Inventory management challenges. An effective inventory policy is a good theoretical objective, but at a practical level, it becomes difficult to achieve. This is due to senior management’s views concerning the role of inventory and the knowledge and skills of supply chain and logistics professionals to structure a decision making process for an inventory policy. An example of the challenges … Read More
The long tail of Inventory requires a good structure
Long tail of inventory. Currently, media articles are discussing the potential changes to business and the wider community from the implementation of new technologies. But fewer discuss the potential changes from implementing different business models caused by changes in markets. A recent comment noted that order sizes on Asian fabric mills have decreased by between 20 and 30 percent over … Read More
Complex supply networks are facts of life to understand
Supply Chain thinking. Understanding how your supply network functions is critical for professionals engaged with their supply chains. Understanding enables the scope and responsibilities of professionals to be defined and importantly, allows management at senior and middle levels in disciplines affected by supply chain decisions to understand why. How supply networks function became a core interest of mine in the … Read More
What price to pay for indirect products and services?
There is not a ‘list’ price online. The price you are prepared to pay for an item is when you consider most value will be gained. To many of us, this is based on the ‘list’ or advertised price that is available to all. However, this weekend, I experienced shopping on-line where prices are never set as a ‘list price’, … Read More
Analyse sources of information in a supply chain report
Rights and wrongs in supply chains. The visibility of supply chain professionals is increasing in organisations. Therefore it is more likely that you will be asked by senior management or the board of directors for input to decisions about such factors as the future business model (including off-shoring and global procurement) and technology investments. The challenge in writing the report … Read More