Supply Chain Visibility

Protecting Your Supply Chain Against Financial Vulnerability

February 20, 2009

Beth Enslow, senior vice president, supply chain risk management, Marsh Inc.

The global credit crunch is jeopardizing the financial health of our supply chains. In 2009, companies should reassess suppliers' financial stability and implement processes to spot operational red flags that are early warning signals of financial stress.

The Secret SaaS: On-Demand Supply Chain Management

February 20, 2009

Nari Viswanathan, vice president and principal analyst, Aberdeen Group

Multi-enterprise supply chain management solutions are successful when companies are able to achieve large-scale, global adoption with their trading partners, overcoming both technical and business change management challenges. Software as a service solutions play an important role in enabling multi-enterprise business networks.

Taking Supply Chain Visibility to New Levels

February 20, 2009

Leonardo Vitolo, dir. of log. & value networks, LOGyCA, Bogota, Colombia

RFID is finally becoming the solution that will make integrated supply chain management possible. 2009 promises to be a banner year for the technology, with the introduction of new and more ambitious applications.

How Much Control Does Pharma Have Over Its Changing Supply Chain?

February 19, 2009

Beth Enslow, senior vice president, supply chain risk management, Marsh Inc.

Because of margin and market growth pressures, life sciences supply chains are more dynamic than ever before. In 2009, best practice companies will continue to put in place data analysis processes and "human knowledge" collection procedures to spot red flags and safety risks in their end-to-end supply chains.

Asset-Lite Manufacturing Brings New Supply Chain Challenges

February 19, 2009

Nari Viswanathan, vice president and principal analyst, Aberdeen Group

High-tech organizations have evolved their supply chains that specialized in flow of materials into supply-demand networks where information flow is more critical to manage. This has resulted in high-tech supply chains to be asset lite and information heavy. There is a need to cash this information into tangible business value through the creation of a flexible and responsive supply chain.

Moving Towards Integrated & Optimized GTM in 2009

February 19, 2009

Viktoriya Sadlovska, research analyst, Aberdeen Group

The way companies manage global trade and supply chain networks is changing. Aberdeen's research shows that leading performers are moving towards an integrated view of global trade management, focusing on simultaneously optimizing physical, financial and information flows and networks in order to achieve competitive advantage.

Using Event Management for Proactive Disruption Response

February 19, 2009

Viktoriya Sadlovska, research analyst, Aberdeen Group

"Proactive" visibility is what matters most in effectively managing supply chain disruptions, i.e., when companies get the right information when it matters, from all critical internal stakeholders, as well as external supply chain partners. Companies need to have event management capabilities to aid in this process.

Responsive Trade Promotion Management: Creating a Single Version of the Truth

February 18, 2009

Nari Viswanathan, vice president and principal analyst, Aberdeen Group

Aberdeen's research shows point-of-sale transaction data from retail locations is still a hurdle for 66 percent of manufacturers. The low levels of transaction data sharing cause increased complexities in tracking promotion effectiveness at the store or field level.

E-Connectivity in Multi-Enterprise Supply Chains: Leveraging the Business Network

February 18, 2009

Nari Viswanathan, vice president and principal analyst, Aberdeen Group

The lengthening of supply chains at both the supplier's and the customer's side of the equation has resulted in an increased need for collaboration of all kinds.

Supply Chain Intelligence: Driving Business Performance Improvements

February 18, 2009

Viktoriya Sadlovska and Nari Viswanathan, Aberdeen Group

In today's global business environment, managing supply-chain-wide information effectively is becoming critical to business success. Today's multi-enterprise supply chains require the "intelligent enterprise" to make optimal decisions not only within its four walls but as it relates to managing supply chain partners and distribution networks. To make optimal decisions across end-to-end supply chains, executives and mid-level managers require actionable insights and intelligence on tactical and strategic levels.