Skilled or knowledgeable The previous blogpost discussed the appropriate opportunity to invest in ‘new’ technologies for supply chains. But what skills are needed to buy, implement and use the technologies? A recent paper titled 21st Century Procurement Skills strongly emphases digital skills, but is this the correct approach? The author identifies the core skill required as “Solid, explicit digital knowledge…”. … Read More
Investment in new technologies for your Supply Chains
New technologies list Articles, conferences, workshops and subjects in degree programmes continue to promote investment in technologies that are considered ‘new’. But when are these technologies right for your organisation to implement? Technologies currently considered as ‘new’ (enhanced from the Deloitte consulting list) are: Software Analytics: Predictive (using ‘big data’ within and between connected devices to enable decisions) and Prescriptive … Read More
Supply chain professionals view changing supply chains
Geopolitics is the new word The nature of international trade is that we often do not know where components of an item are made. It can mean that the most recent invoice containing increased prices, sent from a US based supplier to a US based customer, is the first signal that components in the purchased item are made in China … Read More
Challenges when buying and selling Logistics Services
Documenting a Logistics Service Logistics Services occur through interactions between a buying organisation and the contracted Logistics Services Provider (LSP). But, how will the parties work together in delivering an outsourced service for the client’s customers? To determine the scope and content of logistics services, initially consider them at two levels of deliverables: Tasks, such as a line haul truck … Read More
Your real requirements when buying Logistics Services
Range of LSP options Providing Logistics services for shippers is now an established feature of business in many countries. The question to be asked by the Procurement function at a shipper (brand company) is ‘what outcomes are required from outsourced logistics services?’ The outcomes will differ, depending on the type and size of the business that is buying logistics services. … Read More