• Advertise
  • Contact Us
  • About Us
  • Supplier Directory
  • SCB YouTube
  • Login
  • Subscribe
  • Logout
  • My Profile
  • LOGISTICS
    • Air Cargo
    • All Logistics
    • Express/Small Shipments
    • Facility Location Planning
    • Freight Forwarding/Customs Brokerage
    • Global Gateways
    • Global Logistics
    • Last Mile Delivery
    • Logistics Outsourcing
    • LTL/Truckload Services
    • Ocean Transportation
    • Rail & Intermodal
    • Reverse Logistics
    • Service Parts Management
    • Transportation & Distribution
  • TECHNOLOGY
    • All Technology
    • Artificial Intelligence
    • Cloud & On-Demand Systems
    • Data Management (Big Data/IoT/Blockchain)
    • ERP & Enterprise Systems
    • Forecasting & Demand Planning
    • Global Trade Management
    • Inventory Planning/ Optimization
    • Product Lifecycle Management
    • Sales & Operations Planning
    • SC Finance & Revenue Management
    • SC Planning & Optimization
    • Sourcing/Procurement/SRM
    • Supply Chain Visibility
    • Transportation Management
  • GENERAL SCM
    • Business Strategy Alignment
    • Education & Professional Development
    • Global Supply Chain Management
    • Global Trade & Economics
    • HR & Labor Management
    • Quality & Metrics
    • Regulation & Compliance
    • SC Security & Risk Mgmt
    • Supply Chains in Crisis
    • Sustainability & Corporate Social Responsibility
  • WAREHOUSING
    • All Warehouse Services
    • Conveyors & Sortation
    • Lift Trucks & AGVs
    • Order Fulfillment
    • Packaging
    • RFID, Barcode, Mobility & Voice
    • Robotics
    • Warehouse Management Systems
  • INDUSTRIES
    • Aerospace & Defense
    • Apparel
    • Automotive
    • Chemicals & Energy
    • Consumer Packaged Goods
    • E-Commerce/Omni-Channel
    • Food & Beverage
    • Healthcare
    • High-Tech/Electronics
    • Industrial Manufacturing
    • Pharmaceutical/Biotech
    • Retail
  • THINK TANK
  • WEBINARS
    • On-Demand Webinars
    • Upcoming Webinars
    • Webinar Library
  • PODCASTS
  • VIDEOS
  • WHITEPAPERS
Home » Multi-Enterprise Collaboration: The Next Generation

Multi-Enterprise Collaboration: The Next Generation

January 30, 2012
SupplyChainBrain

For decades the focus has been on planning better, but that isn't good enough anymore, says John Sicard, chief operating officer at Kinaxis. Response to plan variance is what's required now.

For the past 25 years or so, people have concentrated on planning because they want some degree of control over where they are headed. Supply chain optimization technologies are all about learning how to plan better, Sicard says. But with volatility on the rise today, people are realizing that planning won't guarantee them the certainty that they would like. That's so whether volatility is in demand or in unexpected events in the supply chain.

"What organizations need to learn today is how to deal with plan variance better," Sicard says. "We've exhausted all of the technological capabilities, and now it's a question of building a competency and responding to plan variance. I think that's where the biggest change is today."

Establishing this kind of supply chain competency is critical, in Sicard's view. The change in consumers' buying habits illustrates his point. Customers are less loyal than ever, and of course they want what they want when they want it. "You get a demand signal, and you can wish that your demand signals are going to be accurate, but the truth is that they rarely are. So the companies that actually win are the ones that establish a really strong supply chain competency."

Visibility is key to that capability. But just knowing something isn't necessarily enough, Sicard says. The sooner one has information, the sooner one can make course corrections. Quoting a Lean manufacturing premise, he says, "It's kind of like time to detect, time to correct."

It's one thing to capture data inside one's firewall; it's quite another to know what's happening among one's outsourcing partners. Consider how difficult that it is when partners may have no common language and aren't in the same geography.

A world-class supply chain will be equipped to know not only what's happening in real time but be able to project into the future and know - once risk or opportunity has been identified - specifically who needs to be involved in any changes that are to be made.

"That kind of innovation is definitely emerging and is one of the most important ones," Sicard says. "If a system knew what you were responsible for, then the system would know when to call you, when to tap you on the shoulder because you're required for some collaboration. That is, I think, an absolutely key innovation that's driving supply chain excellence."

To view video in its entirety, click here

RELATED CONTENT

RELATED VIDEOS

Forecasting & Demand Planning Technology Global Supply Chain Management Supply Chain Security & Risk Mgmt
KEYWORDS Forecasting & Demand Planning Global Supply Chain Management SC Security & Risk Mgmt Supply Chain Analysis & Consulting Technology
  • Related Articles

    Multi-Enterprise Collaboration: The Next Generation

    Compiere Slates June 23 Webinar on Next Generation of Enterprise Manufacturing Systems

SupplyChainBrain

Slowdown in Warehouse Construction Could Extend Shortfall of Space, Experts Say

More from this author

Subscribe to our Daily Newsletter!

Timely, incisive articles delivered directly to your inbox.

Popular Stories

  • DOCUMENTS BEARING THE INSIGNIA OF US CUSTOMS AND BORDER PROTECTION LIE ON A TABLE

    New CBP Regs Call for Greater Diligence by Brokers in Reporting Security Breaches

    Freight Forwarding/Customs Brokerage
  • A WORKER IN A WAREHOUSE, SUPERIMPOSED WITH GRAPHICS SHOWING SUPPLY NETWORK

    Enabling Intelligent Visibility With Supply Chain Analytics

    Data Management (Big Data/IoT/Blockchain)
  • A HAND TURNS A LARGE, LIGHTED DIAL WITH THE WORD RISK ON IT iStock-NicoElNino-1364371014.jpg

    Measuring KPIs and KRIs for Comprehensive Supplier Performance Management

    Technology
  • GSCMS-Promo.png

    Watch: Introducing the Global Supply Chain Marketing Summit

    Education & Professional Development
  • DEEPLY CRACKED EARTH UNDER A BLUE CLOUDY SKY

    Why Maritime Supply Chains Must Adapt to Sustainability Regulations

    Ocean Transportation

Digital Edition

Scb nov 2022 sm

2022 Supply Chain Innovator of the Year

VIEW THE LATEST ISSUE

Case Studies

  • New Revenue for Cloud-Based TMS that Embeds Orderful’s Modern EDI Platform

  • Convenience Store Client Maximizes Profit and Improves Customer Service

  • A Digitally Native Footwear Brand Finds Rapid Fulfillment

  • Expanding Apparel Brand Scales Seamlessly with E-Commerce Technology

  • How a Global LSP Scaled its Security Program and Won More Business

Visit Our Sponsors

Orderful Yang Ming Alithya
Barcoding Blue Yonder BNSF Logistics
CoEnterprise Data Capture Deposco
E2open GAINSystems Generix
Geodis GEP GreyOrange
Here Honeywell Intelligrated IFM
Infor Inmar Keelvar
Kinaxis Korber Lean Solutions Group 2H
Liberty SBF Locus Robotics Logility
LogistiVIEW Lucas Systems MCA Connect
MPO Nvidia Old Dominion
OpenText ORTEC Overhaul
Parsyl PMMI QIMA
Redwood Logistics Ryder E-commerce by Whiplash Saddle Creek Logistics
Schneider Dedicated Setlog Holding AG Ship4WD
Shipwell Tecsys TGW Systems
Thomson Reuters Tive Trailer Bridge
Vecna Robotics Verity
Verusen
  • More From SCB
    • Featured Content
    • Video Library
    • Think Tank Blog
    • SupplyChainBrain Podcast
    • Whitepapers
    • On-Demand Webinars
    • Upcoming Webinars
  • Digital Offerings
    • Digital Issue
    • Subscribe
    • Manage Your Subscription
    • Newsletters
  • Resources
    • Events Calendar
    • SCB's Great Supply Chain Partners
    • Supplier Directory
    • Case Study Showcase
    • Supply Chain Innovation Awards
    • 100 Great Partners Form
  • SCB Corporate
    • Advertise on SCB.COM
    • About Us
    • Privacy Policy
    • Contact Us
    • Data Sharing Opt-Out

All content copyright ©2023 Keller International Publishing Corp All rights reserved. No reproduction, transmission or display is permitted without the written permissions of Keller International Publishing Corp

Design, CMS, Hosting & Web Development :: ePublishing