mpotepa

Nov 21, 2017

Exploring Visibility in the Supply Chain: Themes for the Nov 2017 SCRC Meeting

Our upcoming meeting on November 29th, the 36th semi-annual Supply Chain Resource Cooperative meeting, will explore some of the more interesting aspects of how organizations are coping with the availability… 

Nov 15, 2017

IBM Case Study Webinar: How AI can revolutionize your supply chain NOW

I had the privilege of being on a webinar today with Jeannette Barlow from IBM and Simon Ellis from IDC.  The focus was on the impact of AI on supply… 

Nov 6, 2017

Excess and Obsolete Inventory: You’re All Responsible for It!

The Supply Chain Resource Cooperative held its first ever “Executive Roundtable on Excess and Obsolete Inventory” on the NC State campus on October 25, 2017.  The event was attended by 25… 

Oct 31, 2017

Developing an Analytics Strategy Starts with Data Governance and Business Intelligence

An important differentiation between data governance, business intelligence, business analytics cognitive analytics and predictive analytics is needed as a basis for building a digital supply chain strategy.  Every organization needs… 

Oct 27, 2017

Getting the Question Right is at the Heart of Supply Chain Analytics

“If someone asked me to come up with the answer to the world’s problems in an hour, I’d spend the first 55 minutes coming up with the right question.” –… 

Oct 24, 2017

Overcoming the Objections to Being Transparent

In addressing some of the questions, one that came up is the fat that many companies are hesitant to act, because of their inability to construct an effective business case for transparency.  “What is the ROI?” is a common complaint.  The key to establishing the business case is not on market share, but through the velocity of material and decision-making, taking action in the face of uncertainty, using the most up-to-date information. 

Oct 21, 2017

Creating the Right Team Culture for A Deluge of Data: Storytelling as a Core Capability

A core element in the LIVING supply chain is the concept around the “Anti-Control Tower”, of what has been called a “data democracy”.  An important shift in human behavior is… 

Oct 18, 2017

Leadership Personified: Ken Frazier, CEO of Merck

I had the opportunity to hear Ken Frazier, CEO of Merck,  speak at the SC50 meeting.   Ken was a single child raised by a single father in Philadelphia, making his… 

Oct 7, 2017

“Trust but Verify”: The Promise of Block Chains

As noted in previous blogs I've written, block chain is a technology that is emerging but has not yet been widely adopted except in pilots.  However, multiple industries are very interested in it, including life insurance companies, aircraft manufacturers, pharmaceutical companies, food and tobacco, and electronics companies, to name a few. 

Sep 27, 2017

Missy Cummings from Duke on Logistics Automation: We’re Going in Reverse!

I had the opportunity to listen to Missy Cummings, a Professor in the Pratt School of Engineering at Duke University.  Missy shared some insights on automation in the logistics sector,…