Analyst Insight: The sales and operations planning process has evolved from manufacturing conflict resolution in the late 1980s to data- and visibility-enhanced strategic demand and supply balancing for retail executives today. This is a remarkable evolution for a concept. As visibility continues to increase, could S&OP become the primary tool for managing supply chains or, for some, complete businesses? - Ralph Cox, principal, Tompkins International
The cloud offers the potential not only to transform how supply chain organizations procure IT capabilities but also to fundamentally change how they manage business processes.
An increase in the number of suppliers, customers, carriers and countries is changing the importance of collaborative synchronization between all parties in the multi-tiered global supply chain.