Big Ideas in Supply Chain
Kinaxis
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Top 10 Big Ideas in Supply Chain Episodes
Goodpods has curated a list of the 10 best Big Ideas in Supply Chain episodes, ranked by the number of listens and likes each episode have garnered from our listeners. If you are listening to Big Ideas in Supply Chain for the first time, there's no better place to start than with one of these standout episodes. If you are a fan of the show, vote for your favorite Big Ideas in Supply Chain episode by adding your comments to the episode page.
Embracing innovation for a futuristic supply chain
Big Ideas in Supply Chain
11/30/23 • 22 min
As supply chains continue to evolve in a post-pandemic landscape, many supply chain practitioners are wondering how to best stay on top of trends. In today's competitive environment, knowing how to deliver the right product the right way and being able to optimize data and analytics could make or break your organization. In this podcast, Mohan Sodhi, Professor of Operations & Supply Chain Management at the Bayes Business School at the City University of London, and Jayashankar Swaminathan, Professor of Operations at the University of North Carolina, join Angel Mendez, Board Member and Supply Chain Innovator, and Dr. Anne Robinson, Chief Strategy Officer at Kinaxis, to discuss how to bring innovation to the forefront of your organization so you can optimize supply chains for the future.
- Mohan says that the biggest opportunities in supply chain innovation depend entirely on how much change is required within your supply chain. If you’re keeping your supply chain constant, then new innovations like AI or predictive learning technologies can be used to enhance it, making it more effective and efficient. However, some companies are being forced to shift their processes due to changing consumer habits. He uses music as an example to explain how products may stay the same, but the delivery method could change, highlighting how we went from tapes, to CDs, to MP3s and now streaming. [5:19]
- Keeping up with innovation isn’t easy for chief supply chain officers that are focused on day-to-day executions. Jay explains that there are a lot of opportunities to explore and get started at universities, or even online learning courses like Coursera. He also recommends having a business case or pilot put in place to determine the value of embracing innovation by solving a real problem. Jay states, “if you want to be successful at innovation you need to try a lot of things. 75%-80% of attempts will fail but you shouldn’t lose heart.” [17:01]
- Looking towards the future of supply chain innovation, Mohan says most of the students he teaches are interested in digital technology like AI, blockchain, and creating a start-up model. Jay says he’s seen a significant shift with his students who were once interested in the global aspect of supply chain and are now looking closer at digitization and making the supply chain more responsive. [19:53]
To hear more from Mohan, Jay, Angel, and Anne about embracing innovation for a futuristic supply chain, watch our Big Ideas in Supply Chain podcast.
To learn more about the work that Mohan is doing at the Bayes Business School at the City University of London, you can follow him on LinkedIn and Twitter.
To learn more about the work Jay is doing at the University of North Carolina, you can follow him on LinkedIn and Twitter.
Transform your supply chain using ASCM’s SCOR DS model, With Peter Bolstorff
Big Ideas in Supply Chain
08/15/23 • 22 min
Supply chain disruptions and shifts in ESG requirements have changed how companies are operating, making it more important than ever to use the right tools and processes to reach resilience, profit, and sustainability goals. Peter Bolstorff, Executive Vice President of Innovation and Business Intelligence at ASCM (Association for Supply Chain Management), joins Allen Jacques, Industry Thought Leader at Kinaxis, to talk about staying ahead in this changing landscape. As part of this discussion, they explore the revamped SCOR DS (Supply Chain Operations Deference Digital Standard), a digital, open-access model providing methodology, diagnostic and benchmarking tools so organizations can make rapid improvements in supply chain processes.
Peter talks about changes adopted in SCOR DS to address today’s challenges, including the need for bi-directional, concurrent supply chain orchestration and new metrics that account for resilience, profit, and sustainability. [3:10]
Peter discusses the idea of resilience, and how the supply chain can improve an organization’s ability to be resilient. He speaks about two dimensions to resilience: operational resilience (being faced with disruption and needing to respond immediately) and strategic resilience (processes that allow you to learn from this situation, add it to a playbook, and be more resilient and agile in future responses). He also talks about the importance of balancing both dimensions to operationalize resilience. [7:25]
Peter touches on the trends that supply chain professionals should be focusing on. For the first time they’re seeing a substantial shift, with a dominant theme of using AI to be more sustainable. [16:31]
Upcoming events:
- To learn more about concurrent planning, you can find Kinaxis at the “Innovation Lab: Concurrent Planning with Kinaxis” session at the ASCM Connect 2023: North America event at 9:30 am – 10:30 am at Louisville, Kentucky between Sep 11-13, 2023.
- To learn more about SCOR DS and Integrated Business Planning, you can find Peter and Allen at their cohosted session at the ASCM Supply Chain Tour at 9:30 am - 5 pm at Anaheim on September 26, 2023.
Registrations are now open! Get your tickets today and use the promo code KINAXIS for $100 off for either event.
Driving sustainability goals through supply chain innovation, with Colgate-Palmolive’s Ann Tracy
Big Ideas in Supply Chain
07/31/23 • 16 min
Sustainability is a topic at the forefront of every stakeholder, company, and consumer’s mind. As regulatory practices become stricter and companies strive to hit their ESG sustainability targets, driving supply chain innovation is now more important than ever. In the latest Big Ideas in Supply Chain podcast, Ann Tracy, Chief Sustainability Officer at Colgate-Palmolive, speaks with Dr. Anne Robinson, Chief Strategy Officer at Kinaxis, to discuss Colgate-Palmolive’s bold approach to reducing environmental impacts and improving social and climate justice.
- Ann says she doesn’t see how companies can move forward and achieve sustainability without supply chain innovation. Organizations need to be ready and willing to tackle sustainability at Scope One, Two, and Three because carbon emissions and social impact exist at every step of the supply chain. [5:34]
- Colgate-Palmolive has three ambition pillars to help them tackle sustainability: driving social impact, helping millions of homes, and preserving the environment. Their flagship program, Bright Smiles, Bright Futures, brings oral health and hygiene to children globally and they’re constantly designing more sustainable products. [8:19]
- Smaller organizations that want to become more sustainable should begin by doing a materiality assessment and mapping out what’s important and relevant for stakeholders and what’s important for their business to determine which priorities should be tackled first. Ann states that one approach is to adopt environmentally conscious behaviors across operations that can save money. For example, more efficient boilers, heat exchangers, and other equipment of that nature are more sustainable and can even reduce the amount of water or heat used. [15:12]
To learn more about the speakers and follow them, see below:
Ann Tracy, Chief Sustainability Officer, Colgate-Palmolive
- LinkedIn handle: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ann-tracy-35648711
Dr. Anne Robinson, Chief Strategy Officer, Kinaxis
- LinkedIn handle: https://www.linkedin.com/in/anne-robinson-449225/
- Twitter handle: @agrobins
Take S&OP to the next level, with Solventure CEO Bram Desmet
Big Ideas in Supply Chain
07/14/23 • 29 min
S&OP is a crucial and essential process within the supply chain – but only if companies are willing to upgrade their existing capabilities so it can deliver on its promises. In our latest Big Ideas in Supply Chain video podcast, Bram Desmet, CEO of Solventure, and Matt Spooner, Industry Thought Leader at Kinaxis, discuss what organizations can do to improve their decision-making processes by using new technology, working collaboratively, and balancing service, cost, and cash.
- Bram states that a typical S&OP process can take four weeks or more – by the time this information makes it to the decision-making process, the data is already too old to use. To remedy this, Bram says using new technology like AI, as opposed to outdated applications like Excel, and removing siloed work can make a significant difference. [3:42]
- Bram says that S&OP is more crucial and essential than ever when it comes to balancing service, cash, and cost – but for it to be successful, companies need to upgrade their material maturity level. Bram states that the ideal standard level that all companies should operate under is maturity level 5, which means organizations are connected to key customers, key suppliers, and can make value-based decisions. [9:13]
- S&OP is continuously updating, which is why Bram believes the process shouldn’t be limited to monthly meetings. S&OP should be reviewed using real-time data so latencies can be removed, and forecasting can be conducted with robust analysis. [18:25]
To learn more about the speakers and follow them, see below:
Bram Desmet, CEO of Solventure
- LinkedIn profile: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bramdesmet/
- Twitter handle: @bram_desmet
- Personal website: www.bramdesmet.com
Matt Spooner, Industry Thought Leader at Kinaxis
- LinkedIn profile: https://www.linkedin.com/in/spoonermatthew/
Supply chain innovation at Eaton
Big Ideas in Supply Chain
06/15/23 • 16 min
Eaton is a leader in power management technologies that solve complex electrical and industrial issues around the world. They’re also leaders in innovation when it comes to its supply chain. Rogerio Branco, Executive Vice President and Chief Supply Chain Officer at Eaton, joins Dr. Anne Robinson, Chief Strategy Officer at Kinaxis, to discuss Eaton’s commitment to innovation, diversity and inclusivity in the latest episode of our Big Ideas in Supply Chain podcast.
The pandemic put a spotlight on certain supply chain realities that needed to change, and Eaton realized some of its traditional supply chain planning processes and tools were no longer efficient. To channel new ideas, the company turned to its global supply chain team of 4,000 associates and created an incubation lab with a physical location that’s also virtual. According to Rogerio, anyone in the company can bring ideas forward and if it meets their goals and criteria, those ideas will be validated and tested in real applications. [2:08]
Eaton also strives to be a model of diversity and inclusivity as a company. Rogerio states it’s taken very seriously, noting that 60% of Eaton’s board and 35% of its global supply chain team is diverse. Additionally, they offer company-wide initiatives to bring in suppliers that are owned by women, minority groups, and LGBTQ+. Rogerio states that this dedication to diversity helps improve innovation within the company because everyone gets to have a voice to provide input in a safe space where they’re free to incubate new ideas without judgement. [9:33]
You can learn more about supply chain innovation at Eaton by watching the full episode here: https://big-ideas-in-supply-chain.simplecast.com/episodes/supply-chain-innovation-at-eaton
To learn more about the speakers and follow them, access their LinkedIn profiles here:
- Rogerio Branco - https://www.linkedin.com/in/rogerio-branco-12598aa
- Dr. Anne Robinson - [https://www.linkedin.com/in/anne-robinson-449225
Predicting ChatGPT's impact on the future of supply chain
Big Ideas in Supply Chain
05/31/23 • 21 min
Generative AI applications such as ChatGPT are waking people up to the potential of AI, and some C-level executives are wondering how it could augment the way supply chain practitioners can solve complex issues requiring ideation and decision-making. Mike Watson, faculty member at Northwestern University and Polly Mitchell-Guthrie, VP, Industry Outreach & Thought Leadership at Kinaxis, speculate how ChatGPT could refine data, impact productivity, and empower practitioners to develop more efficient supply chains.
Mike says the recent popularity of ChatGPT has piqued the interest of many C-level executives who are now starting to think seriously about AI and the value it can add in terms of increasing business and individual resource productivity. [5:12]
While many people fear job loss when it comes to adopting AI, Mike feels optimistic that this new technology will assist rather than replace many roles in the industry. For example, a supply chain planner or data analyst might not be able to code, but with the help of Generative AI, they may be able to produce a code that can automate certain tasks. [10:32]
Mike states there is a lot of potential for generative AI within the supply chain including tasks like automation and the possibility of creating a ChatGPT based application focused solely on supply chain solutions. However, Polly points out that AI lacks context, collaboration, and conscience, which all prevent it from making complex, informed decisions – which still require a human judgement. [17:21]
The CFO’s perspective on recession, inflation and supply chain success
Big Ideas in Supply Chain
04/26/23 • 19 min
As the world continues to face challenges from pandemic-related disruptions to potential global recessions, it is now more important than ever to equip supply chain planners with the tools and knowledge they need to respond to crisis. Blaine Fitzgerald, Chief Financial Officer at Kinaxis, and Jim Bralsford, Sr. Director of Industry and Solutions Marketing at Kinaxis, discuss the benefits of long-term planning, diversifying costs and minimizing financial impact to business while preparing for the future.
Blaine states that while some geographies such as US, Japan and parts of Europe have gone in and out of recession, there are other financial indicators such as the inverted yield curve that could imply that the recession isn’t over yet. This means organizations still need to take proactive measures to reduce the impact of recession and inflationary pressures on supply chains. To help companies accelerate out of a slow-growth period, Blaine recommends thinking of the supply chain as a strategy center and not just as a cost center; investing in digitalized planning solutions; engaging in short-term vs long-term supply chain planning and diversification of cost. [5:53]
Blaine also talks about the independent academic research that analyzed the financial performance of about 700 companies (including Kinaxis customers) across different industries over the last 3 years. The results showed that financial metrics improved in companies that used a digital supply chain planning solution, with average growth revenue of 3.62%, vs peers that didn’t use a supply chain planning solution, where growth shrunk by 5.77% on revenue. The results of this study have solidified and elevated the rank of supply chains as a strategic function with direct impact on financial success, in the eyes of boards and executives. This pivotal shift is a key learning from the pandemic and recession that CFOs and CEOs cannot overlook going into future business planning. [10:37]
To learn more about Blaine Fitzgerald, Chief Financial Officer, Kinaxis: https://www.linkedin.com/in/blaine-fitzgerald-71a07972, Twitter: @Blaine_Fitz
To learn more about Jim Bralsford, Sr. Director, Industry and Solutions Marketing, Kinaxis: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jimbralsford/
Turning supply chain disruption on its head
Big Ideas in Supply Chain
03/14/23 • 18 min
In this series debut, Anne and Angel share their thoughts about the supply chain renaissance and pandemic disruptions. Specifically, the lessons that we can learn from living through such a disruptive period and what supply chain practitioners can do to prepare for a tumultuous future. Join them for a discussion about the importance of organizing lessons learnt from the supply chain triage, emphasizing innovation and delivering results.
Intro to guest
- Angel Mendez is a supply chain expert, transformational leader, and visionary with nearly 40 years of experience. He is joining Dr. Anne Robinson, Chief Strategy Officer at Kinaxis, as a guest host in a new series of our Big Ideas in Supply Chain video podcasts. Watch now as they discuss the importance of lessons learned from the pandemic, embracing disruption and creating innovation for the future.
Summary points
- As part of the new Big Ideas in Supply Chain podcast series, Angel Mendez is joining Dr. Anne Robinson as a new cohost. Angel is a supply chain expert, transformational leader and visionary with nearly 40 years of experience. Angel is passionate about bringing big ideas forward and sharing his expertise.
- The COVID pandemic created significant disruption in supply chain, which continues to be felt today. Angel believes that there are a lot of valuable lessons that supply chains can take away from managing mass disruption, and it’s important to collect and codify what was learned during this time to prepare for an uncertain future. [1:20]
- Many supply chain practitioners are wondering what can be done to ensure the effects of disruption aren’t felt to this level of magnitude again. Angel argues that this is an unfair question due to the current unstable environmental and economic landscape. [3:20]
- It’s important to take advantage of the crisis and disruption we faced so we can become stronger and benefit from it at the end of the day – so how do we embrace it? Angel suggests that one solution is for the vendor community and practitioner community to come together to figure out how to harness change, and digital transformation can assist with this collaboration. Another suggestion is to continue accelerating innovation because we need more agile and adaptable solutions for an uncertain future. [8:00]
- Angel states that a supply chain renaissance began in the early 2010s thanks to the explosion of cloud services and the ability to be API driven, which spurred a period of innovation. [8:00] He mentions that the pandemic forced this innovation to pause, but now, to counter the effects of this disruption, innovation has started to accelerate once again to make sure we’re prepared for a tumultuous future. Anne and Angel believe that a great way for organizations to encourage this is to create a formal innovation team. [10:00]
Speaker Bios
- Click here to follow Dr. Anne Robinson https://www.linkedin.com/in/anne-robinson-449225
- Click here to follow Angel Mendez https://www.linkedin.com/in/angel-l-mendez-98288/
How supply chain planning can drive sustainability
Big Ideas in Supply Chain
01/31/23 • 19 min
Sustainability has become an increasingly important area of focus for corporations over the last 20 years. So, what role does supply chain planning play in improving it and reducing CO2 emissions? In this podcast, Stefano Picasso, former VP of Integrated Supply Chain at Carlsberg and Matt Spooner, Industry Thought Leader at Kinaxis,talk about building a more sustainable future.
Navigating sustainability challenges in semiconductors: With Deloitte's Michelle Dumais
Big Ideas in Supply Chain
04/11/24 • 15 min
How do you operationalize sustainability in the semiconductor industry where rapid innovation and faster product life cycles add ever-changing complexities to the supply chain?
For Michele Dumais, Manager within the Supply Chain Management practice at Deloitte Consulting, it’s all about driving data, collaboration, and ensuring supply chain practitioners are involved in strategic planning. Polly Mitchell-Guthrie, VP of Industry Outreach and Thought Leadership at Kinaxis, joins Michelle to discuss the challenges of improving sustainability within the semiconductor industry. They discuss practical strategies to incorporate sustainability into existing capabilities and processes, the evolving role of AI in harnessing data and how everyone from engineers to suppliers can make an earth-friendly impact.
- Michelle says one of the biggest challenges semiconductor organizations face when it comes to embracing sustainability is properly managing big data throughout the different supplier tiers to address the biggest sources of emissions. It becomes especially tricky on a global scale because there are different ways to collect the data and questions regarding standardization. [06:15]
- Michelle says that it’s particularly difficult for semiconductor organizations because scope 3 emissions usually occur outside of a supply chain’s internal operations, but the good news is companies are starting to review the data through advanced dashboards for increased visibility, and AI can help create suggestions on how to best use that data to move toward sustainability goals. [8:53]
- To begin operationalizing sustainability initiatives, Michelle states that companies should begin with four main areas: getting the right data; alignment with their internal team to work towards a sustainability strategy that isn’t siloed; assess their capabilities and update processes; and look at readiness in terms of having the right talent, processes and technology in place. [12:55]
To hear more from Michelle and Polly about navigating sustainability challenges in the semiconductor industry, listen to our Big Ideas in Supply Chain Podcast.
To learn more about the work Michelle is doing at Deloitte Consulting, you can follow her on LinkedIn.
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FAQ
How many episodes does Big Ideas in Supply Chain have?
Big Ideas in Supply Chain currently has 34 episodes available.
What topics does Big Ideas in Supply Chain cover?
The podcast is about Management, Supply Chain, Podcasts, Technology and Business.
What is the most popular episode on Big Ideas in Supply Chain?
The episode title 'Transform your supply chain: The Crawl-Walk-Run method, with Jamieson Wellness' is the most popular.
What is the average episode length on Big Ideas in Supply Chain?
The average episode length on Big Ideas in Supply Chain is 23 minutes.
How often are episodes of Big Ideas in Supply Chain released?
Episodes of Big Ideas in Supply Chain are typically released every 17 days.
When was the first episode of Big Ideas in Supply Chain?
The first episode of Big Ideas in Supply Chain was released on May 26, 2020.
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