Chief Supply Chain Officers (CSCO) Summit

Last Week I attended a Supply Chain Management show/conference and did not leave the comfort of my home. It seemed just like the real thing. But I had no long flight, no unfamiliar hotel, et al. It was the Chief Supply Chain Officers’ (CSCO) Summit, an online virtual event, presented by SCM World.

It was designed for executives responsible for designing and executing supply chain, procurement, operations and information systems and technology strategy for global manufacturers and retailers.  Attendees could network, learn and share best practice around the critical factors driving the strategic supply chain agenda across multiple industry sectors, without leaving the office.

Read more: http://ec-bp.com/index.php/advisors/ec-bps-bloggers/1039-chief-supply-chain-officers-csco-summit?hitcount=0#ixzz2DQKJnStM

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Choosing a Cloud Hosting Provider

Cloud computing is rapidly changing the way both IT and the business work. It is no longer a “should we” question, it is a “when are we” question. Companies are interested in outsourced (“public”) cloud offerings in order to reduce costs and increase business agility. Yes ,there are potential risks which must be addressed. Cloudcomputing conclusions must be joint between business and IT decision makers. Key players need to define business service requirements first and then decide how to balance the use of internal IT resources and external public offerings. This decision-making process must include the main players, which includes the director of Supply Chain Management.Read more: http://ec-bp.com/index.php/advisors/ec-bps-bloggers/1017-choosing-a-cloud-hosting-provider?hitcount=0#ixzz2CkvYzqCT

W Edward Deming’s 14 Points and the Supply Chain

Quality pioneer W. Edward Deming is best known for the improvements he made in the post World War 2 Japan, but he also worked with many American companies. In his book:  “Out of the Crisis”, Dr. W. Edwards Deming shows 14 steps toward an improved management.  It is not easy in the American Culture to establish such changes. Perhaps that barrier is keeping the American Industry from achieving as impressive results as the ones reached by the Japanese. While he wrote primarily for the “four walls” of traditional manufacturing, his 14 points apply to the extended supply chains that now exist.

Read more: http://ec-bp.com/index.php/advisors/ec-bps-bloggers/1008-demings-14-points-and-the-supply-chain?hitcount=0#ixzz2C50GDm8H

Outsourcing Your Back Office SCM Functions

In managing a Supply Chain, you may want to consider outsourcing some necessary functions that are not really your “core competency”. Going this route is usually calledBusiness Process Outsourcing (BPO). Your biggest task is to ensure that BPO is cost effective for your organization. There are many companies that will offer services for you. I have reviewed a cross section: two giant companies that have divisions geared towards supporting supply chains; a big company where outsourcing is a big function, and a couple of more specialized companies.

Read more: http://www.ec-bp.com/index.php/advisors/ec-bps-bloggers/998-outsourcing-your-back-office-scm-functions?hitcount=0#ixzz2BcjXuVNh