-- Ability to accurately forecast demand across multiple channels and
tiers,
-- Supply chain agility (e.g. ability to re-route in-transit shipments),
-- Clearly defined executive sponsor or champion for supply chain
collaboration,
-- Effective integration of trading partner data into internal processes,
-- Effective supply chain partner collaboration in sales and operations
planning (S&OP), customer demand forecasting, inventory management and
invoice reconciliation,
-- Ability to track supply chain costs at line-item level at all stages
in the supply chain,
-- Standardized integration methods with suppliers/ customers/ other
supply chain partners,
-- Supply chain visibility, integration and S&OP software technology
deployment.
The most represented industries among the survey participants are:
industrial manufacturing, consumer goods, pharmaceutical manufacturing,
food / beverage, and retail / apparel / distribution. In the past several
years, retail and consumer companies in particular have been increasingly
more focused on driving supply chain efficiencies, due to the high
complexity of their multi-tiered networks and evolving roles in the sector
(e.g. retailers becoming brand manufacturers).
Nari Viswanathan, VP and Principal Analyst, who co-authored the report,
concludes: "Supply chain complexity has gradually led companies to lose
visibility and control over their network-wide supply chain operations and
performance metrics. This study finds that visibility and responsiveness
have become the necessary ingredients for success in today's multi-tiered
supply-demand networks."
A complimentary copy of this report is made available due in part by the
following underwriters: Inovis and QLogitek. To obtain a complimentary copy
of the report, visit: http://www.aberdeen.com/link/sponsor.asp?cid=5845.
For additional access to complimentary Supply Chain Management Research, please visit
http://research.aberdeen.com/index.php/-supply-chain-management
About Aberdeen Group, a Harte-Hanks Company
Aberdeen provides fact-based research and market intelligence that delivers
demonstrable results. Having queried more than 30,000 companies in the
past two years, Aberdeen is positioned to educate users to action: driving
market awareness, creating demand, enabling sales, and delivering
meaningful return-on-investment analysis. As the trusted advisor to the
global technology markets, corporations turn to Aberdeen Group for insights
that drive decisions.
As a Harte-Hanks Company, Aberdeen plays a key role of putting content in
context for the global direct and targeted marketing company. Aberdeen's
analytical and independent view of the "customer optimization" process of
Harte-Hanks (Information - Opportunity - Insight - Engagement -
Interaction) extends the client value and accentuates the strategic role
Harte-Hanks brings to the market. For additional information, visit Aberdeen or call (617) 723-7890, or to
learn more about Harte-Hanks,
call (800) 456-9748.
© 2009 Aberdeen Group, Inc., a Harte-Hanks Company 451 D Street, Suite 710 Boston, Massachusetts 02210-1928 Telephone: (617) 854-5200 Fax: (617) 723-7897 www.aberdeen.com
Contact Information: Media Contact: Viktoriya Sadlovska Aberdeen Harte-Hanks Viktoriya.Sadlovska@aberdeen.com (617) 854-5239 Nari Viswanathan Aberdeen Harte-Hanks Nari.viswanathan@aberdeen.com (972) 580-0940