I recently reviewed SupplyChainBrain’s "2010 Supply Chain Management Resource Guide & Executive Yearbook." It’s a lot of expert knowledge packed into one package, and I think it underscores the importance of supply chain to today’s organizations.
Decisions that you make on logistics, distribution, technology, sourcing, material handling, and supply chain benchmarking stand to have the greatest impact on your company in the future. I know you must be tired of hearing that "the economic downturn changed everything … we will never look at business in the same way … the new norm is that there is no new norm (I think I said that?)" and so on. But it is true, nonetheless.
Here are some of the key points that I found in the resource guide:
Stronger, supply-chain oriented companies will see profitable growth, and weaker, less capable companies with little supply chain focus will falter.
Food and beverage manufacturers, as well as pharmaceutical manufacturers, must automate product traceability across the supply chain to meet invigorated FDA rules.
Companies should look for logistics service providers that align sales and marketing strategy with business strategy. It is a mistake to consider them separately.
Supply chain technology, such as WMS, may have fallen by the wayside during the recession, but be prepared to upgrade your technology as order growth returns.
China is leading the world economy out of the downturn, so look to global supply chain enhancements to fuel growth and remember to apply Western best practices to China supply chains.
Inventory is finally getting the emphasis that it deserves, as companies realize that inventory must be coordinated with product development and planning in an environment that embraces sales, inventory, optimization and planning (SIOP).
And this is only a taste of the information found in the guide, so I encourage you to take a look for yourself. What would you add?
Go!Go!Go!
Jim
More Resources
Inventory Management Resources
White Paper: Documenting Distribution Operations: FDA Validation Beyond the Laboratory and Manufacturing Facility
Inventory Management Tops 'Critical List' for Companies in 2010
From the Supply Chain Information Technology Perspectives Blog: Orchestrating a Harmonized Supply Chain; the Secret to Collaboration
Photo credit: dierk shaefer