software Robots (called Bots/Bot) and Procurement Bots which are disrupting the legacy procurement processes involving human interface.

This research paper introduces the concept and evolution of the Bots, their characteristics with focus on Procurement processes, the Pros and Cons and debates on the transformation of the procurement function (vs destruction of human interface).

In summary – Bots will have a high appeal on the transactional and digital side of procurement processes and will gain exponential growth in the coming years with the advent of cognitive and machine learning tools.

You are Connected Everywhere! Why isn’t your Supply Chain Connected?

How to Synchronize Your Supply Chain!

Have you ever tried to drive in a blinding snowstorm or when the rain or fog is so thick that you can’t see in front of your car? It’s not possible! And it’s risky to even try!

So why is it that the Supply Chain in so many companies is being run without the end to end visibility needed to even function, yet which we have in our personal lives?

In this age of exponential growth in digital connectivity the time has come to ensure you have End to End Supply Chain visibility. If you carry a Smartphone you can be tracked anywhere. So why don’t you apply this technology to your Supply Chain?

What is Blockchain? And How Does it Work? (Infographic)

Blockchain Technology is the Antidote to the Bullwhip Effect!

Blockchain!

What is all the fuss about? It’s a word that was rarely used or even heard of in Supply Chain not that long ago. But now it is very common to hear about Blockchain. Further it is often used in the context of being a necessary and integral part of any Digital Supply Chain Strategy.

Most companies do not yet have a Blockchain strategy. More importantly most people do not even know what it is. How can you have a strategy for something if you don’t know what it is? So, as with anything, let’s start at the beginning.

What exactly is Blockchain?

Augmented Reality (AR) is Set to Transform Retail and the Supply Chain!

What is the Digital Supply Chain?

We’ve written a lot about how retail is undergoing some massive changes due to technology, such as augmented reality. The closure of a number of major American chains, as well as Amazon’s recent move into the grocery space with its acquisition of Whole Foods market, signal an industry in flux as it reckons with the ongoing transformations of the eCommerce revolution.

In the last decade, the thinking held that eCommerce might completely supplant brick and mortar retail. It’s easier to shop online than go to a store. Consumers don’t have to deal with lines, limited retail stock, or temper tantrums from kids – kids of their own, or their linemates.

But brick and mortar has shown surprising resilience, and even eCommerce giants are recognizing the appeal of an Omnichannel approach (emphasizing a mixture of brick and mortar and online shopping).

The Netflix Effect in the Healthcare Industry!

5 Ways to Improve Healthcare Quality!

Healthcare logistics is moving towards an approach that involves more technology and data to bring revolutionary changes in the industry. Just like the Netflix effect – the corporation that has changed the way we engage in daily entertainment, the healthcare sector is set to use data to its advantage.

This can bring a welcome change and make healthcare services more optimized to tackle the ongoing pandemic and other healthcare challenges.

Innovations in Offline Retail! (Infographic)

Augmented Reality (AR) is Set to Transform Retail and the Supply Chain!

There is no escaping the fact that offline retail has changed over the last number of years. The predominant reason for this is advancement in technology but specifically with the emergence of the Internet and associated devices which allow consumers to literally shop from the comfort of their couch.

Blockchain and Information Governance! (Infographic)

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

Consider any company that procures goods and services from a vendor. There are numerous processes involving several departments which have to draft different records – purchase orders, term sheets, statements of work, incremental revisions, etc. These records are crucial for resolving any disputes, including Blockchain information governance.

Now, imagine there was a disagreement and forged documents were presented. It would be a long, tedious, and most probably costly process before parties get to the bottom of the issue. That’s why we need information management and corporate governance, which main task would be to keep track of all documents.

How to Make Your Business Punchout Ready!

Manage Procurement Spend Like It’s Your Own Business!

Punchout catalogs can change many aspects of your business. If you’re selling B2B, then you should consider implementing a punchout catalog to establish more efficiency throughout your supply chain.

Using modern tools and a bit of planning, you can make your business punchout ready, so your clients can begin ordering right away.

The Future of the Chief Procurement Officer … Is Already Here!

Could the CPO Be Replaced by the Chief Value Officer?

Kodiak Rating’s CTO was recently in attendance at a Chief Procurement Officer and Procurement Leaders event held in London, titled DITx — Data Intelligence and Tech Forum.

As written by Procurement Leaders, “DITx is Europe’s ONLY event specifically designed for procurement professionals wanting to capitalize on a whole new set of opportunities that disrupt yet provide new transformative, value adding capabilities” (Procurement Leaders 2017).

The Digital Supply Chain Infographic!

Digital Supply Chain Overview! (Video)

Supply Chain 4.0 is the manifestation of the Digital Supply Chain of the future as enabled by many of the Disruptive Technologies that we all hear about every day. Here we review our Digital Supply Chain infographic.

Everyone is impacted by the advancement of technology in both their personal and professional lives. And that impact will only become more profound as time goes on.

The Internet of Things (IoT), Artificial Intelligence (AI), Virtual Reality (VR), Cloud Computing, Blockchain, Robotics, Big Data, Advanced Analytics and more are terms represent the technological breakthroughs that are being made every day.

For those involved in Supply Chain there are deep impacts that are occurring, and that will continue enabled by the evolutionary and revolutionary change that is enabled by technology. Let’s look at the Digital Supply Chain infographic.

Augmented Reality (AR) is the Future of Supply Chain!

Augmented Reality (AR) is Set to Transform Retail and the Supply Chain!

Augmented Reality (AR) enables transformational change!

When I started in the distribution space, I was told “…business is simple…cases in, cases out.” Reports were on green bar paper and forklifts were everywhere. As the distribution space evolved, the reports became spreadsheets and forklifts remained very important as they are coupled with the latest and greatest automation.

Supply chain improvements over the last 15 years have been incremental at best. The advances we are making in the supply chain powered by Augmented Reality (AR) are going to be wildly disruptive. The supply chain community that leans into AR and gets it right will come out the clear winners for every perspective: simplicity, safety, quality and productivity.