Reducing Bias in AI powered Supply Chain applications

Roger OakdenLogistics Management, Operations Planning, Procurement, Supply Chains & Supply Networks1 Comment

Supply Chains connected

Is AI good or bad? Many articles portray Artificial Intelligence (AI) as heralding a new chapter in the development of civilisation or doom-laden. Although in development for more than 70 years, its potential is now being more broadly discussed. It was recently reported that a software firm demonstrated a Non-disclosure Agreement negotiation, completed in minutes, between the software company and … Read More

Supply Chain technologies and the Hype around them

Roger OakdenLogistics Management, Operations Planning, Procurement1 Comment

Trucks at a distribution centre

What has happened to self driving vehicles? An article in the New York Times of late 2018 argued that autonomous, self-driving vehicles were “a technology in search of a purpose”. But the media promotion continued, often highlighting the ‘obvious’ acceptance of the technology by ‘leading’ transport companies. The factor that can often pass us by when reading about new technologies … Read More

Supply Chains group provides Customer Care with profits

Roger OakdenLogistics Management, Operations Planning, Procurement, Supply Chains & Supply NetworksLeave a Comment

Availability through supply chains

Customers are necessary in commercial organisations But what is the collective view about customers inside the business? It is driven by the chief executive, guided by corporate performance measurements that are approved by the board of directors – ‘we behave how we are measured’. This can result in a mixed message. Companies may promote that they are ‘customer focussed’ or … Read More

What Supply Chain routes do product materials travel?

Roger OakdenLogistics Management, Procurement, Supply Chains & Supply NetworksLeave a Comment

Describe the flow between Suppliers and Customers

‘Chain of custody’ for materials The approach when mapping your organisation’s supply chains is to typically start with relationships between your business and its Tier 1 suppliers; then, as data and information become available, map suppliers at Tier 2 and below. But, if organisations that provide the raw materials map their supply chains the process is reversed. Using the apparel … Read More

Drivers to change trade lanes that serve Supply Chains

Roger OakdenLogistics Management, Operations Planning, Procurement, Supply Chains & Supply NetworksLeave a Comment

Geopolitics and supply chains

Is the current reality just transitory? Forecasting is a worthy activity, because it requires people to think about the future. However, be careful about accepting forecasts until you know how the forecast is structured and source of the data used. For supply chains, which are geopolitical in structure, the forecasts say that changes will happen, but the unknown is where … Read More