Articles
Commentary
How Precise Forecasting Tames Item Proliferation
Accurate forecasts enable better planning, lower inventory and manufacturing costs, and improved service levels. By limiting line item proliferation, precise forecasting reduces errors significantly for new product launches. New products lack the history required for traditional demand planning methods. In the same way that the financial industry uses algorithms to sort through masses of market […]
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Pursuing a Certificate? Learn Before You Act
People who are successful in their profession consistently challenge themselves to learn more, regularly attend professional meetings to network with peers and mentors, and seek out opportunities to expand their education. Are you thinking about pursuing a certificate or certification in the supply management profession to enhance your knowledge and improve your career possibilities? Here’s […]
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Getting Distribution Centers in Peak Season Shape
While the annual peak shipping season begins in August and lasts through the winter holidays, the work for supply chain and logistics distributors certainly doesn’t end come the new year. In fact, the National Retail Federation’s monthly Global Port Tracker report indicates that cargo volume for January 2017 is forecast at 1.53 million Twenty-Foot Equivalent […]
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How to Beat Amazon at the Retail and Supply Chain Game in 2017
In a recent omni-channel benchmark study, Retail Systems Research identified the top three omni-channel technology investments for retailers in 2017: Distributed Order Management – 46% planning a change, 14% with net-new budgeted projects Enterprise Content Management – 42% planning a change, 17% with net-new budgeted projects Enterprise Wide Inventory Visibility – 37% planning a change, […]
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Getting the Goods on Logistics this Holiday Season
E-commerce continues to be the growth engine in retail with a 15-percent increase in 2016, according to U.S. Department of Commerce (Q2 2016 versus Q2 2015). Online shopping drives logistics growth as almost every e-commerce purchase needs to be delivered to the consumer’s home. This has resulted in increased investment and jobs in the retail […]
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Four Technologies Set to Change the Future of Logistics
Technology historically plays the role of a disruptor, the means to newer and better things, and the destruction of old ways of life. The following four technologies are sure to disrupt the business of logistics. 3-D Printing The technology of 3-D printing makes it possible for manufacturers, other businesses, and even individuals to print exact […]
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Supply Chain Analytics: Creating Value from Data with Machine Learning
Supply chain analytics is changing: More data than ever is available to analysts today, and often in near real-time. From item-level inventory data and GPS to condition monitoring and signals from social media, new data sources are augmenting available supply chain data. The most competitive supply chains of the future will be those that make […]
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Supercharging Your Supply Chain and Logistics Career
Take your logistics and supply chain career to the next level by understanding how your skills can impact an organization, networking with other industry professionals, and continuing to develop critical skills.
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Trump Presidency Is Reality. Let’s Talk Supply Chain Implications.
As the 2016 Presidential election results were announced, it became clear that the candidate with the least concrete trade policy had won. This created a fair amount of concern for supply chain professionals everywhere: Would the new president implement the protectionist measures he campaigned on, or were those statements made primarily to appeal to an audience? […]
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Blockchain Supply Chain?
Anyone doing business in a global environment knows that a lot of friction in trade activities is directly related to finance: regulatory and compliance speed bumps, fraud, letters of credit, manual and fax-based documentation. In trade finance, the sheer number of borders, intermediaries, regulatory authorities—and lack of technology—can sometimes stall your product, no matter what […]
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GOOD QUESTION | When choosing a carrier/supplier, what’s more important: cost or customer service?
While reducing operational costs is top of mind for businesses, customer service comes first to ensure rising expectations are met with improved visibility and accuracy—especially in today’s increasingly competitive environment where loyalty must be earned and options are many. Steve Rice Director of Product Management, TAKE Supply Chain Bang for the buck. There are a […]
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How Supply Chain Strategies Impact
E-commerce Success
E-commerce has emerged as part of a company’s omni-channel marketing program. Achieving success requires not only an agile, lean supply chain, but also a strategy to get there. Many e-commerce companies sell a variety of products, and each type of product establishes different strategic needs. For example, functional products require lean and flexible network strategies, […]
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Export Control Reform Strikes Again
The U.S. Bureau of Industry and Security revised almost every section of the U.S. Export Administration Regulations (EAR) on Sept. 20, 2016. The fairly significant changes impact most U.S. companies. Here’s what you need to know. Although you may not sell product that would be defined as hardware, software, or technology under the EAR, you […]
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Using IoT to Enable Tomorrow’s Supply Chain
The Internet of Things (IoT) is starting to change warehouse and distribution services around the globe, with an estimated 5.5 million new devices being connected every day. The supply chain is next. Scary? Not really. Worthwhile? Absolutely. Billions of traditional networking devices—including hubs, routers, servers, personal computers, and mobile phones—are already connected to the internet […]
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Why Retailers Need the TPP
In recent months, the acronym “TPP” has made international headlines, and has been a somewhat unexpected cause of dissension and acrimony among governments and citizens. The Trans-Pacific Partnership, more commonly known as TPP, is a trade agreement that aims to deepen economic ties among 12 countries along the Pacific Rim by reducing tariffs and stimulating […]
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Panama Canal Expansion Re-Routes Logistics for U.S. Businesses
Panama has completed the monumental $5.25-billion overhaul of the Panama Canal, which will have far-reaching implications for any business that employs or is part of an international supply chain. The Panama Canal can now accommodate ships that are one-third larger than before. These megaships carry 45 percent of the world’s cargo and will be able […]
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Communication Insights Boost Shipper-Supplier Relationships
Shippers who acknowledge that they have the power to enable their own supplier base to satisfy their needs as well as their customers’ are on the right track. In particular, North American importers would be well served to emphasize stronger communication practices with Asian exporters to boost supply chain efficiency. Stronger communications go beyond monitoring […]
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Accurate Product Data Drives Supply Chain Systems
Retail and consumer goods organizations spend a lot of money to deploy supply chain applications that will help them operate more profitably while delivering the ideal experience to shoppers. But the fact is software investments do not deliver on their potential unless the data they’re using is accurate. Accurate product data comes from well-crafted, consistent […]
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Panama Canal Expansion to Spur East Coast Shipping Boom
After nearly 10 years and $5.4 billion, worldwide shipping is in for a major shakeup. With the nearly triple-the-size expansion of the Panama Canal completed in late June 2016, a vastly increased quantity of goods will be able to easily traverse one of the world’s most important waterways. This change comes amid a slump in […]
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Cargo Becomes Intelligent So Do Ports
Having all supply chain players connected to an intelligent cargo system maximizes the use of port infrastructure and keeps everyone informed on the “where is my cargo?†question. Accessing and sharing information on cargo through new technologies will not only smooth flows but it will also secure them.
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