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Business Management Articles

 
Retail S&OP
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written by Ronald Ireland and Mary Adamy
Retailers are always looking for ways to cut costs, and suppliers are always trying to maintain margins and profits. Yet waste in the supply chain is easily identifiable, both internally and externally. Read these three articles on Retail Sales & Operations Planning and the linkage using CPFR to see the importance and the benefits that this industry transformation will have.

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The Migration to Retail S&OP

 
Business Process Transformation Framework (BPTF)
BPTF
written by Rick Burris and Robert E. Howard, Oliver Wight Principals, with contribution from Tom Mercer, Value Chain Group model architect

There is a strong business case for the need to add value to process improvement technology which is largely predicated on the high percentage of failures in transformation projects. Today’s globally competitive environment demands that companies deliver value to both customers and investors. System installations or upgrades continue to be chosen to drive productivity and service improvement but they must be transparent to customers and valuable to investors. This article series makes a case that the solution lies in replacing the traditional process design methodology with an innovative approach which is enabled through the Business Process Transformation Framework (BPTF) process design methodology. BPTF addresses the pitfalls of failures by coupling the advances in this process design with the enablers to success. BPTF leverages rules-based ontology (vocabulary and relationships) and a modeling tool for developing design solutions which can be effectively adapted and communicated across the business.

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Demand Planning

Demand Planning Articles
written by:
Susan Storch, Oliver Wight Principal

Demand planning, often underutilized in the best of times as a means of improving cash flow and profitability, may become your lifeline in this recession. This four-part series discusses demand planning best practices in relation to surviving, even thriving, in the recessionary period and preparing to come out the other side in the best possible financial health.

  • The first part will make the case for improving demand planning processes without delay.
  • Part two will explain best practices in demand planning that are of particular relevance in a recession.
  • The third part will discuss the people implications and change management requirements to implement and operate these processes at peak performance.
  • Part four will lay out an improvement path, including implications for other business processes, in order to be successful.
  • Read these free demand planning articles now

     
    Effective Executive Management During an Economic Downturn

    Effective Executive Management During an Economic Downturn

    written by Rick Burris
    Oliver Wight Principal

    In a downturn, forward-looking executives focus not only on survival; they also prepare the business for recovery. This 4-part article series, written by Oliver Wight Principal Rick Burris and published in Business Excellence Magazine, will introduce a disciplined executive process to ensure that your company not only survives but is positioned to rapidly grow when economic conditions improve.

    The articles:

  • Address the process of adjusting resource allocations during a period of reduced demand.
  • Describe the strategies and practices that business leaders must deploy to prepare the business for recovery.
  • Discuss leveraging the actions described to ensure the company will advance the business during the eventual economic recovery.

  • Read these articles now


    Bonus article:

    End of Recession Integrated Business Planning

     

    Managing and Leading People

    Managing and Leading People

    6-part article series published in Business Excellence Magazine. In these articles, author Jon Minerich walks through leadership strategy and execution, organization design and development, and preparation for change and implementation. He emphasizes success through leveraging a company's workforce through teams and, finally, highlights the importance of measurements.

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    Product Management

    4-part article series published in Business Excellence Magazine. In these articles, author Donald McNaughton focuses on the importance of an integrated product management process and its role in driving improved business performance, the role of portfolio management in managing existing products as well as selecting and managing products for the product portfolio, and how to ensure that the projects in the project portfolio remain on scope, on schedule, and on budget. Donald McNaughton then reaches the Product Management Review, which provides an update on the status of projects and doubles as step one of the monthly S&OP process.

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    Sales & Operations Planning  

    Integrated Business Management (S&OP)

    6-part article series published in Business Excellence Magazine. In these articles, author John Schorr points out that S&OP is a way of managing the business as a whole. He explains the importance of including product development, the Demand Review,the Supply Review, and the Integrated Reconciliation Review. He ends with the Management Business Review and the roles of each of the participants.

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    Inventory Record Accuracy article   Improving Inventory Record Accuracy
    Cycle counting Maintains and sustains greater Inventory record accuracy
    Contributor: Roger Brooks

    Read this Inventory Record Accuracy article by clicking here.
         
     
    Strategic Planning: An Executive's Aid for Strategic Thinking, Development and Deployment  

    Strategic Planning: An Executive's Aid for Strategic Thinking, Development and Deployment

    In this paper, George Palmatier discusses strategic thinking, development and deployment including techniques for communication, alignment and continuous evaluation of the strategic planning process. Published in Outsourced Logistics magazine in October 2008.

    Read this article.

     
     
    article by George E. Palmatier  

    Read this opinion piece - written by Oliver Wight Principal George Palmatier and published in the March, 2007, issue of Business Excellence Magazine.

    The need to lead
    Sales & operations planning (S&OP) is key to integrated business management, says George E. Palmatier, but responsible leadership is essential for success.
    Read the entire article now

     

    FORESIGHT: The International Journal of Applied Forecasting

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    FORESIGHT: The International Journal of Applied Forecasting

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    Foresight is a publication of The International Institute of Forecasters (IIF), the leading non-profit clearinghouse of forecasting theory, research and practice standards. Foresight bridges the gap, offering readable articles that focus on practical applications of forecasting methods, on forecasting processes in organizations, and on ways to improve forecasting performance.

    For a limited time, visitors to Oliver Wight Americas' website may receive a special one-year subscription rate of $75 – that's over 20% off the regular subscription*.

     
    Dennis Groves   Read an interview with Chairman Dennis Groves as it appeared in the inaugural issue of Achieving Business Excellence, a leading-edge magazine dedicated to bringing you articles on real-life achievements of world-class companies.
     
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