Feedback of the Week -
On
the Integrated Supply Chain Organization:
You cant imagine how excellent is your article: Congratulations!
Unfortunately, the need for integrated supply chain management may seem obvious to Supply Chain executives, but not for our partners from Sales, Marketing and so on.
Everybody is totally focused on increasing power instead of achieving excellence in performance, cost and customer service!
Mainly here in South America we´ve been facing, even at global companies, the same day in, day out of explaining the real meaning of Supply Chain; can you imagine the size of effort to reach an integrated model?
I see all it as professional opportunities and I am totally convinced that this role is on our hands and attitudes as yours come directly to help us!
By the way, I take opportunity to congratulate the new Megatrends series as well.
Wilma Maria Roberto
Supply Chain Executive
Brazil
On Better Supply Chain Software:
I believe you have captured a number of the key points about a maturing software industry. There has been considerable consolidation in the solution provider base and the orientation to producing real value versus hype has never been stronger.
I also believe you understated the importance of SOA and the need for companies to understand how a SOA architecturecan affect their supply chain practices. While supply chain applications like TMS, WMS, and OMS all have their own compelling value propositions the opportunity to create strategic competitive advantage in the supply chain will come through SOA oriented solutions. SOA solutions lower the cost and speed the process of supply chain integration/collaboration as a complement to these other applications. Supply chain collaboration,visibility, process control, performance measurement, and adaptive execution further enhance lean strategies, perfect order programs, risk mitigation, and global supply chain effectiveness. Now that SOA has passed its hype phase and early development challenges it is time for supply chain professionals tounderstand the technicallimitations that have changed.
Jim Uchneat
Supply Chain Consulting LLC
On Closed-Loop RFID:
Companies focus on different things based on the goals of the company. For instance, start up’s focus on making people aware that they exist and have something new. More mature companies with significant customer bases are keen on insuring that customers keep buying their products.
I have never seen this more clearly displayed than in the RFID world. For a few companies, mine included, we have quietly observed the UHF EPC Global phenomena analytically. What is the reality of it? What are the features of the UHF RFID systems that merit consideration? How will it fit into closed loop applications? Can money be made and customers needs be met with these systems? What are the real economics of these systems in open loop applications?
I have been able to answer most of these questions and come to conclusions over the last 12 months but my real goals have been and remain insuring that customers finds solutions to their very real problems using our rugged industrial RFID solutions.
Bradley Todd
Manager, Americas RFID Sales
Datalogic Inc
On Root Cause Analysis:
Interesting article. Many a time, most managers would prefer to withhold information/knowledge rather than to impart it. This, I believe, is in the fear of a subordinate one day being able to surpass him/her information-wise. Truth be told, this will definitely be true but what a subordinate lacks is experience and experience only comes with time.
I opine that a possible cause of stagnancy in a company/department roots from managers who are overly protective of their turf, project the wrong message across without really knowing the facts and are reluctant to gain clarity in areas in which he/she is not competent at. This I assume stems from the mindset of some managers that think they are supposed to be almighty and blessed with omni-knowledge.
It really does seem strange that at this day and age with myriad books on managing people and companies, we all still make the same old mistakes.
A chain is only as strong as its weakest link.
Niak Wu, Koh
On Impact of Offshoring:
I was going to write my feedback to David Busch. Then I discovered that i had covered all the same points two years earlier to Dan Gilmore, editor at Supply Chain Digest.
Similar article in supply chain digest today. Similar reaction to such material from me. The selling out of my country and my countrymen by criminals who value green and black dollars – rather than the American flag, is in my mind still treason. SCDigest disgusted me in 2006, and you prove that things haven’t changed in two years.
There are many Americans like myself who are gleeful this week when we read about the corporations that are being driven out of business because they can’t sell communist china stuff to millions of unemployed Americans. I refer to ... Http://money.aol.com/special/retail-stores-closing-doors
the issue today is not which country to choose in your matrix. The week of Memorial Day in the United states of America is not a time to be choosing country of loyalty by means of a matrix.
The issue should be ... Why should your citizenship in my country be honored and permitted, when your behavior is so blatantly anti-American during war time ?
Walter a Nodelman
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