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Focusing on Efficiency in Logistics is No Longer Enough: Flexibility is Key
In today’s high-risk and uncertain supply chain environment, organizations must plan for disruptions and minimize their impact by balancing tradeoffs between efficiency and flexibility in logistics. While the focus on logistics efficiency alone has been a norm, recent years have underscored…
Tips to Drive Supply Chain Success Amid Uncertainty
This is an important time for the supply chain profession. Supply chains are in the news, on governments’ agendas, and in the spotlight. Supply chain professionals are facing disruptions on multiple fronts, including rising geopolitical tensions among countries and regions, shifting maritime trade…
Develop Contingency Plans for Supply Chain Disruptions
While organizations cannot avoid the unexpected, supply chain professionals can develop a “just in case” playbook with contingency plans to activate when alternatives are needed.A contingency plan spells out the actions to take, such as reallocating money, people, equipment, and other resources,…
Top 5 Procurement Strategic Objectives
APQC research shows that procurement is changing for the better with its strategic objectives. While in the past the focus was on cost savings, now there’s also an emphasis on avoiding supply disruption. Reflecting other changes in business environments, additional notable objectives include…
ESG Changing Supply Chain Decision-Making
In the current market, the increasing importance of Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) is primarily influenced by new regulations and customers' ever evolving expectations. Business customers and consumers are increasingly aware of their purchases' social and environmental impacts,…
UPS Uses Big Data ORION Project to Transform Delivery through Better Navigation
Last month, Ryan Mervyn, former ORION project manager and current engineering coordinator at United Parcel Services (UPS), and Peter Frohling, current ORION manager, presented on an APQC webinar. Mervyn and Frohling provide a general overview of UPS' ORION program, the results and significance seen…
Nike, Microsoft, and the NFL Tackle Innovation
What do Nike, SG Helmets, and Microsoft have in common? They are driving innovation in the products used by players and coaches in the National Football League (NFL). Although the game itself hasn’t changed dramatically over the years, today’s players in the NFL can play in greater comfort and…
4 Things Smart Leaders Are Doing to Grow STEM Expertise in Logistics (Infographic)
There are many emerging and continuing trends around talent management that are impacting the transportation and logistics sector. Due to a retiring workforce there is a need to place qualified talent into the increasing number of jobs becoming available in the logistics and transportation…
Do Supply Chains Adapt Fast Enough to Changes in Market Conditions?
The complex nature of doing business in a global market can be a challenge for organizations’ supply chains. Supply chain experts have encouraged organizations to become adaptable so that they can maintain an advantage over competitors, and many companies have responded by stepping up their efforts…
Conquering Procurement Begins With Cost Effectiveness
Tuesday, August 5, APQC will be hosting a webinar to discuss the results of its research on how top performers in procurement compare to other organizations. APQC’s Open Standards Benchmarking in procurement data was used to identify procurement top performers as organizations with high…