Pervinder Johar, chief executive officer of Steelwedge Software Inc., defines the characteristics of the "next-generation" supply chain, and offers a perspective on how companies are adapting to globalization, "consumerization," and the growing power of social networks.
The grand golden doors of 500 Pearl Street, in Manhattan, have welcomed such glamorous names as Hermès, Tiffany & Co., and Kering, a French conglomerate whose treasures include Gucci and Bottega Veneta. The building is not a posh hotel or department store. It is the federal court for the Southern District of New York, a favored battleground for the decidedly unglamorous war against counterfeit goods.
Supply Chain operations increasingly are impacted by corporations' quality assurance and quality control programs, says Laurel Nelson-Rowe, managing director of the American Society for Quality. She discusses the importance of these programs in protecting brand reputations and ensuring customer satisfaction.
Several years ago SanDisk realized that its build-to-forecast model was causing excess inventory and poor on-time delivery. The company decided to transform to a pull supply-chain model based on actual demand and postponement. Kehat Shahar, vice president of operations and supply chain planning at SanDisk, talks about this journey.
Ted Diamantis, an importer of Greek wines who is based in Chicago, has been helping his suppliers stock up on bottles, labels and printing ink. The barrels, though, have him worried.
The dynamics that have long favored China as the world's center of low-cost manufacturing are changing. And no one - not even China - seems to have a problem with that.
Tin, tungsten, tantalum and gold, also known as 3TG, are essential for manufacturing in a number industries, including electronics, jewelry, industrial manufacturing, automotive and aerospace.
Contract terms being demanded by shippers and consignees in their agreements with logistics providers have become unacceptably onerous and one-sided, says Philip M. Coughlin of Expeditors International. Coughlin details common requirements, such as shifting all risk to providers, which he considers unfair, as well as discussing ideas on how to move forward.
The term "digital supply chain" describes the integration of advanced technology, big data, and analytics to better manage and execute the physical supply chain, says Frederick Hartung of Jabil. He explains how this is playing out today and what it means for the future.
