Supply Chain Experts

You're Only As Strong As Your Weakest Link

Dr. Edward Knab

Dr. Edward Knab's Blog (40)

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How much Risk is in your Global Supply Chain?

For the past 25 years, American businesses have been focused on fine tuning their global supply chains, they have lowered inventory and decreased process time and eliminate cost. All of these efficiencies, and lean production methodologies have been built upon the principles of W. Edwards Deming utilizing sophisticated information technology. Today, more recent events such as political instability in Third World countries, terrorist strikes, piracy, and the shutdown of West Coast shipping docks… Continue

Added by Dr. Edward Knab on November 19, 2009 at 12:00am — No Comments

Managing Supply Chain Risk

Supply Chain Experts motto is that you are only as good as your weakest link, weak supply chain links have cost Boeing, the worlds largest airline manufacturer, billions of dollars and caused years of delays in their Dreamliner program. Today, as Boeing's new 787 Dreamliner program is progressing toward its first delivery, the jet maker is still working to repair its weak supply-chain links. At the same time, overall jet sales for the year are way down. As of May 2009 the Boeing web site report… Continue

Added by Dr. Edward Knab on October 19, 2009 at 2:59am — No Comments

The Science of Selecting the proper ERP Solution

The Science of Selecting the proper ERP Solution

By: Dr. Edward F. Knab

Most organizations are ill equipped to select the most appropriate ERP solution, the task is daunting and if not given the appropriate attention can expose the organization to a significant risk. There is an almost infinite number of horror stories associated with th

… Continue

Added by Dr. Edward Knab on September 23, 2009 at 12:44pm — No Comments

Global Risk and Your Weakest Link!

In a global economy, supply chain risk, means you are “only as good as your weakest link”. Doing business across the globe is an inherently risky business. Supply chain managers have always understood this risk and because of it live in an uncertain universe. After driving prices down across the global supply base for the past four or five years, many supply chain managers have received plenty of accolades from senior management. However, if their supply network begins t

… Continue

Added by Dr. Edward Knab on September 16, 2009 at 1:03pm — No Comments

Four Critical Characteristics of Veracious Leaders

The largest global shortfall is that of leadership; if you don’t believe it, look around. We are surrounded by politicians, bankers, financial advisors, real estate brokers, government officials, charities, educators and others, that all have their hand in the collective cookie jar and espouse to be leaders.

We have conditioned most people to believe that they are not qualified, trained, have th

… Continue

Added by Dr. Edward Knab on September 13, 2009 at 5:00pm — No Comments

Is Your Supply Chain Sustainable?

Sustainability Implies Aligning your Supply Chain Goals with your Business Goals.

The purpose of a green supply chain is to help your company achieve its business objectives, by stimulating innovation, improving productivity, reducing cost (waste) and thereby improving organizational sustainability. If a company decides to use biodegradable packaging for its products that costs 25% more than traditional packaging, and

… Continue

Added by Dr. Edward Knab on September 4, 2009 at 9:49am — No Comments

Collaboration Technology Made Easy

Collaboration effectivness and accurate real time information are keys to 3PL success. This kind of collaboration is easy to talk about but challenging to accomplish. This type of intimacy is challenging to achieve because it is predicated on information and trust. Benefits from this kind of close collaboration and intimacy are real, including synchronization of supply and demand, better asset utilization, reduced cycle times, lower… Continue

Added by Dr. Edward Knab on August 31, 2009 at 11:30am — No Comments

Warehouse Management Systems

Anyone who has explored the option of installing a Warehouse Management System (WMS) in their operation has probably had a similar experience. You called in representatives from the vendors to present your requirements. At this stage, you have spent years optimizing your operation and have reached the point where further improvements require the substantial investment that a WMS entails.

The m

… Continue

Added by Dr. Edward Knab on August 23, 2009 at 11:00am — No Comments

Seven Keys for a Successful Warehouse Management System (WMS) Implementation

Business has spent a great deal of time trying to make their company’s enterprise resource planning (ERP), customer relationship management (CRM), and supply chain management (SCM) systems responsive to business needs.

All too often, though, the real reason a shipment to a customer arrived late, or a customer received the wrong or incomplete shipment, can be traced to operational processes in the warehouse that are poorly d

… Continue

Added by Dr. Edward Knab on August 19, 2009 at 12:12pm — No Comments

What hidden Risks are in Your Supply Chain?

Many organizations have spent years streamlining operations, reengineering processes, integrating with partners, implementing enterprise systems, and moving production to low-cost, offshore locations. They have done all of this in an attempt to improve the service they provide to customers at a more competitive cost. However, creating a global supply chain has brought new risks that you may not have encountered before.

… Continue

Added by Dr. Edward Knab on August 14, 2009 at 10:30am — No Comments

Utilizing Reward Incentives to Control Labor Cost

Rewards programs are not just for frequent flyers and good little boys and girls anymore. Today’s workforce demands recognition and added rewards for performance above minimum expectations. Our society and the workplace are now part of the culture of immediate gratification and material rewards.

A generation fostered and reared by those of us who fit the Baby Boomer mold now dominates the wo

… Continue

Added by Dr. Edward Knab on August 3, 2009 at 9:27pm — No Comments

Survive and Thrive in a Down Economy

It doesn't matter if they call it a recession, depression or something else, the world economies are in the worst slump of the post-WWII era and this downturn is affecting everybody, residential and commercial real estate, construction is at its lowest rate in decades, employment has contracted by 3.2 million jobs and scores of banks and investment firms have failed. Consumer confidence is is now at its lowest level in 50 years. As companies rush to cut cost in these cha

… Continue

Added by Dr. Edward Knab on August 2, 2009 at 11:42am — No Comments

Evolution of Supply Chain Management

The concept of "Supply Chain Management" was first introduced 30 years ago and referred primarily to managing the sourcing process plus logistical issues regarding the movement of materials and supplies; it soon including the shipping and distribution of finished products, to satisfy customer needs. Supply Chain Management (SCM) then encompassed the theory of Just In Time (JIT) where every step in manufacturing process was, in theory, executed with perfect with timing and designed to deliver

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Added by Dr. Edward Knab on July 27, 2009 at 1:19pm — No Comments

Top 7 Global Supply Chain Complexities

We have already experienced major challenges in the global supply chain resulting from the downturn in the global economy. We are facing a number of significant issues that have impact sourcing strategies and the flow of working capital. Several issues are hangovers from 2008's economic turbulence and some are just starting to develop. The inability to properly addressed these critical issues may result in significant unexpected costs and increased disruptions in importers and exporters suppl

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Added by Dr. Edward Knab on July 24, 2009 at 12:52am — 2 Comments

Is RFID in Your Future?

It is often suggested that RFID tags are a replacement for UPC or EAN barcodes; while it is true that they have a number of important advantages over the older barcode technology, it is not so clear that this technology shift will occur anytime soon. Many technology experts now believe that RFID may not ever com… Continue

Added by Dr. Edward Knab on July 21, 2009 at 8:23pm — No Comments

Signs You May Need a Supply Chain Consultant

Everyone has heard the story of the man who took a taxi to work every day because he couldn’t afford to buy a car. Usually we smile wryly and silently congratulate ourselves for being smart enough to avoid that trap. But many companies who have insufficient liquidity to make critical investments in prime business activities unknowingly have fallen into the trap. Often companies set a hurdle of a 3 year or less payback on investment. Much has been written on the negative aspects of this outlook,… Continue

Added by Dr. Edward Knab on July 20, 2009 at 10:26am — No Comments

Rewards Progams Lead to Effective Labor Management

Rewards programs are not just for frequent flyers and good little boys and girls anymore. Today’s workforce demands recognition and added rewards for performance above minimum expectations. Our society and the workplace are now part of the culture of immediate gratification and material rewards. A generation fostered and reared by those of us who fit the Baby Boomer mold now dominates the workforce. This generation - “X”, “Y”, “Z”, or whatever – has taken the concept of recognition, and many ot… Continue

Added by Dr. Edward Knab on July 15, 2009 at 9:05am — No Comments

Planning your next Distribution Center

Think carefully about why you need it. Begin with two assumptions: 1.) Match the benefits against the resources that must be committed to a new distribution center (DC), and 2.) Connect each category of resource expenditure to a specific benefit What is the business objective? Support increases in sales (output benefit) Support increases in inventory (storage benefit) Increase productivity (cost benefit) Improve distribution capability (quality benefit) Move closer to sources (cost and/or time… Continue

Added by Dr. Edward Knab on July 13, 2009 at 11:28am — No Comments

Communicating Your Vision

It’s the leader’s job to communicate the vision to the organization and team. The first step is to ensure that the content and substance of your vision is relevant to the community. Once you have a great vision the next step is to ensure that the vision is communicated effectively. The way you go about communicating your vision is critical, communication can make or break your vision. 1. Stories. When you tell a good story, you give life to a vision. The telling of stories creates trust, captur… Continue

Added by Dr. Edward Knab on July 11, 2009 at 11:56pm — No Comments

Is your Supply Chain Lean?

The key areas of supply chain concern are demand management, outsourcing and inventory management. In many organizations, supply chains are disconnected, and business processes are not tightly linked to suppliers or internal/external customer requirements. Organizations that have Lean Supply Chains focus on the fo… Continue

Added by Dr. Edward Knab on July 11, 2009 at 8:52am — No Comments

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