Supply chain management tips: Align business strategies, apply advanced technologies

Supply chains operate best when closely aligned with business strategies and advance more efficiently with partner collaboration. Audits of supply chain management based on standards can add value. These are among points of advice for those attending the CSCMP Annual Global Conference 2009.

By Mark T. Hoske September 21, 2009

Chicago – Supply chains operate best when closely aligned with business strategies. Ideas and tools for improving supply chains can develop and advance more efficiently with partner collaboration. And audits of supply chain management based on available standards can add value. These are among points of advice making supply chains more efficient for those attending the CSCMP Annual Global Conference 2009 , offered here Sept. 20-23 by the Council of Supply Chain Management Professionals.

Other ideas, tools, and results offered in CSCMP educational tracks include:

– Use manufacturing lean ideas and tools to reshape business. Tools include 5S, high-performance teams, A3, culture safety, and Hoshin Kann;

– Safeguard supply chains with proactive risk management. Anticipating developments, trends, and uncertainties that can emerge at any point in the supply chain could provide competitive advantage;

– Increase alignment and integration of business processes and associated infrastructures by working with internal partners and the extended customer to supplier network (such as contract manufactures, design firms that comprise the source and destinations of supply);

– Reduce costs, remove time, and serve customers more effectively by looking at supply chain economics and trends; and

– Upgrade efficiencies of bottleneck points within the supply chain. Within the supply chain, warehousing innovations include new cost-saving construction techniques, handling and storage automation, and other new strategies that also can improve the "green" footprint of the supply chain.

Also read from MBT:

– Julie Fraser: Shifting supply chain performance measures ;

– Innovation Insight 2009: Award winners tackle key industry problems ; and

– Lighten up: Recessionary times call for business intelligence-based insight to lean supply chain performance .

– Mark T. Hoske, electronic product editor, MBT www.mbtmag.com


Author Bio: Mark Hoske has been Control Engineering editor/content manager since 1994 and in a leadership role since 1999, covering all major areas: control systems, networking and information systems, control equipment and energy, and system integration, everything that comprises or facilitates the control loop. He has been writing about technology since 1987, writing professionally since 1982, and has a Bachelor of Science in Journalism degree from UW-Madison.