Best Practices have haunted companies for two decades. The term came into vogue in the '90s along with 'core competencies.' Guilty as charged, we have been researching these, participating in working groups (ESCA, CSCMP Process Standards, SCORE, VICS/CPFAR, ISO and so many more) for a good part of our careers.
Recently, I was sitting through a presentation from a major (really major) global Fortune 100 company, talking about how they are in a working group with other firms from "the club of the best companies," who have been "built to last" supply chain leaders, etc. etc., and one very senior leader was talking about the lack of presence of "best practices." I was nodding in assent, yes this has to be done, has to automated, has to be measured, has to be processed... or so the story goes.
My mind suddenly challenged me-if this is best, why have so few, even the richest, implemented so little? Why was that?
