We all know that you should measure processes. There is a lot of literature written on this subject, and most companies now have some sort of Lean or Six Sigma program and quality management system that requires processes to be measured for evaluation and improvement purposes. Control is another big aspect of metrics. One...
Our ability to forecast was met with increasing skepticism in 2010 – and this is a good thing. A decade ago, the thrill of technological innovation provided hope that more data, bigger computers, and fancier models would one day solve all our forecasting problems. Yet we now have more data, bigger computers, and fancier...
Last night while I was at the joint APICS/IBF/CSCMP Holiday Networking Collaborative in Boston, MA these three words came to mind, “Strength in numbers.” But before I can explain these three simple words, I should first explain all the abbreviations, right? APICS is the Association for Operations Management, IBF is the Institute of Business...
Go to any supply chain conference, and you will hear it. Yes, the term collaboration is bandied about. It is over-used and often over-hyped in discussions largely without meaning. So, what does it mean? And, what happened to the supply chain collaboration initiatives of the 1990s? Let’s start with the definition. The greatest success...
Here in the US, Thanksgiving is upon us, as we prepare to celebrate together with family and friends sharing a feast and give thanks for what we have. Unfortunately, there is a growing number of people that struggle to feed themselves and their families every day. Statistics listed this past October showed that Long...
This is a good question. As I traveled down to Florida for the IBF’s Supply Chain Planning & Forecasting: Best Practices Conference w/ Advanced Practices in S&OP Forum I wasn’t sure which was harder to explain as a concept. After a few days at conference I can, with confidence, say that Sales & Operations...