Cost and Complexity – Factory Perspective on Inventory Golden Rules
The purpose of this blog is to explain a basic costing challenge in factories and their impact on critical SCM analysis and decisions.
Sudoku and SCM: The Binary Connection – A Path To Smarter Solutions
An earlier Sudoku blog recognizing Puzzle Day, provided an overview of solving Sudoku using MILP optimization and mentions these methods are helpful to find solutions in supply or central planning. This blog elaborates on “binary variables” which is the connecting technology between Sudoku and Supply Chain Management (SCM).
Top Ten Holiday Wishes for Directors of “Extended” Supply Chain
With the holiday season, everyone is making their wish list and checking it twice. Here are some ideas to add to any director of supply chain's wish list.
Technology Investment: Lessons from Past Gurus – Importance of Seasoning
For a new technology to be successful it requires the correct seasoning which requires time in the trenches. This blog captures lessons from two past gurus.
COVID Vaccine Logistics: Helpful Lessons from Complex Manufacturing
Today we will discuss a few of the logistics challenges from the perspective of an industry expert with lots of time in the trenches. Arkieva is ready to help Delaware.
Data Science Without Modeling Impact is a Path to Disaster – Simulation to Explore the Impact of Group Size on COVID-19 Spread
In this blog post, we will briefly review some examples of being “COVID-19 adrift” with just data and then focus on the primary task – demonstrating how modeling can be used to understand the impact of group size on COVID-19 spread.
Data Science Tools of the Trade: Monte Carlo Computer Simulation
Monte Carlo Discrete Event Computer Simulation is a particularly powerful and flexible “tool of the trade” for a wide range of challenges in supply chain and operations management. This blog provides some basics on MCDECS, the next blog will use MCDECS to explain why limiting the size of a gathering helps reduce the spread of COVID-19.
Investing in SCM Technology: Sense and Respond – A Vision from A Long Time Ago in A Galaxy Far, Far Away
Having a vision of the future is important to help coordinate SCM initiatives towards the “global good” – but having a vision is worthless without effective work in the trenches. In fact, a far better vision is “sense and respond” SAR which moves an organization from a big bang paradigm periodic driven approach that currently dominates SCM even in best in class organizations to an “as needed” basis.
SCM Technology Investment – INFORMS Provides Critical Information for Success
Before the current set of analytics and SCM experts, it was the OR/MS profession that drove the development and successful application of analytic and data methods to improve supply chain performance. INFORMS continues to lead in the ongoing challenge of more intelligent and responsive supply chains. In this blog, we will point out some keynote addresses from the current meeting of relevance to successful SCM technology investments.
Investing in SCM Technology: 6 Hints for Success – From a Long Time Ago in a Galaxy Far, Far Away
“Chaos, complexity, and uncertainty” often victimize an organization’s supply chain outstripping the ability of spreadsheet-based tools to respond intelligently. Sounds like 2020? In fact, this comes from one of the original Jedi Knights Dr. Harlan Crowder in a 1997 paper titled “Helpful Hints for OR/MS Consultants”. The purpose of this blog is to revisit this paper since the hints for success are as relevant now as they were then.