Making Sense of It All: Putting Together the Pieces

The theme of the last three years is disruption. As I speak to companies, I find it ironic that business leaders feel the need to more tightly control operations based on enterprise data and are less willing to use market data despite the rapid growth in data availability and advances in analytics. The focus is on creating a better mousetrap not asking, "Does the current mousetrap work?"

Planning technologies, now in their fifth decade, are ripe for change. Risk management theories are passe. Each is based on nine assumptions that are no longer true:

1. The order is a good proxy for demand.
2. Managing safety stock is sufficient to improve inventory levels and maximize customer service.
3. Logistics will always be available. Focus on mitigating price.
4. Variability is low.
5. Managing improvement based on functional metrics yields value.
6. Governmental policy is rational.
7. The most effective supply chain is efficient.
8. Companies have one supply chain.
9. Organizations can easily align to drive supply chain excellence.

These assumptions are no longer valid. So, what, you might say? This framework is the basis for existing technologies and underlying processes. As a result, we need to unlearn to rethink. How do we use market data? What does work look like as we approach 2030?

The good news is that new forms of analytics and technologies offer great opportunities. The bad news is there is no clear roadmap to move forward.

Insights on next-generation processes and building organizational capabilities the top of the list in our talent studies. Baby boomers are retiring, and Generation X and Z are frustrated that they have more information on the delivery of their pizza for lunch than the inbound container for the factory. As I work with clients, I consistently find that companies implement planning as technology and are unsure how to best use new forms of analytics to decrease the time to make decisions. Most technologists are "painting inside the box of existing technologies" versus asking themselves "does the change in assumptions change work?"

We construct the agenda for the Supply Chain Insights Global Summit with this in mind. The event is available in two formats: in-person and online. In each format, we design the conference for?extreme networking .

Our goal is to build a guiding coalition of industry leaders to drive change. Here are five reasons to attend:

• Jump Start Your Learning on the Art of the Possible and New Forms of Analytics.?The event is designed for extreme networking. In both the online and in-person format, you will engage with others by learning from case studies of hand-picked speakers, sharing research-based content, fun activities, facilitated networking, and structured activities.
• Imagine Supply Chain 2030.?Challenge yourself to imagine the future in an environment where technology innovators and business leaders are equals. The event has no sponsorships and no technologist or consultant sales teams. Instead, it is designed as a learning environment, the event is designed as a place where leaders learn from leaders in a structured and safe environment.
• Supply Chains to Admire.?Only 4% of public companies outperformed their peer group over the last decade. At the conference, hear from five Supply Chains to Admire Award winners and brainstorm on lessons learned.
• Learn from the Past to Unlearn.?In the last decade, supply chain performance declined. All companies were challenged by the pandemic. In this session, gain insights on how we better align organizations and build outside-in processes.
• Build Teams.?The question is, how do we drive next-generation talent? Learn from an industry leader case study and a panel of educators.

?The virtual event is hosted by?Sarah Barnes-Humphrey ?of?Let’s Talk Supply Chain . The online conference is packed full of activities, gamification, polls and networking opportunities. Sign-up your team now to get the prep materials in the countdown to the event. This format is designed to minimize travel, and if you are interested, your team can have a private breakout room at the end of the event to discuss the learnings and how to make them actionable in your organization. Register online .

The in-person event will be at the?Westin at Dulles Airport. ?Attendees at the in-person event will Imagine Supply Chain 2030 through a series of structured activities with learnings captured by a visual artist. The dreams will take flight in a visit to the Smithsonian Air & Space Museum in a special tour for the group. At the in-person event, there is more of a focus on physical networking. We hope to see you there!