Supply Chain Radio

The kinds of problems large companies are seeking to solve with their supply chains are more involved and complicated than ever before. However, supply chain visibility is also becoming more powerful thanks to the Internet of Things and big data.

Europe is an important global hotspot for the movement of goods. Greg Kefer and Boris Felgendreher discuss some unique trends and challenges for European supply chains in this podcast, including managing cross-border transportation, consumer demand for traceability and sustainability, and how companies approach cloud technology.

In this podcast, Leela Rao and Suhas Sreedhar take a broad look at sustainability in supply chains. Companies are integrating sustainability into their supply chains due to a variety of pressures – from consumer demand, to increased regulation, to the drive for efficiency and reduced costs. Financial institutions are showing the role the economy can play in promoting sustainability, by funding suppliers to create more efficient factories with better working conditions. One of the challenges standing in the way of sustainability for global supply chains has been tracking goods through all the n-tier suppliers. But now technology brings greater visibility, connecting all end-tier trading partners, making it possible to achieve an end-to-end sustainable supply chain.

The Internet of Things and other big data technologies have already started to impact businesses. Global companies are looking for ways to experiment with how to use these technologies, from RFID to analytics to GPS tracking, to get ahead of their competitors. Greg Kefer and Mac McGary discuss how supply chains can harness big data in this podcast.

Greg Kefer and Richard Barnett discuss the risks and advantages that come with the arrival of megaships in this podcast. From economies of scale to increased lead times, megaships will have a major impact on logistics and global supply chains.

Unless existing players in logistics change their outlook on technology, it’s going to be difficult to compete with disruptors like Uber or Amazon. The basis of Uber’s ability to disrupt markets is their investment in sophisticated cloud-based information networks that enhance visibility and enable optimization. Companies that embrace the future will look at how to get their systems in the cloud, agile, and connected.

This podcast features Leela Rao-Kataria discussing her viewpoints around what changes consumers can expect to see in 2016. She combines highlights collected from the RILA conference, journals and articles, as well as retail studies to hone in on the retail landscape and what actions Target, Lucky Brand Jeans, and Amazon are taking to understand their consumers and pioneer a new retail way.

Data has changed the way we deal with finance. As consumers, it’s placed information about our transactions, habits, and histories at our fingertips. And in the world of supply chain finance, it’s having an even bigger effect: creating healthy, sustainable, ethical suppliers who can deliver goods to buyers reliably.

If it can happen to Toyota, it can happen to anyone. A recent explosion of a steel furnace in eastern Japan is going to set Toyota's production back by 30,000 fewer vehicles this year. Supply chain disruptions are a growing problem in today's globalized economy. They're frequent, they're unpredictable, and they come at the worst times possible. How will businesses cope?

This is the last episode of a three-part interview that Boris Felgendreher conducted with Mick Jones, former head of supply chain and logistics at Lenovo, the world’s largest PC maker. Mick talks about the intersection of a number of technology trends that will dramatically change the areas of logistics and supply chain in the next five years. From 3D printing and the Internet of Things to the role of data and how disruptive new business models will threaten the established players in the market – this interview covers a lot of ground and is full of great insights for everyone in the fields of manufacturing, supply chain, logistics and transportation.

Manufacturers anticipate major supply chain challenges and risks in 2016. Many factors are behind this, from internal ones like labor and technology issues, to unpredictable external forces like port strikes and natural disasters. Companies often fall into the trap of looking solely at cost cutting, instead of viewing their supply chains holistically, in order to mitigate the huge losses that come from disruptions. Listen to this podcast to find out how this disconnect often starts at the top level, where 76% of manufacturers operate entirely without a Chief Supply Chain Officer.

From flowers to candy to wine, Valentine’s Day is a $14 billion industry. Greg Kefer and Richard Barnett discuss some of the supply chain and logistics challenges retailers face during a major shopping holiday like Valentine’s Day in this podcast.

In part two of this three-part series, Boris Felgendreher interviews Mick Jones, who has held several senior-level positions in supply chain and logistics at Lenovo, the world’s largest PC maker. Mick talks about how he and his team navigated Lenovo’s supply chain through constantly changing market conditions and unexpected disruptions during a time of massive growth for the company. Mick’s insights on the importance of supply chain agility enabled by network-wide data sharing and analytics are especially usefully for Supply Chain Executives across all industries.

In part one of this three-part series, Insights from a Supply Chain Executive, Mick Jones, former head of supply chain management at Lenovo, reveals his fascinating route to leading one of the world's most prominent supply chains.

Greg Kefer and Richard Barnett discuss a recent Boston Consulting Group article on digital disruption in this podcast. Using the example of Amazon, BCG describes how three different waves of digital disruption have changed businesses and brought on a convergence of new capabilities. This provides a broader strategic map for how to orchestrate data with the broader supply chain to achieve new levels of agility, responsiveness, and time to market. BCG article: http://digitaldisrupt.bcgperspectives.com/

The world’s leading manufacturers face constant pressure to grow the business, protect margins and minimize risk. And the supply chain has increasingly been seen as a means to achieve these goals while gaining a strategic advantage in the race to win market share around the globe. In this episode of Supply Chain Radio we discuss the top trends and technologies that will lead the way in building faster, more agile, and responsive supply chains in the year ahead.

Although the vehicles are more advanced, the car buying experience is just about the same today as it was 10 years ago. However, consumer expectations have changed. Automakers are challenged to provide a high level of service in existing and emerging markets across the globe. Find out why they're struggling to keep up, and how finished vehicle logistics could revolutionize automakers' ability to meet demand.

The new Safety of Life at Sea Container Weight Verification Requirements will take effect soon. All packed containers will have to be verified and reported to the carrier and terminal before anything is loaded. Shippers and carriers have to be technologically prepared to provide documentation. Some carriers are taking steps to utilize an ecommerce platform to simplify the certification process. Listen to this podcast to find out how shippers, carriers, and terminals can prepare and collaborate to implement the new rules.

For the first time ever, Black Friday might not be the pinnacle of holiday shopping. Of course some retailers are pushing the envelope with excessive store hours and promotions. But many are reducing the emphasis on Black Friday for their own profitability, including innovators like REI who are closing their doors altogether.

The dynamics behind global trade have changed our traditional notions of import logistics and export logistics. Companies no longer just source from low-cost countries to sell at high margins domestically. Emerging markets, near-sourcing, and foreign franchises have shaken up where companies export to and how their supply chains are structured. Information flow, as much the physical flow of goods, is the key for businesses to manage this new complexity.