Technologies and Agile. Going Agile is not an easy road. The Internet of Things (IoT) is often portraid as one of the technologies that will help to solve manufacturing and distribution problems; for example, a recent promotion for a conference stated that IoT will help provide Agility for businesses and increase the bottom-line (profit). But is this a true statement? … Read More
Agile is the way we want to do business, or is it?
Agile sounds a good place to be. Being Agile in your core supply chains is gaining prominence in media articles and conference streams. This is in comparison with past years and the push for a ‘Lean’ approach. Agile is “having the power of quick motion; nimble”, but can (or should) your business have this objective? Before rushing into an Agile … Read More
Segmentation for structuring supply chain relationships
Commercial relationships in supply chains. The essence of your Supply Network is to manage relationships between buyers and sellers in the core supply chains and to better understand the uncertainties associated with your extended supply chains. Within your core supply chains, the techniques and procedures of planning, buying, inventory storage and distribution are to achieve the expectations concerning ‘delivery in … Read More
Scenario Planning – a tool for responsive supply chains
Supply Chains will be changing. Over the past forty years, global sourcing, outsourcing and lean structures, overseen by IT networks have often improved efficiency and reduced costs, but they have also allowed the creation of extended (and potentially fragile) supply chains. This occurred on the assumption that the world had entered an era of stability and safety. But that scenario … Read More
Is a Global City automatically a Logistics Hub?
Importance of Global Cities. Does a global city automatically qualify as a Logistics Hub (and visa versa)? Due to their increasing influence on world trade, global cities must be on the list of topics that interest Logisticians. Saskia Sasson, a theorist on global cities, calls them “strategic sites than run the world – banks and markets that finance the global … Read More