Skip to content
Search AI Powered

Latest Stories

Forward Thinking

New book shows how to build a supply chain roadmap

A book by Supply Chain Quarterly contributor Hernán David Pérez expands on his popular article, "Supply chain strategies: Which one hits the mark?"

One of the most popular articles ever published in CSCMP's Supply Chain Quarterly is "Supply chain strategies: Which one hits the mark?" Now the author of that article, Hernán David Pérez, has expanded on his ideas in a new book. Supply Chain Roadmap: Aligning supply chain with business strategy describes in detail how managers can answer the question of which type of supply chain is best for their business.

In the book, Pérez, a supply chain manager in Colombia and an adjunct professor of supply chain and operations management, outlines a method for gathering information about an organization's business environment, its competitive positioning, and its current supply chain profile in order to develop a supply chain strategy that can be characterized in the form of a business roadmap.


The book describes a four-step approach to constructing a supply chain map: 1) identify the supply chains operating within an organization and segment the scope of each of them; 2) understand the supply chains' business framework, value, and processes; 3) evaluate the best supply chain "archetype" for each of the company's supply chains; and 4) redesign and redeploy the supply chain to match that archetype.

The book is available from Amazon.com in both paperback and electronic editions.

Recent

More Stories

robots carry goods through a warehouse

Fortna: rethink your distribution strategy for 2025

Facing an evolving supply chain landscape in 2025, companies are being forced to rethink their distribution strategies to cope with challenges like rising cost pressures, persistent labor shortages, and the complexities of managing SKU proliferation.

But according to the systems integrator Fortna, businesses can remain competitive if they focus on five core areas:

Keep ReadingShow less

Featured

shopper uses smartphone in retail store

EY lists five ways to fortify omnichannel retail

In the fallout from the pandemic, the term “omnichannel” seems both out of date and yet more vital than ever, according to a study from consulting firm EY.

That clash has come as retailers have been hustling to adjust to pandemic swings like a renewed focus on e-commerce, then swiftly reimagining store experiences as foot traffic returned. But even as the dust settles from those changes, retailers are now facing renewed questions about how best to define their omnichannel strategy in a world where customers have increasing power and information.

Keep ReadingShow less
artistic image of a building roof

BCG: tariffs would accelerate change in global trade flows

Geopolitical rivalries, alliances, and aspirations are rewiring the global economy—and the imposition of new tariffs on foreign imports by the U.S. will accelerate that process, according to an analysis by Boston Consulting Group (BCG).

Without a broad increase in tariffs, world trade in goods will keep growing at an average of 2.9% annually for the next eight years, the firm forecasts in its report, “Great Powers, Geopolitics, and the Future of Trade.” But the routes goods travel will change markedly as North America reduces its dependence on China and China builds up its links with the Global South, which is cementing its power in the global trade map.

Keep ReadingShow less
woman making purchase with smartphone

C.H. Robinson says shippers are stressed about tariffs and trade changes

Shippers are actively preparing for changes in tariffs and trade policy through steps like analyzing their existing customs data, identifying alternative suppliers, and re-evaluating their cross-border strategies, according to research from logistics provider C.H. Robinson.

They are acting now because survey results show that shippers say the top risk to their supply chains in 2025 is changes in tariffs and trade policy. And nearly 50% say the uncertainty around tariffs and trade policy is already a pain point for them today, the Eden Prairie, Minnesota-based company said.

Keep ReadingShow less
woman shopper with data

RILA shares four-point policy agenda for 2025

As 2025 continues to bring its share of market turmoil and business challenges, the Retail Industry Leaders Association (RILA) has stayed clear on its four-point policy agenda for the coming year.

That strategy is described by RILA President Brian Dodge in a document titled “2025 Retail Public Policy Agenda,” which begins by describing leading retailers as “dynamic and multifaceted businesses that begin on Main Street and stretch across the world to bring high value and affordable consumer goods to American families.”

Keep ReadingShow less