Oracle Modern Supply Chain Experience offers first-hand lessons on streamlining the digital supply chain.

Machine learning, artificial intelligence, the internet of things and blockchain – how will these emerging technologies change the way businesses manage their supply chains? With more than 2500 supply chain leaders and professionals expected to attend, Oracle Modern Supply Chain Experience offers attendees insights on how to put their business on the fast track towards the future of supply chain management. At the conference, participants will be able to listen to thought leaders in order to get a first glance at where the industry is heading and how to best be prepared for the changing marketplace.

The event will be held from Jan. 29-31 at the San Jose Convention Center in San Jose, Calif.

Read more ...

Global Gathering

The Supply Chain Technology Conference & Expo (SCTECH) took place June 27- 29. The event supported by International Supply Chain Education Alliance (ISCEA) is an itinerant show. SCTECH was held last year in Chicago, moved this year to Mexico City and will go to Mumbai, India, next year, in line with ISCEA’s mission statement of “Providing supply chain knowledge around the world.”

SCTECH 2017 featured international speakers with different backgrounds from Germany, the United Kingdom, the United States, Argentina and Mexico. Although this is a technology show, the conference program focused mainly on supply chain processes and true end-user stories. As attendees learned from Jorge Morales, ISCEA Latin America’s CEO and SCTECH 2017 program chair, “Speakers were encouraged to explain their processes transformation needs first and then share their experience about the use of technology to support the transformed processes.”

Read more ...

ProcureCon offers a broad range of events for a strong second half of the year.

By Andrew Greissman

With 2017 already more than halfway over, the next few months offer a chance for supply chain and procurement executives to shore up their strategies and add some jet fuel to their initiatives. A full range of generalist and specialized events are yet to come from Worldwide Business Research’s ProcureCon and Supply Chain conference series, bringing the premier talent in the community face-to-face to troubleshoot their most difficult challenges.

Here’s a look at what’s to come this fall, including a preview of some of the industry challenges that will be addressed by the agendas of each unique conference.

Read more ...

The Gartner Supply Chain Executive Conference gave practitioners the knowledge to cope with the data-driven future.

By Tim O’Connor

There may not be a large amount of intersection between supply chain and professional football, but Hall of Fame quarterback Troy Aikman said both fields require strong leadership and a good mixture of talent to create sustained success.

“If you assemble the most talented group then that immediately translates into success,” Aikman said during a fireside chat at the Gartner Supply Chain Executive Conference, held in Phoenix this past May. Just as in football, the best organizations must recognize intangible skills. “It’s given me a much better appreciation of being able to identify those who lack in a particular area or don’t have particular skills, but if they continue in other ways those guys are invaluable.

“Tough times is when leadership comes out,” Aikman noted. “It’s easy to be a great leader when times are well.”

Read more ...

Mass Customization

By Tony Donofrio

As consumers, our buying decisions increasingly center on logistics. We may use Amazon's Alexa to trigger shipment of everyday items such as paper goods and toiletries, or do all our holiday shopping online – freeing us from trips to the mall but also from wrapping, boxing and shipping gifts to far-flung friends and family.

Nearly every product is a commodity these days; competition for customers is no longer won with product alone. Service is critical. Already the norm for online retailers, this trend is now seen even with raw materials, parts and finished goods throughout the supply chain.

What makes it all possible is transportation management systems (TMS). Suppliers, manufacturers and retailers are using data in conjunction with apps, GPS and other tools to give customers increased visibility into the movement of goods to their doors.

Read more ...

Changing Dynamics

By Shamanth Shankar

As a retailer, manufacturer and distributor, when we look at a product we also see the information that goes under the hood. Right product data not only powers delivering the right product at the right time to the right customer but also guides the customer throughout their purchasing lifecycle. From personalized marketing through a sale, managing product data is a key business objective for retailers, manufacturers and distributors.

Brian Monahan, co-founder and chief evangelist of NewCo, and former top marketer at Walmart.com says, “We grew sales by a couple of billion dollars powered by personalized marketing. It works.” Boston Retail Partners in its 2016 Special Report says, “As retailers are scaling up their digital strategy, ‘faux omnichannel model that doesn’t execute as promised and risks disappointing customers.” In A 5-Point Best Practice Process to Improve Product Data Accuracy, 1WorldSync states, “The persistent problem of inaccurate data shared between manufacturers and their trade customers is an enduring and significant problem that demands industry resolution.”

Read more ...