US firms eye green supply-chain initiatives

There is a growing level of commitment among both small and midsize US firms toward the adoption of applications that would support more environmentally friendly supply-chain initiatives, IDC said in a report today.

IDC is a Framingham firm that provides IT market intelligence.

"While the social responsibility for establishing green initiatives is now generally regarded as the norm for European companies, US firms have been slow to embrace the technologies that would support this effort,"Judy Hodges, manager of IDC's Small and Medium Business Markets: Enterprise Applications research service, said in a statement. "However, in our most recent IDC AppStats Survey,we find that small and midsize manufacturers, wholesalers, and distributors in the United States are on the path toward leveraging innovative technologies to support a green supply chain."
(By Chris Reidy, Globe staff)

Source: boston

Business Intelligence Solution for Retail Supply Chain Driven by Electronic Data Interchange (EDI) Information

Digital Movers and Information Solutions (ISI) develop Insight*Point-of-Sale, a completely hosted collaboration solution for retailers and suppliers.

Mashpee, MA (PRWEB) July 15, 2008 -- Digital Movers (www.dmovers.com), a premier provider of outsourced electronic commerce services, and Information Solutions (www.isnetusa.com) a software solution provider to importers of apparel, handbags, and other soft-goods, announced today the joint release of Insight*Point-of-Sale, a web-based business intelligence solution that promotes collaboration between retailers and their supply chain partners.

Using a combination of sophisticated data warehouse design concepts and presentation tools in a completely hosted environment, Insight*Point-of-Sale analyzes POS data provided via EDI transactions and provides retailers and their suppliers with current and historical visibility into the movement of products through the supply chain. Users can query, drill-down and analyze voluminous data in real-time to uncover sales trends, stock-outs, overstocks, missed selling opportunities and a host of relevant data that previously had been difficult or impossible to interrogate intelligently.

Our customers are soft-goods importers and, as such, have to deal with numerous UPCs, colors, styles and sizes. The volume of POS data they were receiving presented significant challenges when it came to collaboration and business intelligence

"Digital Movers has been a proud partner of ISI for many years providing EDI solutions that integrate seamlessly with ISI's world class supply chain/ERP solutions. The offering of Insight*Point-of-Sale is another natural opportunity to match ISI's development expertise with Digital Movers' hosted EDI services," said Ken Konikowski, president, Digital Movers. "Retailers have increasingly made more and more valuable information, including POS data, available to their supply chain via Electronic Data Interchange. The problem is that many companies do not have the applications or the expertise to properly analyze this data and are unable to effectively mine actionable intelligence from the mounds of data. Insight*Point-of Sale is offered in a hosted, outsourced environment so that these companies need only an Internet connection and a web browser to be able to access and analyze this important information and facilitate collaboration."

"Our customers are soft-goods importers and, as such, have to deal with numerous UPCs, colors, styles and sizes. The volume of POS data they were receiving presented significant challenges when it came to collaboration and business intelligence," claimed Jeffrey Clayton, president of Information Solutions. "Our customers have found that thanks to our unique database design they are able to quickly and effectively manage their POS data and, because it is a hosted solution, they require no additional software or hardware. Insight*Point-of-Sale accommodates analysis for both the executive dashboard level with pre-defined web reports and pull-down menus as well as the intense query capability required by analysts."

A web-based demonstration of Insight*Point-of-Sale can be arranged by visiting Digital Movers' web site at http://www.dmovers.com/informationrequest.aspx.

About Digital Movers:
Digital Movers is the premier provider of Electronic Data Interchange (EDI) outsourcing services to companies that need to communicate commerce transaction data electronically with their suppliers, customers, transportation and financial partners. For over twenty-five years, Digital Movers has provided expert EDI, XML and Communications processing for companies of all sizes in the retail, healthcare, manufacturing, grocery and transportation verticals.

For additional information, please visit www.dmovers.com or contact Digital Movers at sales@dmovers.com or 888-896-7703.

About Information Solutions:
Since 1982, Information Solutions has been providing software solutions to importers of apparel, handbags, and other soft-goods, enabling them to maximize productivity, optimize efficiency, and increase profitability.

ISI's flagship offering is Envision, a complete Supply Chain Management software solution designed in concert with leaders in the apparel and accessories industry. Envision is a completely integrated application that addresses a company's processing requirements including product inception and sourcing, customer fulfillment, distribution management and financial and executive analysis.

For additional information, please visit www.isnetusa.com or contact Information Solutions at sales@isnetusa.com or 732-346-2500.

PCC awarded $1.2 million federal grant

WINTER HAVEN - In recognition of its national leadership role in providing training for high-paying jobs in Florida's supply chain management and logistics industries, the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) has awarded a $1.2 million grant to Polk Community College's Supply Chain Management Institute, one of eight institutes within PCC's Corporate College division.

PCC was one of only five institutions of higher education in the nation to receive full funding from the DOT through its Transportation Education Development Pilot Program (TEDPP). Other fully funded TEDPP grants were awarded to Penn State University, the University of Idaho, the University of Vermont, and California State University. Partially funded grants went to the University of Baltimore, North Dakota State University and the University of Missouri.

"We are elated and proud to be the only community college in the nation to receive a fully funded federal grant that will enable us to develop, refine, and expand degree and certificate programs offered by PCC's Supply Chain Management Institute," PCC President Eileen Holden said in a news release. "This grant not only reflects favorably on PCC, but also on our industry partners who have collaborated with us in bringing the Institute to fruition."

According to Rob Clancey, director of the PCC Corporate College, PCC will receive $300,000 in each of the next four years and use the funds to expand and fine tune the Supply Chain Management Institute's curriculum, establish a technically advanced training lab featuring new computer hardware and software, and provide scholarship assistance for incumbent workers in the supply chain field who wish to pursue studies at the Institute.

"The grant will also give us much-needed flexibility to add new programs to keep pace with the needs of our private-sector partners and also allow us to share our expertise with other schools throughout the nation," Clancey said, noting that the federal funding will help PCC achieve its goal of molding the Supply Chain Management Institute into a "model for the nation."

Launched last summer, PCC Corporate College's Supply Chain Management Institute evolved from a cooperative effort involving the Florida Banner Center, PCC, and leading firms in Polk County's supply chain and logistics industry. Since its inception, the certificate-granting entity, under the leadership of Director Wayne Kline, has trained hundreds of people for jobs in Polk County's supply chain industry.

Currently, PCC is one of only two community colleges in Florida offering training and educational program in Supply Chain Management leading to an associate of science or associate of applied science degree.

"PCC is proud to be meeting the special training needs of one of the fastest growing components of Florida's economy through its Supply Chain Management Institute," Holden said. "The Institute offers a classic example of the great things that can be accomplished when the public and private sectors work together for the common good."

According to the Employ Florida Banner Center, the average annual wage in Florida's logistics and distribution sector is $48,669, as opposed to $36,804 in industry in general. Well-trained workers in this sector can command up to $54 per hour, and the industry needs 11,000 men and women to meet current and future staffing needs.

Source by newschief

How Good Is Your Supply Chain Data Quality? (Part 3)

Many companies claim that the reason that they do not measure data quality is that it is too hard to do, or that looking at all that data takes resources they do not have or that the volume of data is so large that it is an overwhelming task. A few companies have found a creative way to assess data quality, implementing a Data Cycle Count program where they “cycle” through the data in their system and “count” the number of data errors found. By looking at a sample on a regular basis the task is more manageable.

Companies have been using cycle counts to assess the accuracy of one of their most important assets, inventory, for a very long time. Accuracy of the on hand quantity is important to the success of the company. But cycle counting is more than tracking inventory accuracy; the key purpose of cycle counting is to identify items in error, thus triggering research, identification, and elimination of the cause of the errors. It is this process of continuous improvement that yields benefits.

How do you apply cycle counting to data? Data can be viewed as an asset too, and like inventory assessing, its accuracy is important to understanding if the processes in place are sufficient to control the input and maintenance of data. As in inventory cycle counting, it is the process of error identification and elimination of the cause of the error that yields benefits.

The data cycle count process is simple; you select a data record to audit, you compare it to the field requirements for that data record and then you report out the rate of the errors, perform root cause analysis tracking the errors by type. Then attack the largest error group as an improvement project to fix the source of the error. That is the basic process.

As with inventory cycle counting, deciding what to count and how often to count can vary by company. The same is true for data. Data can be grouped by type, importance, frequency of change, or how prone it is to entry error. However you choose to classify the data assigning an ABC classification will help you manage the selection of the data records to count.

What are the benefits of data cycle counts?

• Data cycle counts are a quantitative measurement of data quality, no more gut feel measurements that are prone to second guessing.
• Data cycle counts measure accuracy over time, tracking how well improvement efforts are working.
• Cycle counting data is a sampling process and is easier to execute than a full data review. The sample accuracy rate can be extended to approximate the error rate for a group of data.
• Cycle counting the data encourages an environment of problem solving and continuous improvement through ongoing corrective action.

Data cycle counting is a simple process that any company can implement and get tangible benefits from. Data is a valuable asset and it is time for companies to make the effort to measure data quality. By borrowing from measurement methodologies used in other parts of the business, companies can develop formal processes to measure and track data quality.

Accurate information and the flow of data is critical to today’s extended supply chains; data drives the choices companies make, whether tactical or strategic. It is data that is used in the measurement of processes and outcomes, so if it is not accurate, your performance measure will not be accurate. Yet, few companies measure the quality of their data or appreciate how poor data quality impacts their performance. Include data quality in your performance metrics program; it is easy to do using methods you already have in place and it will drive significant and long-lasting improvement!

Source by scdigest.com

Erayo.com launches as global source for independent retailers

Erayo.com, a b2b global marketplace for retailers and merchandise suppliers, launched recently with more than 3,500 buyers and more than 110 designer-vendors of jewelry, home furnishings and children’s apparel and accessories, the company says.

“Erayo levels the playing field for smaller retailers, so they can compete with big retail chains while maintaining a unique sense of independence and individuality,” says CEO Raffi Topaz. Erayo’s product designers-vendors come from more than 55 countries, the company says.

Based in Tel Aviv, Israel, with a U.S. office in Wilmington, DE, Erayo was co-founded by Topaz, a former vice president of Gilat Satellite Networks; chief operating officer Yoni Zelinger, a former executive of communications technology provider Comverse Inc.; and Eli Campo, who is the executive vice president and general manager of the Israel market for live chat provider Liveperson Inc., and a former senior vice president of engineering and operations for eBay Inc.’s Shopping.com e-marketplace.

Erayo lets buyers and sellers negotiate prices online. Once the buyer completes an online checkout process, Erayo holds the payment until the buyer has received her order, then forwards the payment to the seller. Erayo computes international taxes and duties and charges sellers a commission on each transaction ranging from 15% to 25%. Sellers handle their own inventory and shipping. In a “My Erayo” section of Erayo.com available to each buyer and seller, Erayo users can track deliveries and payment status.

Erayo provides buyers with a “best price” guarantee that beats any lower prices buyers find in other markets. It also lets buyers and sellers post comments about each other regarding their reliability and the value of a seller’s products, and it provides sellers with statistics on product sales in their markets.

“One of the biggest challenges we have is finding new and unusual pieces that customers won’t find in any big department store,” says Laura Macris, co-owner of the Crush Boutique in Boston. “My business partner and I attend U.S. accessories trade shows a few times a year, but until Erayo, we didn’t have the manpower or resources to source internationally.”

Source by internetretailer.com

Tea e-auction to streamline supply chain

The e-auction system for tea, to be introduced in the middle of November, will streamline the supply chain.

Union minister of state for commerce and power, Jairam Ramesh said that the industry was suffering from a colonial supply chain and the e-auction would do away with one or two layers. He was speaking at the annual general meeting of the Calcutta Tea Traders Association (CTTA).

With the 5-6 layers in the supply chain—from bush to cup—only 40 per cent of the consumer price was coming back to the producer whereas in the case of milk it was as high as 85 per cent.

Basudeb Banerjee, chairman, Tea Board of India said, the e-auctions was all the regulatory authority from its side could do to help deal with inefficiencies in the system. A part of it could also be facilitated by consolidation in the industry.

Azem Monem, chairman, CTTA said, NSE.IT was expected to demonstrate the operating software for e-auction in September 2008 and would commence training of the users in September-October 2008.

He said, if the e-auctions were user-friendly, reduced transaction costs and allowed to sell more lots per minute, cut down on holding periods, addressed small and large buyers' needs and most importantly achieved a fair price discovery then more teas could be attracted through this auction system.

At present, 143 million kg of tea were sold at the Kolkata auctions and 153 million kg at Guwahati auctions, which accounts for 15 per cent of Indian tea production.

Ramesh said, last August e-auctions for cardamom in Tamil Nadu and Kerala were introduced and it had resulted in better realisations to the tune of 30-50 per cent.
Tobacco was unveiled 3-4 weeks back and the ministry was now planning to extend it to chillies.

Basudeb Banerjee said, A F Ferguson had been appointed to develop a business model for the a-auctions in tea while NSE would develop the settlement system. The entire system would be funded by the Tea Board for the first three years.

Source by Business Standarad

Quantum Retail Wins ‘Supply Chain Excellence' At The 2008 European Retail Solutions Awards

Quantum Retail has come out top in the ‘Supply Chain Excellence' category at the European Retail Solutions Show for its work with leading multi-national fashion retailer, New Look.

Quantum's Q solution has been used by New Look since October 2007 to manage its inventory replenishment and allocation processes across its 600 locations. The excellent results yielded by Q have not gone unnoticed by the retail technology industry, a fact reflected at the European Retail Solutions Awards ceremony.

New Look's Group IT & E-Commerce Director, Adrian Thompson, said: "As a fast fashion business with our customers at the core of everything we do, we recognized that Quantum Retail's demand forecast model offered us an opportunity to gain significant competitive advantage," Thompson was also impressed with Q's return on investment: "Q went live within 7 months, and had paid for itself just 5 months later."

Over the last 12 months, New Look has increased its retail space by 20% and diversified into new online and franchised channels. In order to support its expansion and diversification, New Look required a superior replenishment solution to improve management of store/SKU demand and supply. Following an extensive review of the solutions available on the market, Quantum's Q solution was selected.

Spencer Maynard, Head of Stock Optimization at New Look added: "Q has enabled us to proactively manage products by exception, whilst the Q system takes care of the day-to-day decisions. We can now focus our attentions on expanding the business and exploring new routes to market."

The prestigious European Retail Solutions Awards is an annual event focused on recognizing retailers and suppliers for excellence and innovation in retail technology. The awards ceremony was held at Old Billingsgate Market in London, following the second day of the Retail Solutions Show.

Chris Allan, Co-Founder of Quantum Retail was delighted with Quantum's achievement: "We are proud to be acknowledged as the leading retail supply chain technology solution at the European Retail Solutions Awards. We believe our solution is the best way to allocate and replenish goods, and we are glad to see that the retail industry has seen the definitive and tangible benefits of the Q system."

Phil Wrigley, New Look's Chairman, concluded: "The Quantum implementation at New Look has been first class. It has placed the customer at the heart of our stock management, and has delivered impressive financial payback."

About Quantum Retail Technology, Inc.
Quantum Retail Technology, Inc. is a leading provider of software solutions that enable demand driven supply networks. Quantum's flagship solution, Q, allows retailers to optimize inventory availability and supply network performance with low risk and high ROI. Q helps retailers continually achieve the merchandise and financial goal for every item in every location. By leveraging item assortment strategies and goals, Q links the art of merchandising with the science of inventory fulfillment. Q is available as an annual subscription and Quantum Retail offers low-impact pilots to ensure value delivery, alignment of investment to benefits and rapid ROI. Q can be deployed in either hosted or customer deployed environments. Quantum Retail's customers include Guitar Center and New Look. For additional information email visit www.quantumretail.com

About New Look
New Look has 598 stores in the UK and Eire, and 265 stores in France & Belgium trading under the name Mim. In addition, New Look has 15 New Look branded stores in France and Belgium, and has recently opened franchise stores in Dubai, Kuwait and Saudi Arabia. New Look has a volume share of 5.6% in the Women's Outer/Sportswear age 16+ market, and is the 3rd largest retailer by volume in this market. New Look also has a growing market share in Mens & Kidswear. New Look is now the number 1 retailer of women's shoes in the UK by volume, with a market share of 7.4%. (Source – TNS). 38% of the British female population* has purchased an item of Womenswear** from New Look in the past year (52 w/e 30th March 2008). This amounts to just under 9.2 million individuals. The average age of shoppers in New Look is 31. Further information can be found on www.newlook.co.uk and Product and Management photos are available upon request.

SOURCE:Quantum Retail Technology, Inc.

Supply chain managers spending too long on compliance

Supply chain managers spend up to 52 days per year simply keeping abreast of, and complying with, supply chain regulation and legislation, according to a report by ERP conglomerate Infor. Its survey, of more than 100 UK supply chain professionals in manufacturing companies, finds 84% in that league, while the remaining 16% suggest they have to spend even longer. More than half (58%) claim to be either concerned or very concerned about operating in an increasingly regulated environment. However, despite spending significant resources on compliance, 30% admit they do not have a risk management strategy for their supply chains – leaving them wide open to serious operational problems and financial penalties. “Supply chains are increasingly complicated, and the fact that those responsible are spending up to 52 working days a year on compliance alone is a serious concern,” says Andrew Kinder, director, industry and product marketing, supply chain management, at Infor. “With the need to dedicate 20% of their working time to supply chain compliance, it’s little wonder that professionals struggle to find time to unlock cost savings, optimise productivity and add value to the business.” He insists that emerging supply chain regulations make a risk management strategy more important than ever. “Organisations are well practiced at deploying risk management strategies for their data centres and mission critical applications, such as order taking and dispatch functions. However they often leave supply chains, which carry millions of pounds worth of assets, exposed,” he observes. “Failure to comply with legislative requirements can be among the most expensive of risks, with financial penalties and damage to reputation posing real threats. These findings demonstrate that supply chain managers need to ensure that supply chain risk management becomes a formal consideration.”

Author Brian Tinham

Source by mcsolutions.co.uk

News Release Canada, US Sign Mutual Recognition Arrangement Covering Supply Chain Security Programs, PIP and C-TPAT

(Ottawa: July 3, 2008) -- On balance, the Canadian Trucking Alliance is giving the thumbs up to an announcement from the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) and US Customs and Border Protection (CBP) that they have signed a mutual recognition arrangement covering the departments’ respective supply chain security programs -- Partners in Protection (PIP) and the Customs-Trade Partnership Against Terrorism (C-TPAT). The June 28^th signing follows months of discussion between CBSA and business groups, including CTA, on ways to bring PIP into line with the more stringent C-TPAT program in the US.

Carriers who were members of the PIP program before June 30^th, 2008, will have six months to re-apply to the re-vamped program. They will be required to complete a security profile, which will be reviewed by CBSA. A follow-up site validation may be required, but CBSA has indicated that this step may not be undertaken if a C-TPAT validation has been carried out within the past two years. Ultimately carriers will be required to sign a Memorandum of Understanding with CBSA that sets out the roles and responsibilities of the respective parties.

“If a carrier is already a C-TPAT member, this should be a relatively straightforward exercise, and they will continue to receive the benefits these programs provide, such as access to FAST lanes at busy international crossings”, says CTA Chief Executive Officer David Bradley. “I’m also pleased to see that CBSA listened to CTA and others in the business community and significantly revised an initial suspend/cancel policy that would have literally driven carriers out of the program. I am confident that the trucking industry, the single largest industry sector in PIP, will be able to comply with these tougher new requirements.”

However, Bradley admits that he “remains disappointed that CBSA and CBP have fallen short of the goal of full mutual recognition – that is, a situation where a carrier need only apply to PIP or C-TPAT, but not both. But we have at least taken an important step forward, and I’m hopeful that we will get there eventually.”

Source by cantruck.com

Companies Need to Re-Architect Supply Chain Application Portfolios, Forrester Research Says

Globalization and Aging Internal Systems Among the Factors Driving New Supply Chain Solutions; Keys to Getting New Projects Approved

No one denies that the business and supply chain worlds are changing rapidly, with an incredible array of new forces and pressures on supply chain and logistics professionals. (See The New Supply Chain Perfect Storm.)

Common sense says that with these rapid changes in the environment and market conditions, a company’s existing supply chain and logistics software applications – which were likely deployed in far different times, and perhaps for business drives that have changed dramatically – may need to be retooled.

That’s certainly the position of Patrick Connaughton, an analyst at Forrester Research. In a recent research report, Connaughton says that “Saddled with inflexible and heavily customized legacy systems, countless supply chain operations are urgently in need of a large-scale IT modernization and transformation effort. Some have flat out reached a point where they can no longer compete or expand globally without a complete rip and replace of their systems.”

Of course, companies facing this reality may be tempted to think they can “outsource” their way out of the dilemma, but that is an unlikely route to solving the problem, Connaughton argues. The systems of “logistics service providers are often just as archaic,” he believes.

Despite this scenario, relatively few companies have major supply chain software upgrades planned. According to a recent Forrester survey, about 11% of companies were planning any major supply chain technology upgrade in 2008.

“That leaves the remaining majority doubling down on legacy investments, essentially bringing new innovation to a standstill,” Connaughton adds. Part of the challenge is that in recent years, concern about rising IT costs, combined with a slowing economy, means companies are putting any new software initiative under “detailed scrutiny,” Connaughton says.

Source by scdigest.com

Rapid globalisation is stretching the supply chain

Supply chains are losing flexibility due to rapid globalisation, causing major concern to more than 60 per cent of companies surveyed in sixth annual Global Supply Chain Trends Survey published by PRTM.

The study aims to offer insight into how leaders are responding to the challenges of globalising their supply chain operations.

PRTM spoke to more than 300 global manufacturing and service companies compiling information between December 2007 and February 2008.

More than half of participants said they do not have the internal capabilities to adequately manage their external partners. However, in spite of these challenges more than 50 per cent said they plan to move all manufacturing operations outside their home country by 2010. During the same period off-shoring of product development is expected to almost double.

The research found that 96 per cent of participating companies were not currently able to fully achieve the planned benefits of globalisation.

Average reported benefits include an 18 per cent reduction in material costs and a 26 per cent decrease in labour costs.

Management costs proved to be the hardest to reduce with only eight per cent of participants reporting lower costs in this area. More than 40 per cent of companies, however, made no benefit at all or saw an increase in management costs.

Gordon Colborn, lead director for PRTM’s UK business, said: “This is an indication of how difficult it is to globalise without having a solid operational strategy in place, and a tactical framework against which to execute.

“Even companies with significant collaboration experience are struggling to develop and cultivate the right management skills to deal with the complexity resulting from working with multiple partners around the world.”

The study also found that by 2010 the need for greater supply chain flexibility will have overtaken product quality and customer service as the major factor for improving supply chain strategy.

In addition, the survey revealed that the majority of companies are only turning to more environmentally friendly solutions in order to comply with legislation.

Colborn added: “These findings should be of concern to any company planning to move operations to a new geography without a corresponding plan to address the resulting supply chain impact.

“The survey highlights that many companies will be unable to make the changes required to deliver their strategic objectives if they fail to evolve and develop the necessary skills and competencies to manage the complexities of global supply chains. If they are not careful, they will lose the ability to design and implement strategies that deliver competitive advantage and better business performance.”

Source by supplychainstandard.com

'Supply chain excellence' often misunderstood

We are chairing a discussion panel at the upcoming Supply Chain Asia Forum in Singapore on July 9 and 10 (http://www.supplychainasia.com ) that will focus on the topic: "Supply Chain Excellence: The most misquoted concept in SCM?" It is an intriguing topic, indeed. But is the issue misquoted or misunderstood, due to lack of clarity?

There is, of course, a raft of ways to define what one means by any given term, including this "Supply Chain Excellence".

Certainly, in our professional work, we spend a lot of time clarifying what we mean by certain terms, performance measures or concepts. Also, for another example, we have written here in the past about the achievements of the Supply Chain Council in defining their Supply Chain Operations Reference (SCOR) Model, which is very specific about their views of excellence in processes and measures. There are many such references available to all of us.

The one reference that we use as the central part of our practice is the Oliver Wight Class A Checklist for Business Excellence, Sixth Edition. In this, the many aspects of how excellent organisations operate are very clearly and concisely documented in a practical format for people to use as a reference. For example, what are the essential elements of an excellent Sales and Operations Planning process? How do we know when we are truly "excellent"?

The Checklist documents the many elements of the Integrated Business Model, thus covering the best means of managing the following processes:

1. managing the strategic planning process;

2. managing and leading people;

3. driving business improvement;

4. integrated business management (sales & operations planning);

5. managing products and services;

6. managing demand;

7. managing the supply chain;

8. managing internal supply;

9. managing external supply.

We will write more about "excellence" in each of these nine areas next week, but we acknowledge that, on seeing this list of chapters in the Checklist, a likely reaction of many will be that the scope is more broad than just supply chain management. So, that takes us back to definitions and being clear, doesn't it?

We would counter that the characteristics of an excellent supply chain depends on what the organisation needs to execute its strategy. For example, are you striving to serve one or two particular segments of a customer/market base? Or, is the strategy ill defined or lacking focus and you are still trying to be all things to all people? In this way, managing your strategic planning process certainly has a very direct effect on the notion of Supply Chain Excellence.

One key basis for strategy, the appropriate value proposition for your organisation, as presented in The Discipline of Market Leaders by Treacy and Wiersema, has everything to do with defining what would be supply chain excellence for an organisation and its relationship with customers. What are you intending to do for and what do you promise to your customers with respect to products and services? Are they looking to you for lowest price and they are willing to allow extra time to get that or are they actually thinking that they are paying premium price because quick response is important to them? Are you clear in your proposition to them? Either of those approaches can be "excellent" if they are honouring your promise.

Decisions you make about your value proposition have an obvious effect on the sort of supply chain you need and how you deliver on your promises. Do you intend for customers to say about you, "Great prices and quality" as opposed to "Premium priced, but worth it"? The former will dictate one particular means of supply chain execution (perhaps sound, lean execution with no options offered) as compared to the latter (probably with latitude to offer more customised responses).

So, back to our initial question about supply chain excellence and whether or not it is a greatly misquoted concept. We see that basic notion of quoting or misquoting depends on clarity of thought.

Indeed, as Treacy and Wiersema said, the progress of strategic planning in the past couple of decades, including business process re-engineering and making things work better is about how to run a good race. The discipline in determining your value proposition is about choosing which race to run.

As we said above, next week we will elaborate on what we think "excellence" means as per the Oliver Wight Checklist for Business Excellence.

Weekly Link is co-ordinated by Barry Elliott and Chris Catto-Smith CMC of the Institute of Management Consultants Thailand. It is intended to be an interactive forum for industry professionals; we welcome all input, questions, feedback and news at: BElliott@OliverWight-AP.com, cattoc@cmcthailand.org

Source by bangkokpost.com

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3Com Names Veteran Executives to Lead Human Resources and Global Supply Chain Operations

Eileen Nelson named SVP of HR and Tony Wang VP of Worldwide Supply Chain; Appointments Will Help 3Com Accelerate Global Business Plan

MARLBOROUGH, Mass. - 3Com Corporation (NASDAQ: COMS) today announced the appointment of two new senior executives to help accelerate the company’s global business plan. Eileen Nelson has been named Senior Vice President, Human Resources and Tony Wang is the company’s new Vice President, Worldwide Supply Chain.

Nelson, who reports to President and COO Ron Sege, is responsible for 3Com’s worldwide human resources organization. She will work with the 3Com’s China-based operations to drive consistency in the company’s global HR programs.

“We are very fortunate to have Eileen join 3Com,” said Sege. “With more than 25 years working in HR, she will be a tremendous asset in instilling a one-company culture. One of Eileen’s key areas of focus is to identify and recruit highly qualified people – particularly in sales and service so we can accelerate our strategy of building a growing and profitable global networking leader.”

Nelson comes to 3Com from Tropos Networks, where she had been Vice President of Human Resources since 2005. Previously, she was Senior Vice President of Human Resources for eBay. Earlier in her career Nelson held increasingly senior HR positions for several leading technology companies. She is based in the United States.

Tony Wang brings 30 years of networking industry supply chain experience to 3Com. Based in Hangzhou, China, the center of 3Com’s strong presence in the Asia-Pacific region, Wang reports to 3Com Executive Vice President Dr. Shusheng Zheng.

Tony’s key focus is to integrate the company’s two supply chains – one in China and one U.S.-based – into a single, highly efficient global organization to deliver enterprise products that lead the industry in innovation, performance and value proposition. Establishing a worldwide supply chain will help the company reduce costs and improve operational efficiency.

Wang joins 3Com after 9 years with Nortel, where most recently he was managing director of Guangdong Nortel, a joint venture between Nortel and several Chinese networking companies. Wang managed the company’s manufacturing operations. Previously, he spent more than 20 years with networking company Alcatel in China and Taiwan, rising to General Manager of Alcatel Business Systems.

Corporate Governance

3Com’s Compensation Committee granted Ms. Nelson options to purchase 300,000 shares of 3Com’s common stock, and 75,000 shares of restricted common stock, under NASDAQ’s "inducement" exception. Per company policy, these grants are made, and the exercise price of the stock options will be determined, on the first Tuesday of the month following the month in which Ms. Nelson commences employment with 3Com. The options have a term of seven years, vest in equal annual installments over four years, and were granted under a Stand Alone Stock Option Agreement with Ms. Nelson. The restricted stock vests in equal annual installments over three years and was granted under Stand Alone Restricted Stock Agreement with Ms. Nelson.

Safe Harbor

This release contains forward-looking statements made pursuant to the safe harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, including forward-looking statements regarding executive transition, growth goals and future strategies. These statements are neither promises nor guarantees, but involve risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those set forth in the forward-looking statements, including, without limitation, risks relating to our ability to profitably grow the company and other risks detailed in our filings with the SEC, including those discussed in our quarterly report filed with the SEC on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended February 29, 2008. 3Com Corporation does not intend, and disclaims any obligation, to update any forward-looking information contained in this release or with respect to the announcements described herein.

About 3Com Corporation

3Com Corporation (NASDAQ: COMS) is a leading provider of secure, converged voice and data networking solutions for enterprises of all sizes. 3Com offers a broad line of innovative products backed by world class sales, service and support, which excel at delivering business value for its customers. 3Com also includes H3C Technologies Co., Limited (H3C), a China-based provider of network infrastructure products. H3C brings high-performance, cost-effective product development and a strong footprint in one of the world’s most dynamic markets. H3C holds the #1 market share position in China for enterprise stackable switch ports and router units, according to leading IT market research and advisory firm IDC. 3Com also is the clear #2 vendor worldwide in total Ethernet switching port shipments, enterprise router units, and small- and medium-business (SMB) switching. Through its TippingPoint division, 3Com is a leading provider of network-based intrusion prevention systems that deliver in-depth application protection, infrastructure protection, and performance protection. For further information, please visit www.3com.com, or the press site www.3com.com/pressbox.

Source: (BUSINESS WIRE)

First Solar Announces Executive Management Appointments

Ken Schultz Assumes New Position as Executive Vice President, Advanced Development John Carrington Joins First Solar as Executive Vice President, Global Marketing & Business Development Jim Miller Joins First Solar as Executive Vice President, Product & Global Supply Chain Management

TEMPE, Ariz., -- First Solar - announces the appointment of Ken Schultz, John Carrington and Jim Miller into new executive management positions. Ken Schultz has been appointed as Executive Vice President, Advanced Development, John Carrington as Executive Vice President, Global Marketing & Business Development and Jim Miller as Executive Vice President, Product & Global Supply Chain Management.

Mr. Schultz has led First Solar's marketing and business development efforts for more than 5 years and will now move First Solar forward in the newly created position of Executive Vice President, Advanced Development. In his new role, Mr. Shultz will drive innovation and commercialization of new products.

Mr. Carrington has joined First Solar in the role of Executive Vice President, Global Marketing & Business Development, the position most recently held by Mr. Schultz. Mr. Carrington will direct First Solar's global sales and marketing function, including targeted expansions in Europe and the launch of First Solar's entry in the United States.

He brings extensive global marketing experience from his leadership positions with General Electric spanning more than 15 years. Mr. Carrington most recently served as general manager and chief marketing officer of General Electric Plastics (recently sold and re-named SABIC Innovative Plastics). While at GE, he also served as General Manager of automotive marketing in Tokyo, Japan; Pacific Marketing Director in Tokyo; and Commercial Director for GE's Noryl resin business in Selkirk, New York.

Mr. Miller has joined First Solar in the role of Executive Vice President, Product & Global Supply Chain Management. He oversees product management and supply chain activities including material sourcing, product management, and logistics for product delivery and take-back as part of First Solar's end of life module collection and recycling program. Mr. Miller has in-depth supply chain and product management experience, most recently at Cisco Systems as Vice President of Product Operations and as Vice President, Global Supply Chain Management. Prior to Cisco, Mr. Miller was with Amazon.com as Vice President of Global Supply Chain. He has also had management positions at Intel, Teledesic and IBM.

About First Solar

First Solar, Inc. (Nasdaq:FSLR) manufactures solar modules with an advanced thin film semiconductor process that significantly lowers solar electricity costs. By enabling clean renewable electricity at affordable prices, First Solar provides an economic alternative to peak conventional electricity and the related fossil fuel dependence, greenhouse gas emissions and peak time grid constraints. For more information about First Solar, please visit www.firstsolar.com.

The First Solar, Inc. logo is available at http://www.primenewswire.com/newsroom/prs/?pkgid=3052

For First Solar Investors

This release contains forward-looking statements which are made pursuant to the safe harbor provisions of Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934. The forward-looking statements in this release do not constitute guarantees of future performance. Those statements involve a number of factors that could cause actual results to differ materially, including risks associated with the company's business involving the company's products, their development and distribution, economic and competitive factors and the company's key strategic relationships and other risks detailed in the company's filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. First Solar assumes no obligation to update any forward-looking information contained in this press release or with respect to the announcements described herein.

This news release was distributed by PrimeNewswire, www.primenewswire.com

SOURCE: First Solar, Inc.

Software Provider Offers Supply Chain Guidelines

Basware, the leading provider of financial process automation software, has released guidelines designed to help companies create green supply chains. These guidelines were developed for the growing number of companies that are basing purchasing decisions not only on the value that vendors deliver but also on their compliance with green initiatives and other key corporate values.

"Companies realize that an environmentally friendly supply chain helps them to fully support their corporate values, attract and retain key talent, and create goodwill among customers and prospects," said Jari Tavi, chief technology officer, Basware Corp. "Just as vendors have been required to be compliant with Sarbanes-Oxley regulations, they will soon need to achieve a certain level of compliance with environmental initiatives and other social responsibility imperatives."

According to industry analyst firm, Gartner, Inc., "‘Going green’ is no longer just a phrase. Future suppliers will need to be certified green just to remain on shortlists for enterprise consideration. The green movement will pick up steam in 2008 and change the way businesses approach environmental conservation. Strategic Planning Assumption: By 2011, suppliers to global enterprises will need to prove their green credentials via an audited process to retain preferred supplier status."

There are several key steps to establishing green supply chains including:

• Determining your organization's purchasing strategy. Companies should first identify and prioritize the purchasing criteria that are most important to them.

• Establishing good processes that are streamlined and flexible. This will enable companies to effectively implement the green policies that they are establishing.

• Finding ways to cut down on paper. By automating your invoicing processes, you can dramatically decrease your use of paper and gain greater efficiency and environmental benefits. Invoices represent the largest number of legally required documents in a company, and for every invoice, there are typically two to 10 times that amount of supporting documents, such as goods received, contracts, etc.

• Making purchasing democratic. Any system you implement must be easy to use to encourage user adoption. It is also important to put purchasing systems in as many hands as possible so that it becomes an organization-wide initiative to support green suppliers and other favored vendors.

• Recognizing and rewarding the true value in your supply chain. Price alone should no longer be the major factor in selecting a vendor. The value a vendor provides, such as quality and reliability, as well as adherence to corporate values, are key areas that companies should consider.

Source: eponline.com

Integration Point Expands Presence in Asia

Global Trade Management Software Provider Continues Successful Growth

Integration Point, a provider of real time global trade management solutions, announced its expanded Asian presence with the opening of a new office in Gujarat, India. Integration Point is conducting this expansion in response to the continued market growth in the Asia region.

Integration Point provides a web-based Global Trade Management (GTM) system which allows users to securely access up-to-date global trade content, compliance and connectivity at each point of the supply chain transaction. By integrating critical information from otherwise separate systems such as logistics, ERP, warehouse management and local country databases, Integration Point creates a global trade network connecting multiple members of the trade community electronically to regulatory agencies around the world.

“Web-based Global Trade Management technologies provide a lot of potential to help companies improve efficiency and reduce costs in the global supply chain,” noted Integration Point’s Senior VP of Global Markets, Clay Perry. “There is a clear increase in the demand for our products in Asia, and we are responding to that demand with an increased local presence.”

About Integration Point, Inc.

Integration Point®, Inc.’s Real Time Global Trade Management helps many of the best known companies import and export goods more effectively by providing up-to-date international trade compliance. Integration Point’s solution is a comprehensive suite of fully integrated, web-based software products that provide consistent and secure access to information around the clock including: Import/Export Management, Global Classification, C-TPAT, AEO, Denied Party Screening, Free Trade Agreement qualification and Duty Deferral Program participation. Companies dependent on efficient import/export of goods rely on Integration Point to help them quickly and accurately navigate through the often complex and dynamic requirements of global trade. Contact Integration Point at www.IntegrationPoint.net or 704-576-3678.

Xterprise Announces Clarity-CCITM Cold Chain Integrity

Ensuring Safe Shipment, Storage and Handling While Increasing Yield, Quality and Accountability in the Cold Supply Chain

DALLAS, TX - Xterprise Incorporated, the leading global supplier of Solutions for the High Definition Enterprise ™ and a Gold-Certified Microsoft™ ISV partner, announced today the general availability of its Clarity™ CCI - Cold Chain Integrity solution. The solution addresses the need to ensure safe handling, storage and shipment of pharmaceuticals, engineered materials, produce, foods and beverages, and volatile raw materials by continuously monitoring and analyzing various environmental variables that affect the integrity and quality of these products.

"The risk is real and the stakes are high. Whether your industry is pharmaceutical, healthcare, food, beverage, specialized material, or logistics providers to these industries, the loss of a single shipment can range from tens of thousands to hundreds of thousands of dollars," said Jim Caudill, SVP of Marketing and Strategy at Xterprise. "The Clarity CCI™ solution minimizes this risk using Active RFID technology to continuously monitor temperature, movement, humidity, and many other variables, providing highly granular visibility and analysis of these variables across all stakeholders."

By defining the thresholds, limits, sampling intervals and transmission frequencies, the Clarity CCI™ solution can provide detailed statistical analysis, event reporting and alert triggering based on event detection. Continuous process improvements are facilitated with tools to quickly identify error and failure points, and assist with the detection of the root causes.

The solution leverages active Wi-Fi RFID tags from Tyco Electronics that use the G2 Microsystems technology, tested and field deployed by Xterprise and found to meet the unique requirements of the cold chain market. The tags communicate location, sensor measurements, and customer-specific data over existing Wi-Fi infrastructure using industry standard protocols, reducing typical upfront infrastructure investments. With highly sensitive sensory technology, the Tyco tags can accurately monitor and record temperature and humidity, and both are capable of integration to other sensors with built in IO capabilities. The tags also can store sensor data; ensuring a full tracking history of a tagged shipment is available and may be accessed whenever the tag establishes a suitable wireless connection.

For organizations with existing RFID infrastructures, Xterprise combines the Wi-Fi sensor tags with passive Gen 2 tags in the same form factor. This results in maximum reuse of existing Wi-Fi and RFID infrastructures.

Xterprise has a number of current and deployed projects and pilots using Clarity CCI™ in their cold chain supply chains including:

-- Tracking the temperature of reagents used in pharmaceutical
manufacturing from Asia to the U.S. and on to Europe, throughout the
duration of their journey;
-- Tracking temperature exposure of volatile chemicals used in the
semiconductor manufacturing process during shipment and storage.


ABOUT XTERPRISE

Xterprise Incorporated was founded in 2002 as a provider of RFID (Radio Frequency Identification) applications. Today our solutions combine Microsoft platform technology, continuous improvement and lean supply chain expertise, enterprise supply chain systems integration along with RFID technology to deliver previously unachievable levels of visibility, assurance, accuracy, process improvement and value to clients. The Xterprise customer list includes Abbott Labs, Alcon, Allergan, Chicken of the Sea, Dow Corning, Dairy Fresh, Dial Corporation, Eureaka, ExxonMobil, General-Mills, Georgia Pacific, Kraft, iGPS, Intel, L'Oreal, Nokia, Samsung, Schoeller Arca Systems, ShopVac, Continental AG, The Libman Company, The US Department of Veterans Affairs, TIMCO Aviation Services , TNT Express, Toyota Motors N.A., Wells Fargo Bank and many others. The Xterprise global headquarters is located in Carrollton, Texas (Dallas/Fort Worth) and its European office is located in Beverley, UK. For additional information call +1-972-690-9460 US, email info@xterprise.com or visit www.xterprise.com.

New courses on IIMM platter

Jamshedpur: The city chapter of Indian Institute of Materials Management (IIMM) would soon start internationally certified courses for managers and entrepreneurs of Adityapur industrial area.

The initiative comes after software giant Microsoft adopted Adityapur industrial area to develop it into an auto cluster around two months ago.

Those engaged in the supply chain management are now aiming to get certified by institutes of international repute, including World Trade Organisation (WTO), right next to their industrial houses.

The move, a joint initiative of Adityapur Small Industries Association (ASIA) and IIMM, would see the courses begin from June at the ASIA office at Adityapur.

“Last October, we had an interactive session with the small and medium enterprises (SMEs) at Adityapur. There, a need was felt for more organised courses that would help them deal better in both national and international markets. So we proposed to start the courses,” said G.D. Pandey, the IIMM course co-ordinator.

The two international courses that are on the launch pad are a six-month certificate programme in supply chain management from Institute of Supply Management, US, and diploma courses from United Nations Council for Trade and Development, which is under the aegis of World Trade Organisation.

On completion of the courses, the students would be provided with certificates not only from IIMM, but also from these global organisations.

“Today, supply chain is an important part of the entire business set-up. So these courses would be of immense help,” added Pandey.

The move also comes in wake of IIMM adopting supply chain management as its theme for the week- long foundation day celebrations that began on Wednesday.

“We had decided to adopt enhancing efficiency of supply chain management as our theme for this year. That is why, we decided to concentrate on these specific courses,” he added.

Next in the line after the international courses would a two-year MBA programme from Madhya Pradesh Bhoj (Open) University in Bhopal.

Tailor-made for purchase managers and supply chain managers, one can avail a full MBA degree for just Rs 45,000-50,000.

Apart from this, there are also regular courses in material management at both the undergraduate and postgraduate levels.

A panel discussion on the prospects and challenges in supply chain management is also scheduled on Friday.

Source: telegraphindia.com

Concern mounts as oil price nears 120 dollars

SINGAPORE (AFP) — International concern mounted as world oil prices edged closer to 120 dollars a barrel Wednesday and the world's top producer called for calm.

Analysts said a weakening US dollar, supply worries in Nigeria and the OPEC cartel's reluctance to increase output have all contributed to the price surge.

New York's main oil futures contract, light sweet crude for delivery in June, rose four cents to 118.11 dollars per barrel.

The May contract expired on Tuesday after closing at a record 119.37 dollars per barrel at the New York Mercantile Exchange, where it earlier hit an all-time intraday peak of 119.90 dollars.

Global supply jitters have seen oil contracts traded in New York spike by more than 57 dollars in the past year. Price records in New York and London have been broken almost daily over the past week.

Brent North Sea crude for June delivery rose five cents to 116.00 dollars a barrel, after settling at an all-time high of 115.95 dollars on Tuesday in London.

The contract earlier touched a record 116.75 dollars in intraday activity.

"Market sentiment is bullish in the immediate term," said Victor Shum, senior principal of Purvin and Gertz energy consultancy in Singapore.

"The weak US dollar, real supply disruption in Nigeria... are pushing prices higher".

But Shum said there is increasing concern that the rally in oil pricing "has been too much and too fast".

Ministers from 74 countries attending the International Energy Forum in Rome on Tuesday said oil prices should be at levels acceptable to producers and consumers, "to ensure global economic growth, particularly in developing countries."

US President George W. Bush expressed concern at the impact of high price levels on consumers.

Saudi Arabia's petroleum minister, Ali al-Naimi, called for calm in the face of runaway oil prices on Tuesday. He said the world is not running out of oil.

The root of the problem was primarily due to "limited capacity along the entire supply chain.... at its heart, this is not an energy resource issue; it is primarily an investment issue," he said at the Rome forum.

Saudi Arabia is the biggest producer in the Organisation of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC), which on Tuesday said that it plans to increase its production capacity by five million barrels per day (bpd) by 2012.

The cartel's secretary general Abdalla Salem El-Badri said OPEC aimed to boost production capacity by nine million bpd by 2020. Current OPEC output stands at about 32 million bpd.

Shum said OPEC's move would have little impact in the near term.

"Even though OPEC has promised to increase production capacity, the long-term supply increase does not resolve the main factors that are underpinning prices now," he said.

A weakening US dollar has spurred oil demand because dollar-priced oil becomes cheaper for buyers holding stronger foreign currencies.

The euro surged to a record 1.6002 dollars Tuesday on renewed jitters about the US economy.

Global supply worries were stoked after Anglo-Dutch oil group Royal Dutch Shell reported an output loss of 169,000 bpd from sabotage of its key pipelines in southern Nigeria.

Shell said on Monday that it might not be able to honour oil contracts for April and May after the attacks.

Source: afp.google.com/article

Supply Chain Risks Rising, Companies Not Taking Action

NEW YORK — An increasingly global corporate community is making for a higher degree of supply chain risk, but companies in North America have a shocking lack of preparation for disaster, according to a new report released last week by a prominent corporate insurance company.

The problem: Corporations have traditionally allowed risk management to take a backseat to cost, service, and other company priorities, according to Beth Enslow, senior vice president of supply chain risk management practice for insurance broker and risk advisor Marsh Inc.

According to Enslow, the problem speaks to a lack of a holistic approach to supply chain risk management on the corporate level.

“That’s where there’s been a huge black hole,” she said.

Enslow is author of Stemming the Rising Tide of Supply Chain Risks: How Risk Managers’ Roles and Responsibilities Are Changing, a report summarizing a study of 110 North American corporate risk managers conducted by Marsh and Risk & Insurance magazine.

The study asked risk managers to discuss how prepared they are for a storm, tainted product, labor shortage or other event that could disrupt their supply chains.

The results showed an awareness of danger and risk, but very little is being done about it. According to the report, 73 percent of the respondents said supply chain risk has gone up since 2005, and 71 percent of the study’s respondents said the potential financial impact of supply chain disruption has also grown.

Enslow said the increased emphasis on lean and the growing corporate globalization are contributing to the higher risk, along with high-profile media accounts of problems with products from China, such as the lead paint toy scandal or tainted imported drugs killing patients in the U.S.

Despite the increased awareness, when asked to describe how effective their companies were at supply chain risk management, none of the risk managers surveyed indicated “highly effective,” and only 35 percent called their efforts “moderately effective.”

The report also indicated 65 percent of respondents characterized their risk management practices as having a “low” or “unknown” effectiveness, or had no risk management program at all.

Right now, Enslow said, the study indicates corporate leaders prefer a reactionary approach to risk management, rather than a comprehensive plan to prepare for the worst.

“Risk is still kind of a gut feel,” Enslow said, “as opposed to something that is vigorously assessed.”

Enslow said the traditional practice of siloing puts up walls that prevent a company from working as a single unit in a time of crisis. When working on a risk management plan Enslow said management needs to take a holistic approach, using a cross-functional team to make sure everyone in the company remains in the loop.

“It’s almost impossible to assess your supply chain risks if you don’t have that cross-functional view,” she said.

The study shows companies aren’t doing that yet, with only 31 percent of respondents indicating they have cross-functional teams to manage supply chain risks, and 19 percent of respondents—fewer than one in five—from companies with more than $1 billion annual revenue indicated they used cross-functional teams.

Source: scmr.com/article