Starbucks Corporation had reported lower sales in the second quarter of its fiscal year ending March 31, 2024. This led to the coffee chain company’s stock price tumbling by as much as 12% on April 30, 2024. Starbucks’ chief executive officer, Laxman Narasimhan, cited customers abandoning their app orders because of very long waiting timesContinue reading “Solving Problems Before They Become Calamities”
Category Archives: The Supply Chain Engineer
Solving Problems in the Midst of Crises
We who are supply chain veterans have encountered many crises in our operations. Over the decades since Keith Oliver (and Mr. Van t’Hoff) coined the term, supply chain management, we have had our share of challenging crises. But even as many enterprises recognise their critical importance, supply chains remained a not well understood branch ofContinue reading “Solving Problems in the Midst of Crises”
Engineering for Versatility, Not Resilience
When we analyse the gaps in our supply chain operations, it isn’t just about how wide the differences are in how we’re performing versus what we’re aiming for. It won’t only be about variances between targeted & actual results, but it will also be about how well we respond to and handle risks now andContinue reading “Engineering for Versatility, Not Resilience”
Engineering for Risk
The earthquake that hit Kobe, Japan in on January 17, 1995 lasted about twenty (20) seconds but with a magnitude of 7.3 on the Richter scale, it was enough to kill 6,400 people and damage up to 120,000 structures. The disaster disrupted the nation’s economy as the earthquake destroyed Kobe’s seaport, wrecked railways, roads &Continue reading “Engineering for Risk”
The Problem Map
When we undertake projects like constructing an edifice, assembling an airplane, installing new information technology (IT) systems, we first assess & plan the scopes & requirements. We confirm our vision for the project, do a reality check of what we have currently, and analyse the gaps we’d have to bridge or bypass. We identify theContinue reading “The Problem Map”
Understanding the Supply Chain Engineering Roadmap
We know what we want, i.e., we have a vision. We know where we’re at versus what we want, i.e., we did our reality check. We see the disparities between our present-state & future-state performances, i.e., we mind the gaps in our supply chain operations. The next step in building our supply chains is toContinue reading “Understanding the Supply Chain Engineering Roadmap”
Mind the Gap
We see the sign in many railway stations around the world: mind the gap. It’s a reminder, if not a warning, for us to watch our step as we cross the space between the train from the platform. As much as we may take it for granted, if we don’t watch our step, we canContinue reading “Mind the Gap”
The Reality Check
It happens all the time. We go to an off-site strategic planning session (or a seminar or workshop), bond with colleagues in teambuilding exercises, creatively come up with new ideas, and commit to action plans to implement them. As soon as we return to our workplaces, we go back to doing what we have alwaysContinue reading “The Reality Check”
A Supply Chain Vision with Specifics Would be a Remarkable Feat
Building the supply chain which we & our partners want begins with envisioning. We define a future state for the operational links between our enterprises and our suppliers, service providers, & customers in which we aim to achieve mutually beneficial strategic goals. A vision for our supply chains is not only a narrative about whatContinue reading “A Supply Chain Vision with Specifics Would be a Remarkable Feat”
Thirteen (13) Do’s & Don’ts in Supply Chain Envisioning
Before we change, improve, or build our supply chains, we must first have a vision. We must first agree with our partners what we want our supply chains to become. Envisioning is not an activity of a single individual or enterprise when it comes to transforming our supply chains. It requires consensus between stakeholders ofContinue reading “Thirteen (13) Do’s & Don’ts in Supply Chain Envisioning”
Ellery's Essays 