• Advertise
  • Contact Us
  • About Us
  • Supplier Directory
  • 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
    • 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
    • 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
  • REGIONS
    • Asia Pacific
    • Canada
    • China
    • Europe
    • Latin America
    • Middle East/Africa
    • North America
  • BLOG
  • PODCASTS
  • VIDEOS
  • WHITEPAPERS
Home » Transforming Supply Chain Operations for the Digital Future

Transforming Supply Chain Operations for the Digital Future

JanFeb16_Cover_SM_03.gif
February 25, 2016
SupplyChainBrain

Digital innovations are changing the way the world's leading organizations plan and execute their supply chains across all industries. For instance, the U.S. Air Force is developing a strategic plan to incorporate 3D printing technology into almost every aspect of its mission to modernize and improve aircraft maintenance. One of the largest retailers, for another example, has asked the Federal Aviation Administration for permission to fly its drones outside to test surveillance, monitor inventory and ultimately deliver merchandise to customers. Social media tweets and status updates about products, services and brands offer a wealth of big data, previously unavailable, providing invaluable input to supply chain demand planning and forecasting.

To the C-Suite, digital operations represent this generation's biggest amalgam of opportunities, but also risks and uncertainties. Will the role of the chief supply chain officer even exist in the future?

The continual rapid pace of innovation can be overwhelming for those seeking to chart their path through a highly unpredictable future (you need only watch Hollywood movies for numerous failures in predicting digital adoption). Developing a future-proof supply chain operations strategy that will be successful in the dynamic digital environment requires:

• Holistic knowledge of the “art of the possible”: A company’s digital operations vision must draw from an in-depth understanding of the digital innovations that impact the end-to-end supply chain. The span of digital operations is vast, evidenced by the number of technologies and vendors. Every day, new innovations and capabilities emerge, and the potential regulatory impacts of these need to be assessed.

• Interconnectivity with the broader business strategy: Digitizing operations does not by itself facilitate a successful outcome. Digitization only succeeds if it enhances the execution of a supply chain geared to support a broader business strategy. Investment decisions should be made with this lens; not every digital innovation should be prioritized. For example, cognitive planning tools that maximize availability and minimize inventory through optimal production and physical product placement will reap not only fiscal but customer service benefits.

• The recognition that the path to digital operations is a journey: Companies are rushing to sign off on supply chain improvement projects and investments, all in the name of digital optimization. Those that will succeed are those that clearly map out the various stages of transformation in alignment with the corporate strategy. Collaboration with emerging technology providers to optimize product and supply excellence and enhance sales and customer experience will be fundamental to success.

Maximizing the value from digital operations will require a fundamental shift, not only from a technological and process perspective, but culturally, for supply chain organizations. Specific-use cases continue to grow at a rapid pace and need to be evaluated across the value chain.

The Outlook

As supply chain professionals, we must ask ourselves whether our roles will continue to exist in their current form or be transformed into new roles aligned with managing the new norm.

RELATED CONTENT

RELATED VIDEOS

Technology SC Planning & Optimization Global Supply Chain Management Business Strategy Alignment Consumer Packaged Goods
KEYWORDS & Chekyiu Ng Advisory Business Strategy Alignment consumer packaged goods Ernst & Young LLP Global Supply Chain Management Peter Anderson Principal SC Planning & Optimization Senior Manager supply chain analysis Supply Chain Analysis & Consulting Supply Chain Management: Business Strategy Alignment Supply Chain Optimization supply chain transformation Technology
  • Related Articles

    Transforming the Supply Chain Into a Digital Supply Network

    The Future of the Digital Supply Chain

    The Future of the Digital Supply Chain

  • Related Events

    Supply Chain Talent in the Digital Age

    Why IBP May Save Your Supply Chain & How to Run It By This Spring

SupplyChainBrain

100 Great Supply Chain Partners Issue 2009

More from this author

Get regular updates!
Subscribe to our newsletter

Enjoy curated articles directly to your inbox.

Popular Stories

  • 1209_themarketforlogistics

    How an Investment Banker Views the Market for Logistics and Supply-Chain Tech

    Technology
  • 1115_chinarareearthminerals

    Podcast | Can China’s Monopoly on Rare Earth Minerals Be Broken?

    Sourcing/Procurement/SRM
  • 1206_howglobaltradersplan

    Podcast | How Global Traders Can ‘Plan for Crazy’

    Global Trade Management
  • 1210_cultureoffeargripsups

    ‘Culture of Fear’ Grips UPS: Workers Say Injuries Are Underreported

    Logistics
  • 1125_themodernfactory

    The ‘Modern’ Factory Remains a Dream for Many Manufacturers

    Technology

Digital Edition

55746

Subscribe today and receive the latest issue

Start Your Subscription

Case Studies

  • Locus Robotics Helps E-Retailer Deliver During Holiday Peak

  • Manufacturer Slashes Shipping Costs With AI Packaging Solution

  • Apparel Retailer Saves $45 Million With Reverse Logistics Solution

  • QuestaWeb Configures Fragrance Company’s Complex Procedures Into Its Advanced FTZ Software

  • Business Turnaround: Integrated Business Planning as a Management Tool

Visit Our Sponsors

  • More From SCB
    • Featured Content
    • Video Library
    • Think Tank Blog
    • SupplyChainBrain Podcast
    • Whitepapers
    • Webinars
  • The Magazine
    • Digital Issue
    • Subscribe
    • Manage Your Subscription
    • 100 Great Partners Form
  • Resources
    • Newsletters
    • Events Calendar
    • SCB's Great Supply Chain Partners
    • Supplier Directory
    • Case Study Showcase
    • Supply Chain Innovation Awards
  • SCB Corporate
    • Advertise on SCB.COM
    • About Us
    • Privacy Policy
    • Contact Us

All content copyright © 2016 - 2018 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