Supply Chain Radio

All across the world, they serve as haunting reminders of the fleeting nature of prosperity. In this spooky, special episode of Supply Chain Radio we explore the ruins of the Packard Automotive Plant in Detroit, Michigan. What truths from its demise continue to haunt automakers today?

New competition and the rise of e-commerce have rewritten the rules in retail. As the industry undergoes a difficult transition, many retailers have realized that it's time to get back to what made them successful in the first place: focusing on the customer. In this episode we share some examples from the recent Shoptalk Europe conference of how technology is powering the personalized supply chain.

What do networking, logistics, last-mile delivery, and disruptive technology have to do with each other? Guy Courtin catches up with Raffi Setrakian, a logistics analyst at Danone, to find out.

Digital transformation remains a hot topic in supply chain, as new technologies and new business models are reshaping the way goods are bought, made, moved, and sold in today's global economy. But where do you begin? In this episode, Matt Gunn and Guy Courtin discuss the maturity model approach to digital supply chain transformation, and how businesses of all types can measure their progress toward a digitally connected future.

It's no secret the retail industry faces strong headwinds as customer shopping habits evolve. After all, why go into a store when you can just buy something online? It's put new emphasis on the types of experiences retailers can provide, and the consistency of service across all channels. In this episode, we explore how the supply chain can be a competitive advantage in the age of experiences.

As the promise of Artificial Intelligence excites people across the business world, we explore what exactly "business A.I." will look like.  As it turns out, the supply chain has many traits that make it the ideal testbed for A.I. implementation.  But where will businesses start?  In this episode, supply chain technology experts George Boston and Brittany Brown join Supply Chain Radio host Suhas Sreedhar to talk about our automated future.

Hurricane season can wreak havoc on cities, businesses, and people's lives. And with storms like Harvey and Irma affecting the United States and Caribbean, 2017 could be one of the most disruptive hurricane seasons on record. In this episode we discuss the effort that goes into keeping the supply chain going through these black swan events, and the role businesses play in their communities after a storm. 

Whether it’s groceries and meal kits, clothing and accessories, or even cosmetics and wine, there’s likely a subscription service available to provide it. And consumers have embraced this new breed of services at hypersonic speed thanks to competitive pricing, convenience, personalization, and strong customer experiences. But as these services scale, it puts new strain on the supply chain. Do they have what it takes to keep up? We find out in this episode of Supply Chain Radio.

Maryanna Kersten, senior manager of global logistics at Del Monte Foods, discusses the challenges and opportunities of moving food around the globe, and how technology enables digital transformation in this episode of Supply Chain Radio.

Bimodal supply chain strategies, digital transformation, the Amazon effect, the ongoing debate around true supply chain visibility and orchestration. Greg Kefer and automotive industry expert Scott Conover discuss all these topics and more in this episode of Supply Chain Radio.

What's in a name? Ask anyone in the supply chain community what "visibility" means and they'll surely be able to give you an answer. The problem is, not everyone's answers will be the same. In this episode, Greg Kefer and Guy Courtin examine definitions and their consequences. Can companies still achieve "visibility" and operate as "networks" without a clear consensus on what those terms mean?

Every year, the CSCMP publishes a report on the state of the logistics industry within the US.  Countless hours of research goes into the project.  What we get are some fascinating and important facts, like the fact that logistics, as an industry accounts for 7.8% of total GDP, a staggering $1.3 trillion.  But how can the report help you plan for the future?  In this episode, Greg Kefer sits down with one of the authors of the report,  Sean Monahan of A.T. Kearney, for a behind-the-scenes look.

Global trade management is an oft-used and often misunderstood term in supply chain. In this episode, we chat with American Shipper's Eric Johnson on the evolution of GTM and what it means for business today.

Recorded live from the Gartner Supply Chain Executive Conference, where big themes are front and center, this episode delves into the current and future state of supply chain.  John Atherton of Accenture's supply chain consulting team talks with Greg Kefer about the latest trends in supply chain, including the changing science and art of managing tomorrow's supply chains.

Gartner’s 2017 Supply Chain Executive Conference was all about bi-modal supply chains, supply chain visibility, and digital transformation.  We also saw new concepts emerge around networks – Gartner opened by describing “digital ecosystems” a new way to orchestrate across global value chains.  Recorded on the show floor, in this episode, Greg Kefer and Guy Courtin discuss key observations from the event.

On-demand services have changed the game for consumers. And now even companies like UPS and FedEx are learning a thing or two from the Ubers and Lyfts of the world. Particularly when it comes to surge pricing -- you know, that cost multiplier that comes into effect when demand is high and supply is low. In this episode, Matt Gunn and Guy Courtin discuss how business services are changing, and why supply chain visibility and demand planning are more important than ever.

We all know that technology is the great disruptor. But the extent to which big data, analytics, AI, and machine learning are taking over industries as diverse as marketing and supply chain is eye-opening. In this episode, Greg Kefer and Suhas Sreedhar share their thoughts about the consequences of 'data, data everywhere'  - are we losing sight of what's really important?

The 3rd annual Fashion Revolution Week highlights growing pressure for brands to answer the question, "who made my clothes?" in greater detail.  Supply chain transparency is at the heart of the issue.  It' a complex, multi-layer problem, but there are tangible steps businesses can start taking to satisfy growing consumer pressure.

Shifting demographics and an increasingly informed consumer base are affecting the supply chains across multiple industries, leading companies to adapt quickly to challenges that are often outside of their control. Are businesses up to the challenge? Guy Courtin and Matt Gunn explore how leaders in highly distributed global supply chains step up to the task.

Consumers know more than ever about the products they buy. And so do lawmakers. With global trade coming under the regulatory microscope, there's a looming threat of disruption ahead. American Shipper's Eric Johnson joins Matt Gunn to discuss the uncertain future of trade and how supply chain professionals can rise to the challenge.