Insights

Supply Chain Edge frequently publishes insights on topics of greatest relevance to our clients. Read our latest point of view and white paper below:

"The Supply Chain: A Critical (and Often Overlooked) Dimension of Strategic Planning"

One of the most inconsistently executed elements of corporate strategic planning today involves the supply chain. The ability of the end-to-end supply chain to consistently deliver products and services at a competitive cost is fundamental to business success. Yet, in many companies, the supply chain receives little consideration in the strategic planning process. This article outlines a framework for addressing supply chain strategic planning as an integral component of the overall corporate strategic planning process, to enable the supply chain plan to fully contribute to the business’s annual operating plan development.

"The Supply Chain Effect: The Strategic Impact of Targeted Supply Chain Improvement on Financial Performance"
While primarily concerned with how the supply chain can support their company's growth initiatives, senior executives are equally focused on making sure that growth is profitable. And it has been proven that the ability to make targeted improvements to specific supply chain functions, such as distribution and transportation, can help boost a company's bottom line. The desire to improve performance does not automatically translate into bottom line benefits. In this paper, we examine the obstacles to improvement, identify the ways some companies have overcome those obstacles through the application of a variety of best practices and right behaviors, and describe the financial benefits that companies have reaped from better managing these increasingly complex and value–critical supply chains.