Gaining a Supply Chain Edge

The Amazon Cure: How Businesses Can (and Should) Create Long-Term Value and Leave the Island

Tue, 09 Apr 2013 18:44:00 +0000

Uncertainty is appearing on the horizon for businesses. Can they change course to avoid it, or is it too late?

Gaining a Supply Chain Edge

Weathering the 'Perfect Storm': Major E-Commerce Competitors in Industrial Distribution Market Just Ahead

Wed, 13 Mar 2013 16:34:00 +0000

Industrial distribution is at its biggest crossroads in history, and they need to be prepared for the storm that is brewing.

Gaining a Supply Chain Edge

Network Studies: What Are They Really Good For?

Thu, 07 Mar 2013 19:27:00 +0000

Sometimes topics come at you in waves, and that has certainly been the case. What are some of the common questions that have been asked about Network Studies?

Gaining a Supply Chain Edge

Business Data is Big Business: Use this Flood of Information to Become Demand Driven

Thu, 14 Feb 2013 15:16:00 +0000

Is the general opinion of grocery shopping overdue for a change? Technology may help this detested chore. Read to find out how.

Gaining a Supply Chain Edge

After the Party: The Effects of Holiday 2012 Shopping Season Represent Major Tipping Point For Retailers

Thu, 31 Jan 2013 15:29:00 +0000

What can we learn from the 2012 holidays for 2013?

Gaining a Supply Chain Edge

Three Big Reasons Wal-Mart and Amazon's Leaders Are Golden

Tue, 15 Jan 2013 18:58:00 +0000

Jeff Bezos, CEO of Amazon, was just named the National Retail Foundation's (NRF’s) Gold Award winner for 2012.

Although Bezos has been making headlines quite often for his many innovations, this one stands out. The NRF’s membership is made up mostly of traditionally brick-and-mortar stores, so by naming Bezos its retailer of the year, it really shows the extent of Amazon’s disruption of the retail industry.

Gaining a Supply Chain Edge

A Question Heard Every Day in Retail Stores Could Soon Become Obsolete

Thu, 03 Jan 2013 14:52:00 +0000

“Did you find everything you were looking for today?” We frequently hear sales associates ask this as we’re checking out with our purchases. But could this common question soon become obsolete?

Gaining a Supply Chain Edge

This Booming Holiday Shopping Season, It’s All About Customer Expectations and Amazon's Genius

Thu, 29 Nov 2012 18:03:00 +0000

The holiday shopping season is upon us – a time where supply chains need to be performing at peak. More than ever, customers today expect correct and on-time delivery of items they buy online.

Gaining a Supply Chain Edge

Making Amazon your 'Frenemy'

Thu, 08 Nov 2012 13:51:00 +0000

Amazon is your competitor, whether you like it or not. But are they also your friend?

I see some companies suffering from an Amazon anxiety factor, so they shun the wildly successful company, or they try to copy Amazon’s innovations in the hopes that this keeps them competitive.

Gaining a Supply Chain Edge

Is Your Business Strategy Just a Mockingbird, or is it Eagle-Eyed?

Thu, 18 Oct 2012 14:18:00 +0000

Some big news just came out about Best Buy, Wal-Mart and Target offering to match prices with Amazon this holiday season.

Gaining a Supply Chain Edge

The Empty Chair: Who Are You Really Working For Every Day?

Tue, 09 Oct 2012 16:31:00 +0000

Consider your job description. What are your biggest concerns and responsibilities –every day and long-term?

Now consider your answer in light of how Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos answers this question:

“It’s our job every day to make every important aspect of the customer experience a little bit better.”

Gaining a Supply Chain Edge

The Amazon Effect and Your Supply Chain: It Matters

Tue, 18 Sep 2012 16:30:00 +0000

At the recent Supply Chain Leadership Forum in Denver, I started thinking about the heights that supply chain itself has risen to in the past decade.

Because it’s the vehicle that connects your strategy to your customers, supply chain has grown so important that it now commands the full attention of the C-level.

Gaining a Supply Chain Edge

Reasons for Outsourcing Are Nearly Universal; Reasons for Choosing LSPs Are Not So Universal

Thu, 13 Sep 2012 15:31:00 +0000

“Lower costs” and “increased flexibility” continue to be the top reasons why companies outsource.

Gaining a Supply Chain Edge

Going for the Supply Chain Gold Medal: Inspiration from the Summer Olympics

Wed, 22 Aug 2012 14:57:00 +0000

The spectacular 2012 Summer Olympic Games in London are over. Although the excitement is dying down, it’s great to reflect back on the US taking home the most gold medals. Watching performances by athletes at the top of their fields from all over the world is inspiring, as we reach for excellence in what we do every day.

Gaining a Supply Chain Edge

Online Stores: Don’t Settle for 'Good Enough'

Wed, 15 Aug 2012 13:00:00 +0000

Anyone who has looked at their Twitter stream as of late will tell you how difficult it is to keep up with the latest and greatest. If I tried to respond to every tweet I saw, then I'd never be able to get any work done or have a personal life.