Product Lifecycle Management

Going Green With Sales Carbon Operations Planning

May 1, 2012

"Sales Carbon Operations Planning" (SCOP) offers a new take on supply-chain management, bringing together traditional sales and operations planning (S&OP) techniques and the need for companies to track and reduce their carbon emissions. "It's my way of making it easy to transfer into sustainability with your existing processes," says Silvia Leahu-Aluas, owner of Sustainable Manufacturing Consulting. The new term covers everything from basic carbon dioxide management to a full understanding of the economic and environmental impact of greenhouse gas emissions.

Ariba Issues New Collaborative Platform; Teams With Microsoft

April 25, 2012

Ariba Inc.

Ariba Inc. has developed an updated version of its collaborative commerce platform. The new Ariba Network will include a "consumer-like" buying interface which gives requisitioners real-time access to the data needed to making buying decisions, the vendor said.

The Risks and Rewards of Innovation in Consumer Packaged Goods

April 23, 2012

SupplyChainBrain

Innovation in consumer packaged goods isn't a luxury in today's competitive market - it's a necessity. In an uncertain economic environment, most companies are struggling to achieve organic growth. "Driving both the top and bottom line has been elusive," says Girish Gulvady, director of integrated demand management and food service planning with Campbell Soup Co. "Innovation is filling that void."

Arena Solutions Teams With ERP Logic on PLM for SAP Customers

April 17, 2012

Arena Solutions

Arena Solutions has joined with ERP Logic to provide a product lifecycle management (PLM) tool for users of SAP AG's Business ByDesign application.

The Challenge of Lean Collaboration for OEMs, Contract Manufacturers

April 16, 2012

SupplyChainBrain

A conversation with Jay Hollenbeck, director of business solutions with Flextronics.

Collaborative Execution: Speed, innovation and profitability

April 13, 2012

Kevin OÃ¢â‚¬â„¢Marah, SCM World

How Can Your Company Become Demand-Responsive?

April 10, 2012

SupplyChainBrain

Is the term "demand responsiveness" a true call to action on the part of manufacturers, or is it just another buzz phrase? Rakesh Sharma, president and founder of Zyom Inc., believes it can have real value. He defines the term as an approach whereby companies with physical products work closely with an "ecosystem" of partners on the sales side, communicating through multi-tiered channels. Finding out in a timely fashion what has changed in those channels is no simple task anymore, given the expanding network of partners in outsourced relationships.

An Introduction to Portfolio Planning

April 2, 2012

SupplyChainBrain

Most companies go through some form of portfolio planning, whether they use that term or not, says Eric Symon, principal with Digital Tempus. He defines it as a strategic effort to determine "what products you're going to sell to whom, and what businesses you're going to invest in." The model can help businesses to understand which products are growing in demand, and which need to be phased out.

Supply Chain Collaboration: A 21st-Century Revival

March 26, 2012

SupplyChainBrain

There has been a recent renewal of interest in collaboration among supply-chain partners, according to Ann Grackin, chief executive officer of ChainLink Research. Reasons include a greater reliance on outsourcing and the general trend of globalization of trade. Yet another element is the desire to draw on sophisticated technology, including video, teleconferencing and social networks, to link all players throughout the chain. With such factors in mind, says Grackin, "you need working relationships with trading partners to be successful."