Category: SCM Insights

Blog posts

Maximize your supply chain transparency with track and trace

Track and trace, that is, determining the location of shipments, is definitely nothing new. Yet everyone still seems to be talking about it. How come?Easy: We know that networked production as well as “smart factories” require reliable information on the delivery status of components. But this also translates to delivery logistics, where it’s important to…
Maximize your supply chain transparency with track and trace

Supply chain vs. supply chain – does the paradigm of competing supply chains really apply?

“Supply Chain vs. Supply Chain – The Hype and the Reality”. One of my colleagues recently found an article with this title in the internet, and for a number of reasons it struck me as highly interesting and also relevant.
Supply chain vs. supply chain – does the paradigm of competing supply chains really apply?

Digitalization is not an end in itself. A commentary

Wherever you look, “digital” is THE overriding theme. Digitalization is not particularly new and by no means simply a future scenario for the years 2020 to 2030.No, the digitalization of tasks and processes has been around for quite some time now. And there is still some homework left to be done. Because, unfortunately, the business…
Digitalization is not an end in itself. A commentary

Going beyond operational supply chain digitalization

Nowadays, most leading companies have EDI interfaces in place to communicate their demands, improve demand visibility, and receive information about shipments. The most advanced ones use cloud platforms, allowing for real-time collaboration with suppliers and other business partners like subcontractors or carriers. It goes without saying, that analytics and big data play an increasing and…
Going beyond operational supply chain digitalization

Automated goods receipt – part 2: How to avoid relabeling

There is definitely a lot of “beeping” going on at my customer’s first plant goods receipt area, where the goods are now being processed – in a considerably more relaxed manner – with scanners.In the first part of my post on goods receipt optimization, I described how to automate goods logging with electronic notifications.Now merely…
Automated goods receipt – part 2: How to avoid relabeling

Automated goods receipt – part 1: Recording deliveries

The electronic ordering process had just been successfully introduced. As I walk through my customer’s plant grounds after our final meeting, I think to myself “there sure are a lot of trucks in front of the gates,” and get into my car.As soon as I get on the highway, I call my customer once more,…
Automated goods receipt – part 1: Recording deliveries

How to enhance collaboration between procurement and quality management

Digital transformation or not: Working together is often difficult even when system-supported processes are in place. This occurs not just on a large scale, e.g. in the collaboration between companies and their suppliers. It also happens on a small scale, e.g. between different departments. Here companies face challenges such as media discontinuity, a lack of…
How to enhance collaboration between procurement and quality management

Operational analytics: What does this new trend offer?

Up to now, analytics has been used primarily in customer and sales analysis. But its range is expanding: Companies are now increasingly applying analytics to operative processes as well.Why?
Operational analytics: What does this new trend offer?

The Internet of Things is becoming intelligent and collaborative

Artificial intelligence is the topic of the hour. This was not any different at Bosch Connected World. Nearly 3,000 IoT enthusiasts talked about business models and innovations relating to the Internet of Things in Berlin on March 15 and 16, 2017. The top three topics were artificial intelligence, automation and openness.
The Internet of Things is becoming intelligent and collaborative

Three steps to digital service procurement

At many companies, the procurement of services – either on the basis of an e-catalog or via a free-text order – is still characterized by many inconsistencies. Internal ERP systems often support demand analysis and the approval process by the manager who oversees the budget in the SRM system. But there is often a discrepancy…
Three steps to digital service procurement