Gone are the days when your business partners and suppliers were conveniently grouped around the industrial park.
Globalization has radically changed the way business is conducted. Managing an organization’s supply chain now includes a number of new variables, such as unknown and distant partners, longer lead times, and even less familiar political and economical landscapes, to name a few. Collaboration, flexibility and out-of-the-box thinking are the new keys for success. But where can companies find the tools to help them rise to this long list of challenges?
Many are turning to a new generation of supply chain management (SCM) solutions that cut across traditional labels like enterprise resource planning (ERP), transportation management systems (TMS) and warehouse management systems.
These are solutions designed for flexibility, scalability and rapid response to shifting demand and unexpected supply chain problems. Some incorporate the cost benefits and convenience of cloud computing, while others offer increased analytics and mobile capabilities.
The end goal is to consistently achieve the perfect order: getting the right product to the right customer at the right time, in the right condition at the right cost.
For a look at the state of SCM solutions, and the major trends driving them forward, check out TEC’s new 2012 Supply Chain Management Buyer’s Guide. This comprehensive guide features key information for SCM buyers, a complete SCM vendor directory, a special report on global trade management and SCM success stories showing how companies like yours have turned supply chain excellence into a competitive advantage.

Comments have been disabled for this post