Articles
Supply Chain Management

Using Tunnel Scanning to Meet
E-commerce Challenges
The recent increase in the number of consolidation warehouses operated by e-commerce companies that receive orders from many different suppliers in relatively small quantities creates challenges from an ID reading perspective. The small size of their typical order means that consolidation warehouses usually do not have the leverage over their suppliers that would enable them […]
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Black Swan Events: Planning for Supply Chain Resiliency
Major supply chain disruptions, commonly referred to as "Black Swan" events, are high-impact, low-likelihood occurrences that are typically not on your everyday radar. But knowing exactly where your product is in the supply chain is never more important than during these instances. The effects of a hurricane, flood, fluctuating oil prices, political unrest, and port […]
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How to Stand Out From the Crowd
The changing needs of today’s manufacturers, coupled with the intense challenges third-party logistics (3PL) providers face—from greater reliance on just-in-time inventory and the increasing role of technology, to port congestion and the truck driver shortage—have led to a landscape ripe with competition. Arguably more diversified and sophisticated than ever, the 3PL sector is seeing an […]
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Supply Chain Execs Shift Focus From Sustenance to Survival
While we usually reserve 1990’s nostalgia for fashion, film, and music, a glimpse back at the technology landscape is just as jarring. Many remember a time before the internet was a necessity, but what about the pre-SCM age? For today’s large manufacturers, distributors, and retailers, supply chain management (SCM) has become such an indispensable area […]
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Physics of a Customer-Centric Supply Chain
The supply chain strategy shift from business cost efficiency to customer purchase location flexibility is similar to the Copernican Revolution. Many companies are becoming customer-centric and putting the customer’s experience at the center of business objectives. Nicolaus Copernicus’ Revolution was the creation of a heliocentric model where the sun—instead of the earth—is the center of […]
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Optimizing Inbound for Improved E-Commerce Fulfillment
E-commerce is changing warehousing. Consumers want to purchase merchandise at any time, from anywhere—whether it is online, mobile, or in a store. As a result, efficient and reliable omni-channel fulfillment has become an imperative for retailers. To better align business models with the new paradigm, retailers and logistics providers are augmenting their distribution networks to […]
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Summer Reading Guide: 16 Must-Reads This Summer
Dip into these books to soak up some supply chain savvy and illuminating insights.
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How Real-Time Information Can Transform Your Supply Chain
In the world of supply chain management, timing is everything. As same-day shipping is quickly becoming the new standard for many e-commerce retailers, companies are beginning to appreciate the true value of a highly effective supply chain management solution and its role in maintaining effective global operations and consistent customer satisfaction. Enhancing your supply chain […]
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Changing the Shape of Supply and Demand
Demand sensing and demand shaping have become important strategies when considering customer collaboration and downstream visibility to improve supply chain efficiency. Demand sensing refers to forecasting methods that use mathematical techniques and real-time information to create more accurate demand forecasts (a variety of supply chain analytics), while demand shaping is the act of influencing demand […]
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Social Media Puts Supply Chain Change at Your Fingertips
More and more companies are using social media to better understand the needs of consumers. When it comes to supply chain management, shippers can gain insight into which products are selling, how they’re being distributed, and how to improve the entire supply chain. Like any tool, social media is a way to collect more information, […]
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What hobbies/activities make you better at supply chain and logistics management?
MORE TO THE STORY: Comments from LinkedIn Supply chain management is like cooking a complicated meal. You must plan well, execute with excellence, and serve perfectly and promptly. Have great tools and multitask. Be creative to create outstanding results. Hannah Kain President & CEO, ALOM Staying active and participating in team sports definitely translates to […]
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Protect Your Cargo With Vehicle Tracking
Transit cargo is one of the most vulnerable parts of the supply chain and the level of theft sophistication is on the rise. According to TT Club, a leading international transport, freight, and logistics insurance provider, theft is a top reason for claims. The total value of TT Club claims over a five-year period starting […]
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Key Factors Shaping World Trade and Global Logistics
By all accounts, 2016 will be a year in which major agreements and more open markets will shape world trade and increase the global logistics that move commodities to manufacturers, and finished goods into the hands of consumers virtually everywhere on the globe. From the Trans-Atlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP) and the Trans Pacific […]
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Global Logistics—March 2016
What Keeps Supply Chain and Risk Managers Up at Night? Every type of business risk has an impact on the supply chain. And when risk becomes reality, risk managers and supply chain managers work in tandem to keep goods and materials flowing. In 2016, companies need to be prepared and ready to meet the following […]
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Three Keys to Global Supply Chain Prowess
The world’s increasing interconnectedness presents opportunities for supply management professionals to be more efficient and effective as they work to help companies achieve a sustainable competitive advantage. That same interconnectedness, however, poses three serious challenges that must be addressed if we are to continue to be successful. The ongoing security threat to companies’ networks, computers, […]
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Leverage Dashboard Technology to Improve Decision-Making Capabilities
As a logistics professional, you’re familiar with the value of high-quality data. Experienced supply chain practitioners recognize that the value of data is directly related to its utility: Raw data without context or consequence is virtually meaningless. With even more tracking systems contributing to a dramatic increase in the volume of available data, companies are […]
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Is Your Business Prepared for the Worst?
Disasters and tragedy happen every day. From fires and theft to severe weather events, we experience disruptive incidents on a regular basis. So how prepared is your business to withstand a crisis? How well have you incorporated risk analysis and crisis preparation into your business operations? Effective risk assessment depends on using our imagination to […]
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Supply Chains that Rock Around the Clock: A Hard Day’s Night
They should be sleeping like a log, but Penske Logistics is working like a dog through storms and shakeups to make sure shipments arrive on time.
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Eight Ways to Find and Retain Qualified Supply Chain Talent
The burgeoning need for talent to operate today’s complex supply chains has begun to garner significant attention. Not only are supply chain management roles expanding at a rate outpacing qualified new graduates, but supply chain is also rapidly becoming more complex, creating the need for existing personnel to dramatically retool their skill sets. These trends […]
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Winter Reading Guide 2016
Don’t let winter put a deep freeze on your logistics learning. Keep your knowledge evergreen by cozying up to books on wide-ranging topics, from food logistics to procurement practices.
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