Diversity and Leadership
“15 years working in manufacturing facilities that haven’t adopted IoT technologies and planning in silos is not highly valuable experience when it comes to the cross-functional collaboration and digital projects that will be required of new school supply chains. Moreover, we’ve all had our experiences with “bad” leaders - You know, micromanagers with communication skills that leave much to be desired. Don’t assume that a candidate with 15 years of experience is the best candidate solely because they have the most years in the workforce under their belt.”
“So where can you get started with leveraging design thinking principles for your supply chain projects? First, ask yourself this: As you prepare for the road to recovery and implement new tools, are you creating a culture of “get it right the first time or else,” or are you setting your team up for success by encouraging creativity, risk taking and the exploration of new ideas?”
– Status Quo Challenge: Design Thinking for Supply Chain Transformation
““We can’t find women to fill that role” is no longer an acceptable excuse for a lack of gender diversity. There are steps organizations can take to retain and attract female talent and the time has come for workplace policies to change and better support mothers. If your diversity efforts don’t include flex working arrangements and robust paternity leave policies, it’s time to review and update them. ”
Supply Chain Management
“Data, people and process are the legs of the three-legged business transformation stool and are all equally important. When we hear consultants and industry leaders talk about digital supply chain tools, it is easy to get excited about the value technology can bring to the supply chain. However, now, more than ever, is the time to remember that technology itself will not perform miracles and a simultaneous investment in people and data improvements is where ROI is realized.”
– Choosing the Right Technology is Not the Key to Successful Digital Transformation
“Most supply chain strategies use the first approach, developing a strategy that employs best practices from supplier to customer, rather than concentrating on how best to satisfy customer needs and working back to the vendor. Not making customer needs a priority is risky, as organizations either fail to meet requirements altogether, or prioritize supposed best practices so highly that they over-engineer processes and technology, wasting resources on non-value-adding activities.”
– Four supplier relationship management mistakes to avoid
“Because cross-functional collaboration is required for successful demand prioritization, a best practice is to have a clear prioritization policy in place and a structured process for implementing it. The policy should clearly indicate who is allowed to prioritize demand, which should be restricted to appropriate management levels based on the level of risk involved in the decision.”
– 3 demand prioritization tips to compete in an omnichannel market
“But before diving into technology vendor selections or even implementation itself, it is important for organizations to take into account some general considerations for developing a technological transformation roadmap and the implications for the organization.”
– 5 Steps to get started on the supply chain transformation journey
Anaplan for Supply Chain
“Organizations can quickly realize time-to-value with the production planning phase of their supply chain transformation by leveraging Anaplan’s flexibility, scalability, and calculation engine as their Advanced Planning System, more specifically as it relates to material requirements planning (MRP), distribution requirements planning (DRP), and master production scheduling (MPS).”
“When managed correctly, inventory can be considered an investment, resulting in a significant improvement on ROI. Organizations with mature, well-defined inventory management policies recognize that inventory management is a collaborative activity executed across several roles and business units … Once the proper data, people and processes are in place, organizations can evaluate the technology needed to support strategic decision making.”
– Best Practices for Inventory Management and Control with Anaplan
“The communication gap and operational lag caused by this method of ‘collaboration’ does not support the need for highly inter-related sales forecasting and production planning and makes it even harder to create a reliable schedule. Many companies have found that spreadsheets are not able to keep up with the constant flux in demand and are wrought with errors, leading to the creation of a production schedule that garners little trust from users and does not properly support business needs.”
Streamlining Construction Supply Chain Operations: Leveraging ERP Systems Beyond Finance
Dyci highlights how ERP systems have transformed from mere financial tools to multifaceted solutions. Here are additional points she discusses:
- Holistic Integration: ERP systems seamlessly connect various facets of construction projects, bridging gaps between procurement, inventory management, logistics, and production. By integrating data and processes, they create a unified ecosystem.
- Visibility and Transparency: These systems enhance visibility across the supply chain. Construction companies gain real-time insights into inventory levels, supplier performance, and project progress. Transparency fosters informed decision-making.
- Resource Optimization: ERP systems optimize resource allocation. Whether it’s managing materials, equipment, or labor, they ensure efficient utilization, reducing waste and costs.
- Risk Mitigation: By centralizing information, ERP systems mitigate risks. They enable proactive identification of bottlenecks, supply shortages, or delays, allowing timely corrective actions.
- Collaboration: ERP systems facilitate collaboration among stakeholders. Contractors, suppliers, and project managers can communicate effectively, streamlining workflows.