Struggling to innovate
Logistics service providers seem to be struggling to innovate, despite the thriving economy. There are of course a few clouds darkening the horizon (e.g. Brexit and the threat of escalating trade wars), but with the …
Blogs
Standstill in S&OP
For many companies, the most important supply chain process, Sales & Operations Planning (S&OP), appears to be at a standstill. The cross-functional matching of supply and demand and its translation into the financial budget is …
Internal consultants
Which strategic choices does a company face? This question was covered in depth during a recent – and extremely interesting – workshop for supply chain managers and directors at Nyenrode. Just a couple of the …
The start-up pack
How can fledgling companies secure a foothold in the market? That’s a crucial question for all start-ups, including those in the supply chain sector. Over the past two years I have been closely monitoring and …
How to harvest success with S&OP in agribusiness
S&OP is often pictured as a largely standard process; textbook S&OP starts with agreeing an unconstrained demand plan that is handed over to supply planning who need to ensure product availability. In case of important …
Choosing the right organizational chart to your Chinese setup
I recently coached a Danish SME on how to design the organizational chart for their Chinese office. The office was not new – it had been there for about fifteen years – but recent changes in the …
Blockchain for Brexit
29 March 2019 is set to be another D-Day: Brexit. Some people think there might still be a new referendum in the UK which could potentially halt the whole Brexit process, but even if companies …
How thinking fast and slow can help you when choosing S&OP/IBP software
There is much to do about S&OP/IBP software lately. Last month Involvation had the pleasure of presenting the executive programme on ‘From S&OP to IBP’ at the Rotterdam School of Management (RSM). The RSM session …
No-touch nonsense
Given the rapid advancement in the capabilities of analytical software, the long-held dream of fully automated supply chain planning seems to be within reach at last. According to several consultants at McKinsey, ‘no-touch planning’ will …
Reliable forecasting is a piece of cake
In our attempts to anticipate future changes in demand, we often depend on forecasts. Unfortunately, however, they are rarely reliable in practice – with all the implications that brings. The ‘good news’ is that we …
