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Supply chain planning and execution

• RFI (request for information)

  An RFI (request for information) is a formal process for gathering information from potential suppliers of a good or service. Continue Reading

• Kaizen (continuous improvement)

  Kaizen is an approach to creating continuous improvement based on the idea that small, ongoing positive changes can reap significant improvements. Continue Reading

• Essentials of EDI in supply chain management

  Electronic data interchange (EDI) applies to many different business aspects. Learn three ways EDI has streamlined supply chain management. Continue Reading

• material requirements planning (MRP)

  Material requirements planning (MRP) is a system for calculating the materials and components needed to manufacture a product. It consists of three primary steps: taking inventory of the materials and components on hand, identifying which additional... Continue Reading

• Top 7 manufacturing challenges for 2020

  Growing supply chain complexity, emerging next-gen technologies and other compelling forces will continue to challenge the manufacturing sector. Here's a look at what's ahead for 2020. Continue Reading

• Definitions to Get Started

  • RFI (request for information)
  • Kaizen (continuous improvement)
  • material requirements planning (MRP)
  • What is supply chain management (SCM) and why is it important?

  • Supply Chain Planning (SCP)
  • logistics
  • strategic sourcing
  • order management

  View All Definitions

• What is supply chain management (SCM) and why is it important?

  Supply chain management (SCM) is the broad range of activities required to plan, control and execute a product's flow from materials to production to distribution in the most economical way possible.Continue Reading

• Supply Chain Planning (SCP)

  Supply chain planning (SCP) is the process of anticipating the demand for products and planning their materials and components, production, marketing, distribution and sale.Continue Reading

• logistics

  Logistics is the process of planning and executing the efficient transportation and storage of goods from the point of origin to the point of consumption.Continue Reading

• strategic sourcing

  Strategic sourcing is an approach to supply chain management that formalizes the way information is gathered and used so that an organization can leverage its consolidated purchasing power to find the best possible values in the marketplace.Continue Reading

• 4 ways to use blockchain in the supply chain

  As blockchain technology enters its 11th year, its use in the supply chain is burgeoning. Here are some of the areas that are garnering the most interest.Continue Reading

• Introduction to supply chain management software of 2019

  Discover the functions of supply chain management software and learn how SCM software helps companies manage the complex demands of today's customers.Continue Reading

• 7 steps to implementing blockchain in the supply chain

  If your organization believes blockchain will bring greater visibility to the supply chain, first understand the critical steps needed to enable a successful implementation.Continue Reading

• order management

  Order management is the administration of business processes related to orders for goods or services.Continue Reading

• 7 supply chain management key terms you need to know

  Consumers are demanding greater visibility, but how do you give it them? We're starting with a list of supply chain management basic terms that you should be aware of.Continue Reading

• supply chain sustainability (SCS)

  Supply chain sustainability (SCS) is a holistic view of supply chain processes, logistics and technologies that affect the environmental, social, economic and legal aspects of a supply chain's components. Typically, sustainability initiatives ...Continue Reading

• service supply chain

  The service supply chain is the part of the supply chain dedicated to providing service on products.Continue Reading

• Demand Planning

  Demand planning is the process of forecasting the demand for a product or service so it can be produced and delivered more efficiently and to the satisfaction of customers.Continue Reading

• Why is supplier segmentation key to supplier relationship management?

  Your customer relies on your supply chain to work well, so that means you need effective supplier relationship management. Here's information to help you create it.Continue Reading

• What is the difference between logistics and supply chain management?

  Logistics is part of supply chain management, but the two terms are often used synonymously. Here's a quick explanation of how these two are different.Continue Reading

• asset performance management (APM)

  Asset performance management (APM) is both a strategy and a set of software tools for tracking and managing the health of an organization's physical assets.Continue Reading

• What are some best practices for crafting a supply chain technology strategy?

  Supply chain managers have a tough job and face many challenges. Technology can help but must also be approached with return on investment top of mind. Here are three tips that can help.Continue Reading

• Supply chain blockchain is quickly taking hold

  The pieces needed to create supply chain blockchain networks are emerging. But blockchain won't fix all the problems that supply chains face, such as theft and data accuracy.Continue Reading

• 3PL (third-party logistics)

  A 3PL (third-party logistics) provider offers outsourced logistics services, which encompass anything that involves management of one or more facets of procurement and fulfillment activities.Continue Reading

• virtual commissioning

  Virtual commissioning is the practice of using 3D technology to create a simulation model of a manufacturing plant so that proposed changes and upgrades can be tested before they are implemented to the actual plant.Continue Reading

• Get to Industry 4.0 with a smart factory roadmap

  Creating a smart factory needn't require starting from scratch. Here's advice on how you can create connectivity with the industrial machines you do have.Continue Reading

• Planning for supply chain risk assessment and mitigation

  Natural disasters, geopolitical tensions and unacceptable social or environmental practices can endanger supply chains, but the right tools can mitigate the risks.Continue Reading

• GS1

  GS1 is a global, not-for-profit association that maintains standards for barcodes and RFID tags and for supply chain messaging such as Electronic Data Interchange (EDI).Continue Reading

• Supply chain risk management tools vary from generic to niche

  Specialized supply chain monitoring and risk tools exist, but you're more likely to use an assortment of general-purpose analytics, financial and GRC applications.Continue Reading

• bill of materials (BOM)

  A bill of materials (BOM) is a comprehensive inventory of the raw materials, assemblies, subassemblies, parts and components, as well as the quantities of each, needed to manufacture a product.Continue Reading

• GDSN (Global Data Synchronization Network)

  GDSN (Global Data Synchronization Network) is an internet-based network that enables trading partners to exchange product-identification data in a standardized way in real time.Continue Reading

• smart factory

  A smart factory is a highly digitized and connected production facility that relies on smart manufacturing.Continue Reading

• sales and operations planning (S&OP)

  Sales and operations planning (S&OP) is a process for better matching a manufacturer's supply with demand by having the sales department collaborate with operations to create a single production plan.Continue Reading

• working capital

  Working capital is the difference between a business's current assets and current liabilities.Continue Reading

• What should companies know about sustainability software?

  Sustainability is composed of social, environmental and economic pillars. That's why technologies focused on this market address different needs. Here's a narrow glimpse.Continue Reading

• logistics management

  Logistics management is the governance of supply chain management functions that helps organizations plan, manage and implement processes to move and store goods.Continue Reading

• How can manufacturers begin an Industry 4.0 roadmap?

  Are you driving toward the next industrial revolution? Industry 4.0 will transform the manufacturing landscape, according to experts. Here's how to get ready.Continue Reading

• Industry 4.0

  Industry 4.0, which refers to the fourth industrial revolution, is the cyber-physical transformation of manufacturing.Continue Reading

• How will self-driving vehicles affect the environment?

  Autonomous vehicles are on track to change logistics forever. Some believe that might be a good thing for the environment.Continue Reading

• supply chain analytics

  Supply chain analytics is the application of mathematics, statistics, predictive modeling and machine-learning techniques to find meaningful patterns and knowledge in order, shipment and transactional and sensor data.Continue Reading

• dual sourcing

  Dual sourcing is the supply chain management practice of using two suppliers for a given component, raw material, product or service. Companies use this approach to lower the risk of relying on a single supplier, a practice called single sourcing. ...Continue Reading

• reverse logistics

  Reverse logistics is the set of activities that is conducted after the sale of a product, such as servicing, refurbishment and recycling, for the purpose of recapturing value or proper disposal.Continue Reading

• Boost bottom line with supply chain analytics

  The transformation of supply chain management is happening now. IoT is driving that change, but supply chain analytics is instrumental in taming the massive amounts of data generated by IoT sensors, devices and objects and turning it into insight --...Continue Reading

• What supply chain management fundamentals are most core?

  Overseeing materials, information and finances as they move through the supply chain requires learning -- and making peace with -- some critical truths.Continue Reading

• Eight keys to supply chain sustainability

  Figuring out how to create a comprehensive and compelling supply chain sustainability initiative can be overwhelming. Here's guidance on getting it right.Continue Reading

• Should companies make supply chain sustainability a priority?

  There are many compelling reasons to focus on supply chain sustainability. Here's a look at some of those and why sustainability is a key issue for every company.Continue Reading

• digital supply chain

  A digital supply chain is a supply chain whose foundation is built on Web-enabled capabilities to fully capitalize on connectivity, system integration and the information-producing capabilities of "smart" connected products.Continue Reading

• IoT supply chain disruption: Get ahead of it now

  The idea of untold devices talking to one another may still have an aura of science fiction, but here's what we recommend: If you want your company to live long and prosper, stake your IoT strategy now. The Internet of Things is indeed poised to ...Continue Reading

• What are the basics of supply chain finance?

  Old models of financing are giving way to supply chain finance, a technology-enabled approach that helps suppliers get paid early and buyers get more time to pay.Continue Reading

• distribution requirements planning (DRP)

  Distribution requirements planning (DRP) is a time-based systematic process to make the delivery of goods more efficient by determining which goods, in what quantities, and at what location are required to meet anticipated demand.Continue Reading

• How can manufacturers improve field service operations?

  Equipment providers and distributors are shifting their focus to improving field service. What are some best practices and technologies that can boost customer engagement and increase sales?Continue Reading

• How green manufacturing processes can boost the bottom line

  Sustainable production and supply chain practices are not just good PR -- they often help the bottom line by cutting resource consumption and opening up new lines of business. Those benefits aren’t the only drivers toward greener, most sustainable ...Continue Reading

• Lean and sustainability strategies meld for supply chain transformation

  Some manufacturers are expanding lean and sustainability strategies to the supply chain to reduce waste and bolster efficiencies, but extending these practices outside a company's four walls won't be easy.Continue Reading

• liquid logistics

  Liquid logistics is a specialized material-handling and transportation discipline that is used when moving liquid products through a supply chain.Continue Reading

• supplier risk management

  Supplier risk management is the process of identifying, assessing and controlling threats to an organization's capital and earnings that are caused by the organization's supply chain. Continue Reading

• Develop supply chain integration through mergers and acquisitions

  In this expert answer, learn how to achieve successful supply chain integration.Continue Reading

• FAQ: Understanding and leveraging 3PL providers

  In this FAQ, learn all about third-party logistics (3PL) providers and what they can offer manufacturers.Continue Reading

• Test your knowledge of global supply chain management

  How much do you know about global supply chain management? Take this short quiz and find out.Continue Reading

• Supply Chain Operations Reference (SCOR)

  Supply Chain Operations Reference (SCOR) is the process reference model used across industries as a supply chain management diagnostic tool.Continue Reading

• SC sustainability

  Supply chain sustainability is a holistic perspective of supply chain processes and technologies that goes beyond the focus of delivery, inventory and traditional views of cost.Continue Reading

• advanced shipping notice (ASN)

  Advanced shipping notice (ASN) is a document that provides detailed information about a pending delivery. The purpose of an ASN is to notify the customer when shipping will occur and provide physical characteristics about the shipment so the ...Continue Reading

• Green supply chain management guide

  This green supply chain management guide will help you select green SCM software, learn green SCM best practices, use green SCM in manufacturing and build a sustainable supply chain.Continue Reading

• Supply chain risk management software guide

  This supply chain risk management software guide will help you understand SCRM software and SCRM FAQs, best practices and how spend management fits in.Continue Reading

• How to use technology to build a sustainable supply chain

  Manufacturers are looking to sustainable supply chains to reduce both costs and carbon footprints. Having the right technology in place will help drive supply chain sustainability.Continue Reading

• Best practices for managing supply chain risk management technology

  Supply chain risk management technology helps manufacturers plan for and handle disruptions in the supply chain. These IT management best practices will keep the technology -- and your supply chain -- running smoothly.Continue Reading

• Introduction to supply chain risk management (SCRM) software

  Getting started with supply chain risk management (SCRM) software means identifying the different types of risk involved in your supply chain. SCRM software can help you evaluate supply chain risk and successfully respond to it.Continue Reading

• Top five tips for leveraging supply chain management (SCM) 2.0

  With Web 2.0 technology taking off, more manufacturers are looking to supply chain management (SCM) 2.0. SCM 2.0 offers increased agility and rapid transference of real-time information across the supply chain.Continue Reading

• closed loop manufacturing resource planning (MRP)

  Closed loop manufacturing resource planning, also known as closed loop MRP (CLMRP), is a manufacturing resource planning model that includes returned products in the supply chain.Continue Reading

• supply chain execution (SCE)

  Supply chain execution (SCE) is the flow of tasks involved in the supply chain, such as order fulfilment, procurement, warehousing and transporting.Continue Reading

• supply chain visibility (SCV)

  Supply chain visibility (SCV) is the ability of parts, components or products in transit to be tracked from the manufacturer to their final destination.Continue Reading