Supply Chain Visibility is the ability to observe the activities and movement of merchandise from their sources to their final destinations. When it comes to setting up a system of visibility, two features must be present: monitoring and measurement. The first is monitoring in which its effectiveness depends on the abilities to sense, detect, andContinue reading “Supply Chain Visibility: Monitoring & Measurement”
Tag Archives: supply chains
The Need for Clarity Before AI in Supply Chains
It’s near the end of 2025. Just about everyone is talking about Artificial Intelligence (AI) and how technology firms are racing to capitalise on it. Executives want AI to be integral in just about every business area. That includes supply chains. Aside from all the automation firms are installing into their operations, executives are aimingContinue reading “The Need for Clarity Before AI in Supply Chains”
Arguing for Engineering
Engineers have been the go-to people to solve problems or implement pre-decided solutions. Engineers build edifices architects design, install equipment which executives prefer, and fix things that were creating problems no one else could solve. Engineers deal with the complicated technical stuff like designing rockets and constructing skyscrapers, repairing nuclear reactors, setting up oil drillingContinue reading “Arguing for Engineering”
Banks Have Supply Chains, Too
I went to the bank to cash a check. The teller said there was no cash available. She also said the automatic teller machine (ATM) also had no cash and was off-line. The teller, however, told me to wait. She then left the bank, went next door to a rival bank, and withdrew cash fromContinue reading “Banks Have Supply Chains, Too”
The Four Types of Supply Chain Relationships
How do you want your supply chain relationships to be like? Supply chain relationships consist of the connections between enterprises such as those between enterprises and their vendors, service providers, and customers. They also include the interactions between internal operating groups within enterprises, such as purchasing, inbound & outbound logistics, manufacturing, and planning. There areContinue reading “The Four Types of Supply Chain Relationships”
Productivity: They Still Don’t Get It
Leading global consultancy McKinsey defines productivity as Gross Value Added (GVA) per work-person and reports that the world needs productivity growth on top of balance sheet profitability. McKinsey still doesn’t get it. The world doesn’t need labour productivity, it needs supply chain productivity, which is how fast and how much organisations sell merchandise and collectContinue reading “Productivity: They Still Don’t Get It”
Pursuing Productivity Amid Adversity
The year 2025 arrived and what many businesses dreaded came true. Newly inaugurated American President Donald Trump and his economic hawks swooped and threw global trade into turmoil. Arguing unfair trade practices from many nations, President Trump imposed tariffs on billions of dollars of imports from Canada, Mexico, China, and the European Union (EU), withContinue reading “Pursuing Productivity Amid Adversity”
The Two Fundamental Tasks of Business
A business enterprise has two fundamental tasks: All activities of an enterprise revolve around these two tasks. Demand creation is about cultivating an idea, enrolling followers to that idea, and manifesting that idea in products or services that the followers would buy. Demand fulfilment is about making available or delivering those products and services thatContinue reading “The Two Fundamental Tasks of Business”
Why We Shouldn’t Ignore the Purchase Order
Vendors selling to a manufacturing company were really angry, a newly hired purchasing supervisor discovered on her first week on the job. They complained that their bills weren’t paid for months after they delivered materials or parts. At the same time, supervisors from other company departments were voicing complaints that their purchase orders (PO’s) hadn’tContinue reading “Why We Shouldn’t Ignore the Purchase Order”
Burning the Midnight Oil & the Work-Life Balance Myth
Not a very long time ago, people avoided working at night because they didn’t have enough light. But for those who did have to work at night, they had to make do with whatever source of light they had. Up to the early 20th century, people had little in the way of light after dusk. Continue reading “Burning the Midnight Oil & the Work-Life Balance Myth”
Ellery's Essays 