Painting a bigger picture
Supermodeling allows a company to take an end-to-end view of its supply chain and make adjustments in production, distribution, and inventory practices to meet changing market demands.
All for one and one for all
To ensure success when they outsource manufacturing, companies need to adopt a community approach with their partners and back it up with collaborative technology.
A rudder for course correction
"Sales and operations management" (S&OM) offers a strategy—plan-do-check-act—that allows companies to quickly get back on course when events deviate from plan.
A pet project pays off
A Web portal for communicating order and shipping information improved visibility, timeliness, and accuracy for a pet products company and its contract manufacturers.
The "Long Tail" of e-commerce standards
The Long Tail concept dictates that only 80 percent of a group will agree on using a particular standard. For electronic commerce, that's a problem given the emergence of competing formats for data transmissions. New technologies may offer a solution.
The software question: To buy or build?
Candy makers Just Born Inc. and The Hershey Company took different approaches to network optimization: One used a customized software package, while the other chose a commercially available solution. Here's why they made those decisions.
A model of independence
After Carestream Health was sold to a new owner, the medical imaging company had to design its own, stand-alone distribution network. Modeling software helped supply chain managers make the right decisions.
Why LSPs don't leverage innovations
Logistics service providers (LSPs) often struggle to extend customized solutions created for specific customers to a broader customer base. What they need is a new model for managing the innovation process.
How rapid manufacturing could transform supply chains
Rapid, or direct digital, manufacturing will move companies to adopt a globally distributed supply chain that supports economic, low-volume production.
Free Articles From The Current Issue
At Kraft, cash is kingWhen Kraft Foods needed to cut costs and free up cash, its supply chain organization rose to the challenge. Better inventory turnover played a leading role in boosting cash flow by 20 percent.
San Diego—you need to be here!
Just about anyone who's involved in supply chain management will converge on San Diego for CSCMP's 2010 Annual Global Conference.
Germany gets top marks for international trade logistics
Germany tops the World Bank's ranking of nations' capacity to facilitate international trade logistics.
Companies struggle to build "cash culture"
Many companies that are fighting to free up cash in their supply chains have not taken the necessary steps to make that happen.
New book advises: Give both parties a stake in outsourcing
A new book says that 3PL relationships will improve when both company and supplier have a vested interest in each other's success.
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Forward Thinking
Higher oil prices call for flexible supply chains
As companies wrestle with rising energy costs, says MIT Professor David Simchi-Levi, they need to need to know their "tipping point"—the level at which higher prices will necessitate changes in their supply chain strategy.
Forward Thinking
Look to lean in bad times
Bad economic times should require more companies to incorporate lean principles into their supply chains to gain additional flexibility, says Gartner Research Vice President Dan Miklovic.
Forward Thinking
Should the CIO "own" the supply chain?
Merck CIO J. Chris Scalet says he knows of at least 25 CIOs of major companies who have taken on expanded roles in process management in their companies.
Forward Thinking
Manufacturing practices differ widely in North America
A recent survey by the Manufacturing Performance Institute and Industry Week found that when it comes to supply chain integration, Mexican plants are ahead of their counterparts in the United States and Canada.
Forward Thinking
Four with the power to transform
These four IT trends identified by Gartner could have important implications for supply chain information management.
Forward Thinking
Survival of the leanest
Companies need to speed up their adoption of "lean" practices in order to survive the global economic downturn, said one of the founders of the lean movement, Daniel T. Jones.
Forward Thinking
Wood or plastic? That is the pallet question
For years debate has raged in the pallet industry about which type of platform is better for the environment—wood or plastic.
Forward Thinking
Job hunters rely on referrals
Most job hunters, including those in the supply chain field, use personal connections or referrals to find work, according to a recent survey by executive recruiters TopGrading Solutions Inc.
Forward Thinking
Efficiency gains offset by rising fuel prices
The total cost of logistics remained about the same this year as last, as gains made from reduced inventory, costs savings, and greater efficiencies in the warehouse were negated by increases in fuel costs, according to supply chain consulting firm Establish Inc.
Lean leadership
NutriSystem is experiencing phenomenal growth. Customer-focused, "lean" supply chain management is fundamental to the company's success, says Chief Supply Chain Officer Lou Arace.
Open Enrollment
Open Enrollment
Upcoming professional education programs around the world
CSCMP Notebook
CSCMP Notebook
News and ideas for success from CSCMP
Higher oil prices call for flexible supply chains
As companies wrestle with rising energy costs, says MIT Professor David Simchi-Levi, they need to need to know their "tipping point"—the level at which higher prices will necessitate changes in their supply chain strategy.
Forward Thinking
Look to lean in bad times
Bad economic times should require more companies to incorporate lean principles into their supply chains to gain additional flexibility, says Gartner Research Vice President Dan Miklovic.
Forward Thinking
Should the CIO "own" the supply chain?
Merck CIO J. Chris Scalet says he knows of at least 25 CIOs of major companies who have taken on expanded roles in process management in their companies.
Forward Thinking
Manufacturing practices differ widely in North America
A recent survey by the Manufacturing Performance Institute and Industry Week found that when it comes to supply chain integration, Mexican plants are ahead of their counterparts in the United States and Canada.
Forward Thinking
Four with the power to transform
These four IT trends identified by Gartner could have important implications for supply chain information management.
Forward Thinking
Survival of the leanest
Companies need to speed up their adoption of "lean" practices in order to survive the global economic downturn, said one of the founders of the lean movement, Daniel T. Jones.
Forward Thinking
Wood or plastic? That is the pallet question
For years debate has raged in the pallet industry about which type of platform is better for the environment—wood or plastic.
Forward Thinking
Job hunters rely on referrals
Most job hunters, including those in the supply chain field, use personal connections or referrals to find work, according to a recent survey by executive recruiters TopGrading Solutions Inc.
Forward Thinking
Efficiency gains offset by rising fuel prices
The total cost of logistics remained about the same this year as last, as gains made from reduced inventory, costs savings, and greater efficiencies in the warehouse were negated by increases in fuel costs, according to supply chain consulting firm Establish Inc.
Departments
Dialogue: A Conversation With a CSCMP MemberLean leadership
NutriSystem is experiencing phenomenal growth. Customer-focused, "lean" supply chain management is fundamental to the company's success, says Chief Supply Chain Officer Lou Arace.
Open Enrollment
Open Enrollment
Upcoming professional education programs around the world
CSCMP Notebook
CSCMP Notebook
News and ideas for success from CSCMP
