The topic of supply-chain risk management is fraught with agonizing questions. Should global businesses emphasize risk prevention, or steel themselves to respond to whatever disaster might occur? Should they seek to transfer risk, or concentrate on achieving better risk-management up front? Should they attempt to do all of the above? The wrong answer can mean the death of an organization.
Every company possesses supply-chain capabilities and supporting IT systems. But they often don't mesh. Roddy Martin, senior vice president of global supply chain with CCI, calculates the price of misalignment - and lays out a strategy for combating the chronic problem.
Dan Radunz, vice president of product development with HighJump Software, shares his insights on the readiness of warehouse-management systems to move to the cloud. He also reveals some of the top drivers for cloud adoption by WMS vendors and their customers.
Clint Lasher, president of Wynright, talks about how electronic fulfillment is changing to meet the needs of today's multi-channel consumers, and how retailers should be redesigning distribution centers to accommodate them.
Larry Curry, principal with Oliver Wight Americas, offers a definition of Integrated Planning and Control, along with detailing its benefits and discussing how companies can begin to embrace this vital concept.
United Stationers set out to achieve a simple goal: boost space utilization within its network of distribution centers. Surprisingly, it found little in the way of guidance from other companies.
How much inventory and which items should a company hold, overall and at each stocking location (each DC, store, stockroom, salesperson's vehicle, service depot, etc.)? When to replenish and how many? To the uninitiated, these seem like relatively straightforward daily decisions. But they are anything but simple and can make the difference between a highly profitable vs. out-of-business company.