During the just-wrapped Christmas shopping season, e-tailers were more aggressive than ever before in offering discounts and other kinds of come-ons to customers ordering over the internet. But they paid a high price for that strategy.
Supporting the many different channels through which today's consumers shop for, purchase and return products presents tremendous challenges and opportunities for retailers, says Annibal Sodero, assistant professor at the Sam Walton College of Business, University of Arkansas.
A world where consumers want the freedom to shop and buy through a variety of channels while receiving the same brand experience and rapid, no-cost delivery, challenges retailers and logistics providers to come up with new and cost-effective solutions.
Sourcing and transporting raw materials and components are growing expenses for U.S manufacturers and distributors. Foster Finley, managing director, AlixPartners LLP, offers advice on how better sourcing decisions can help keep these costs in control.
MIT's High-Viz Supply Chain Project is developing a way for companies to automatically map and analyze supply chain risk. Bruce Arntzen, executive director of the Supply Chain Management Program at MIT, explains the methodology underlying this project, progress to date and barriers that still exist.
The Home Depot's ongoing supply chain transformation last year included the opening of 20 new distribution centers, improved inventory turns and lower costs, all achieved while supporting double-digit growth. Charles Armstrong, vice president of supply chain distribution, highlights these accomplishments.
Is the forecast really dead? Should companies instead shift their focus to acquiring the ability to respond quickly to whatever happens in markets? A SupplyChainBrain Power Lunch discussion with Jim White, vice president of central operations with Applied Materials; Jake Barr, chief executive officer of Blue World Supply Chain Consulting; and C.J. Wehlage, vice president of high tech solutions with Kinaxis.
Jim White, vice president of central operations and CPO with Applied Materials, talks about the challenges his company faces in gaining full visibility of supply and demand, and in dealing with increasing supply-chain volatility.
Supply chain and logistics play key roles in responding to both acute and chronic humanitarian crises. Whether the cause is a natural disaster, armed conflict or simply undeveloped infrastructure, Jarrod Goentzel says the MIT Humanitarian Response Lab is working to improve supply chain response.
