White Papers on S&OP, Demand Planning, Strategic Planning, Sales and Operations Planning, Class A Certification, Cascade Education, Lean, Inventory Record Accuracy, Integrated Business Planning

How to access these white papers:

This is a listing of free white papers published by Oliver Wight consultants and associates. White papers are freely available to Proven Path Members. If you are already a Proven Path member, access these white papers by going to the URL (website address) provided to you when you initially signed up. If you cannot remember the URL, look in your "Favorites" or "Bookmarks." If you still can not locate it, email us. To become a Proven Path member, simply register...

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The Top 10 Myths and Realities of S&OP
Colleen Crum and Fred Baumann

JDA and Oliver Wight set the record straight on the costliest misconceptions in S&OP.

Click here to read this white paper

Managing the Extended Supply Chain
An Introduction
Ron Ireland
Leading companies such as Wal-Mart and Cisco Systems are now broadening their vision and strategy and are developing “end-to-end” supply chains. This concept has them focusing on their own internal core competencies while looking to outsource their non-core activities, such as manufacturing, to external supply chain partners. Outsourcing does not eliminate ownership of the process. It extends the scope of the supply chain that they need to manage.
Click here to read this white paper

Driving Excellence in Product Management
Luis C. Torres

Establishing an excellent product management process requires integration of five primary process elements: strategy, product management, portfolio management, project management, and resource management. Product management is comprised of a collective set of functions including planning, marketing, and delivery of the product to the market, managed throughout all stages of the product’s lifecycle.

This paper will describe the five elements of the product management process required to support an overall Integrated Business Model.
Click here to read this white paper

Achieving Oliver Wight Class A Business Excellence Certification and the Bottom-line Business Benefits
Dennis Groves, Kevin Herbert, and James Correll

Business leaders continue to share with us the tough challenges of increasingly demanding customers, pressure from shareholders and directors, declining revenues, off-shore competition, soaring costs and, most recently, turbulent financial markets. Fortunately, there are companies utilizing the concepts and principles of Oliver Wight Class A Business Excellence and following the Oliver Wight Proven Path to develop compelling visions, missions, and values to operate with formal business processes and to carefully define accountabilities. These companies have a greater capability of surviving stormy financial times and of avoiding the chaotic “Ready! Fire! Aim” decisions too often seen in companies who can only react to marketplace and economic surprises. In this white paper, Dennis, Kevin, and Jim describe the transformational methodology that will lead you to previously unattainable and sustainable business results—Class A Business Excellence.
Click here to read this white paper

Achieving Class A Business Excellence White Paper

Cascade Education
A Critical Element of the Change Management Process
Roger Brooks and David Manning

Today many companies claim to be “learning organizations.” But are they in reality? In Oliver Wight’s experience, companies that are truly learning organizations have successfully modified their organizational behaviors repeatedly in response to changing marketplace conditions. It has been said that in today’s world, the only sustainable competitive advantage any company has lies in the ability of its people to learn and adapt in the face of a continuously changing environment and continuously changing customer expectations. Behavior change is the critical element of that success, and continuous learning and application of those learnings is the foundation of effective behavior change. Without continuous learning, any improvement and resulting competitive advantage is momentary, at best. With it, people create a legacy of sustained change and improvement that make their companies consistent, top performers for shareholders and employees alike.
Click here to read this white paper

Guiding and Improving Lean Manufacturing (and other initiatives) with Integrated Business Planning
Rick Burris

The principles of Lean Manufacturing improve quality, delivery, and cost in manufacturing companies. But discarding or abandoning non-Lean improvement activities runs the risk of making Lean initiatives less effective. The stringent application of Lean as the only worthy improvement activity can produce unintended consequences that hinder the energy and enthusiasm organizations need for Lean success. This white paper presents four examples to support this position.
Click here to read this white paper

Gain Future Leverage by Managing Improvements During an Economic Downturn
Rick Burris

Many companies miss the counterintuitive opportunity to fine-tune their businesses during the stressful period of managing in a down economy or market. Senior executives are so consumed with addressing the day-to-day turmoil of declining sales and cut-throat competition, they fail to prepare to take advantage of the inevitable upturn in business conditions. Surviving until the market turns is obviously a key priority, but the real future of the company is in its ability to lead the competition when economic opportunity again becomes the business driver.
Click here to read this white paper

Sustainable High Performance and Profitability
“The Journey That Never Ends”
Wilson Stefano Jr.

The purpose of this white paper is to introduce and describe the steps necessary to start on the journey to Sustainable High Performance and Profitability and how to do it in a holistic manner.
Click here to read this white paper

White Paper: Sustainable High Performance

Push Versus Pull –
Perception Versus Reality
Daniel Araujo and Jim Correll

“Push” and “Pull” are terms that have become synonymous with specific supply chain designs. Understanding the differences in demand and supply characteristics is extremely important to determine the appropriate model for managing products. To compete in the future, the selection and application of the correct model to the various characteristics is critical for manufacturing companies. Jim Correll and Daniel Araujo discuss the need to examine business strategies, customer requirements, and the actual supply chain.
Click here to read this white paper

Laying the Foundation:
Five Steps to 95 Percent Inventory Record Accuracy -- Guaranteed
Jim Correll

The world-class standard for inventory record accuracy today stands at 99.5 percent--as a minimum. While only a relatively few organizations even can claim they are performing at or above this standard, the harsh reality is that most companies still are struggling with inaccurate inventory records. From a financial perspective alone, it is imperative that inventory records be accurate and timely just to meet the mandates of Sarbanes-Oxley. The goal, however, not only is to improve inventory record accuracy, but also to sustain it and to continuously improve upon it. To start the improvement process, this white paper will describe a five-step program that will enable the reader to achieve greater inventory record accuracy.
Click here to read this white paper

Job Modeling
The Class A Approach to Talent Selection
Shirley Chambliss

The success of process improvement initiatives often is compromised when human factor requirements are not addressed and the people selected to lead or staff the new or redesigned process either underperforms or fail. However, the risk of failure caused by a mismatch of people and required capabilities can be mitigated through the use of job modeling tools and technologies. Job modeling systems now available can identify the specific human factors required and assist management to select the ideal person to lead new process implementations and/or to perform a designated task. This white paper describes behavioral measurement technologies, job modeling creation, and how their application can lead to successful change improvement initiatives.

Click here to read this white paper

Securing the Right People to Lead
Your Change Initiative
Shirley A. Chambliss

Massive change efforts are regularly undertaken by organizations of various size and scope; none are immune. Yet these initiatives frequently require major infusions of resources, both capital and human, to implement the “change.”

What is lacking in the majority of change efforts is an analysis to ascertain whether or not the change effort has a chance to survive the personalities that will be held accountable for securing its benefits. There’s also the need to study the readiness of the organization itself and its culture for change.
Click here to read this white paper

Securing the Right People to Lead Your Change Initiative

Forecast Measurement and Evaluation
George Palmatier

In this white paper, George stresses the importance of forecasting and why accuracy should be measured. You will find information on how to measure forecasts, what to expect, how to evaluate results, and how to handle inaccuracies. George then leads into a discussion on customer linking and CPFR®.
Click here to read this white paper

Role of the S&OP Coordinator in the Integrated Reconciliation Step of the S&OP Process
Colleen Crum and Rob Tearnan

This white paper discusses the importance of the Integrated Reconciliation Process, how it works, and who is responsible. There is also a review of symptoms that the process needs improvement.
Click here to read this white paper

Management Business Review
Colleen Crum and George E. Palmatier

The Sales and Operations Planning process consists of a series of steps, the Management Business Review being one of them. In this white paper, Colleen and George review the typical agenda for a management business review, questions that should be asked, and the role of the general manager or president.
Click here to read this white paper

S&OP Data Management
Critical to a Successful Implementation
Rob Tearnan

Sales and Operations Planning (S&OP) is widely considered a best practice management methodology for manufacturing, engineering and distribution organizations. A mature process enables strategic management visibility of the status of strategic initiatives and identification of gaps between current plans and strategic goals. Successful companies understand that S&OP is a critical strategic process used by companies large and small.
Click here to read this white paper

Strategic Planning
An Executive’s Aid for Strategic Thinking, Development, and Deployment
George Palmatier

In this white paper, George Palmatier discusses strategic thinking, development and deployment including techniques for communication, alignment, and continuous evaluation of the strategic planning process.
Click here to read this white paper

Business Excellence Assessment
Doug Burns

This paper describes, in detail, the assessment process to identify strengths and weaknesses in organizational practices and to drive continuous improvement through all levels of the organization.
Click here to read this white paper

Sales and Operations Planning
Management's Control Lever
Doug Burns

Effective sales and operations planning processes can be difficult to achieve. In this paper, Doug Burns describes keys to overcoming obstacles that plague top managers trying to implement well-designed, formal S&OP processes.
Click here to read this white paper

Profit Chain Integration
Ron Ireland

Today, more than ever, you are experiencing increasing demands from your largest and most important customers to lower product pricing, reduce inventory stocking levels, and to become the most cost efficient and easiest trading partner with which to do business. In this white paper, Ronald Ireland describes the benefits of Profit Chain Integration (PCI) and the "Closed-Loop Supply Chain Total Solution".
Click here to read this white paper

Linking CPFR® to S&OP
Ron Ireland and Colleen Crum

Leading companies continue their migration towards best practices and emerging technologies as they strengthen their supply chain, both within their own corporation and externally with their trading partners. Two leading industry supply chain best practices are now being linked together to leverage what each does best -- collaboration.This paper describes the vision, process and value of linking CPFR® and S&OP.
Click here to read this white paper

Business Process Owners
The Unsung Heroes
Dennis Groves

The business process owners, by maintaining high standards of performance, and by ensuring that the organization’s business processes are at world-class levels of operational effectiveness, keep the organization finely tuned.
Click here to read this white paper

CPFR®
Collaborative Planning Forecasting & Replenishment
Ron Ireland

This paper describes in detail how many of today's leading companies are embarking on a path of collaboration with external trading partners, enabling improved overall value chain performance with CPFR®.
Click here to read this white paper

Achieving and Sustaining Class A Operational Excellence
Doug Burns

In this paper, Doug Burns describes how to effectively understand and utilize operational practices integral to managing your business as well as the importance of properly educating your people prior to the implementation of new processes, tools and technologies.
Click here to read this white paper

Lean and ERP
A marriage made in heaven
Jim Correll

This paper is designed to help companies maximize results with ERP and Lean Manufacturing by seeing how they relate to each other, and by learning how to apply a combination of the two practices within a company environment.
Click here to read this white paper

Sales and Operations Planning
(Integrated Business Planning)
an Executive Level Synopsis
George Palmatier

This synopsis is designed to help people new to S&OP understand how it works and where it can benefit their company. By understanding what the marketplace requires for delivery lead time and how that lines up with the manufacturing cycle time, a company can determine “where it should meet the customer.”
Click here to read this white paper
This white paper is also available in Spanish
Lea éste White Paper en Español

Demand Management
Lessons Learned
George Palmatier and Colleen Crum

This white paper is based on the lessons learned by Oliver Wight consultants in helping companies, large and small, implement demand management processes over the past 20 years. In this paper, Palmatier and Crum share the keys to success.
Click here to read this white paper
This white paper is also available in Spanish
Lea éste White Paper en Español

Forecasting and Communicating Project Demand
George Palmatier

This paper is designed to help demand managers and planners recognize different demand streams and how to treat them, identify, categorize and review project demand, and how to forecast and communicate demand and develop "what if" scenarios and contingency plans.
Click here to read this white paper

Role of Technology in Demand Management
George Palmatier and Colleen Crum

This is an excerpt from the book, Demand Management Best Practices: Process, Principles and Collaboration, published by J. Ross Publishing. Crum and Palmatier write about best practice solutions that will improve overall business performance for supply chain partners and all functions within a company impacted by the demand management process.
Click here to read this white paper

The Day Exuberance Trumped a Proven Process
Dennis Groves

This is about ensuring that S&OP is adding value to the business. It is about recognizing the importance of a formal S&OP process and the role that forecasting and demand management play in realizing the business benefits of that process.
Click here to read this white paper

Strategic Planning
What does excellence look like
Brant Slade

In this white paper, Brant Slade explains the four key elements of a good strategic planning process and how your company can become much more focused on what it takes to really win in the marketplace.
Click here to read this white paper

Class A, Lean and Six Sigma
Robert Bailey and Donald McNaughton

This paper is intended to remove confusion about the numerous management systems and their subsets that compete for attention today . It provides an overview of the three most commonly-used systems and the key areas of overlap to provide insight on how these management systems can be effectively integrated.
Click here to read this white paper

How to access these white papers: This is a listing of free white papers published by Oliver Wight consultants and associates. White papers are freely available to Proven Path Members. If you are already a Proven Path member, access these white papers by going to the URL (website address) provided to you when you initially signed up. If you cannot remember the URL, look in your "Favorites" or "Bookmarks." If you still can not locate it, email us. To become a Proven Path member, simply register... Registration is free and simple! Click here to register to become a Proven Path Member, and receive unlimited access to these white papers and other valuable resources!



The Top 10 Myths and Realities of S&OP Colleen Crum and Fred Baumann JDA and Oliver Wight set the record straight on the costliest misconceptions in S&OP. Click here to read this white paper


Managing the Extended Supply Chain An Introduction Ron Ireland Leading companies such as Wal-Mart and Cisco Systems are now broadening their vision and strategy and are developing “end-to-end” supply chains. This concept has them focusing on their own internal core competencies while looking to outsource their non-core activities, such as manufacturing, to external supply chain partners. Outsourcing does not eliminate ownership of the process. It extends the scope of the supply chain that they need to manage. Click here to read this white paper


Driving Excellence in Product Management Luis C. Torres Establishing an excellent product management process requires integration of five primary process elements: strategy, product management, portfolio management, project management, and resource management. Product management is comprised of a collective set of functions including planning, marketing, and delivery of the product to the market, managed throughout all stages of the product’s lifecycle. This paper will describe the five elements of the product management process required to support an overall Integrated Business Model. Click here to read this white paper


Achieving Oliver Wight Class A Business Excellence Certification and the Bottom-line Business Benefits Dennis Groves, Kevin Herbert, and James Correll Business leaders continue to share with us the tough challenges of increasingly demanding customers, pressure from shareholders and directors, declining revenues, off-shore competition, soaring costs and, most recently, turbulent financial markets. Fortunately, there are companies utilizing the concepts and principles of Oliver Wight Class A Business Excellence and following the Oliver Wight Proven Path to develop compelling visions, missions, and values to operate with formal business processes and to carefully define accountabilities. These companies have a greater capability of surviving stormy financial times and of avoiding the chaotic “Ready! Fire! Aim” decisions too often seen in companies who can only react to marketplace and economic surprises. In this white paper, Dennis, Kevin, and Jim describe the transformational methodology that will lead you to previously unattainable and sustainable business results—Class A Business Excellence. Click here to read this white paper


Cascade Education A Critical Element of the Change Management Process Roger Brooks and David Manning Today many companies claim to be “learning organizations.” But are they in reality? In Oliver Wight’s experience, companies that are truly learning organizations have successfully modified their organizational behaviors repeatedly in response to changing marketplace conditions. It has been said that in today’s world, the only sustainable competitive advantage any company has lies in the ability of its people to learn and adapt in the face of a continuously changing environment and continuously changing customer expectations. Behavior change is the critical element of that success, and continuous learning and application of those learnings is the foundation of effective behavior change. Without continuous learning, any improvement and resulting competitive advantage is momentary, at best. With it, people create a legacy of sustained change and improvement that make their companies consistent, top performers for shareholders and employees alike. Click here to read this white paper

Guiding and Improving Lean Manufacturing (and other initiatives) with Integrated Business Planning Rick Burris The principles of Lean Manufacturing improve quality, delivery, and cost in manufacturing companies. But discarding or abandoning non-Lean improvement activities runs the risk of making Lean initiatives less effective. The stringent application of Lean as the only worthy improvement activity can produce unintended consequences that hinder the energy and enthusiasm organizations need for Lean success. This white paper presents four examples to support this position. Click here to read this white paper


Gain Future Leverage by Managing Improvements During an Economic Downturn Rick Burris Many companies miss the counterintuitive opportunity to fine-tune their businesses during the stressful period of managing in a down economy or market. Senior executives are so consumed with addressing the day-to-day turmoil of declining sales and cut-throat competition, they fail to prepare to take advantage of the inevitable upturn in business conditions. Surviving until the market turns is obviously a key priority, but the real future of the company is in its ability to lead the competition when economic opportunity again becomes the business driver. Click here to read this white paper

Sustainable High Performance and Profitability “The Journey That Never Ends” Wilson Stefano Jr. The purpose of this white paper is to introduce and describe the steps necessary to start on the journey to Sustainable High Performance and Profitability and how to do it in a holistic manner. Click here to read this white paper

Push Versus Pull – Perception Versus Reality Daniel Araujo and Jim Correll “Push” and “Pull” are terms that have become synonymous with specific supply chain designs. Understanding the differences in demand and supply characteristics is extremely important to determine the appropriate model for managing products. To compete in the future, the selection and application of the correct model to the various characteristics is critical for manufacturing companies. Jim Correll and Daniel Araujo discuss the need to examine business strategies, customer requirements, and the actual supply chain. Click here to read this white paper

Laying the Foundation: Five Steps to 95 Percent Inventory Record Accuracy -- Guaranteed Jim Correll The world-class standard for inventory record accuracy today stands at 99.5 percent--as a minimum. While only a relatively few organizations even can claim they are performing at or above this standard, the harsh reality is that most companies still are struggling with inaccurate inventory records. From a financial perspective alone, it is imperative that inventory records be accurate and timely just to meet the mandates of Sarbanes-Oxley. The goal, however, not only is to improve inventory record accuracy, but also to sustain it and to continuously improve upon it. To start the improvement process, this white paper will describe a five-step program that will enable the reader to achieve greater inventory record accuracy. Click here to read this white paper


Job Modeling The Class A Approach to Talent Selection Shirley Chambliss The success of process improvement initiatives often is compromised when human factor requirements are not addressed and the people selected to lead or staff the new or redesigned process either underperforms or fail. However, the risk of failure caused by a mismatch of people and required capabilities can be mitigated through the use of job modeling tools and technologies. Job modeling systems now available can identify the specific human factors required and assist management to select the ideal person to lead new process implementations and/or to perform a designated task. This white paper describes behavioral measurement technologies, job modeling creation, and how their application can lead to successful change improvement initiatives. Click here to read this white paper

Securing the Right People to Lead Your Change Initiative Shirley A. Chambliss Massive change efforts are regularly undertaken by organizations of various size and scope; none are immune. Yet these initiatives frequently require major infusions of resources, both capital and human, to implement the “change.” What is lacking in the majority of change efforts is an analysis to ascertain whether or not the change effort has a chance to survive the personalities that will be held accountable for securing its benefits. There’s also the need to study the readiness of the organization itself and its culture for change. Click here to read this white paper

Forecast Measurement and Evaluation George Palmatier In this white paper, George stresses the importance of forecasting and why accuracy should be measured. You will find information on how to measure forecasts, what to expect, how to evaluate results, and how to handle inaccuracies. George then leads into a discussion on customer linking and CPFR®. Click here to read this white paper

Role of the S&OP Coordinator in the Integrated Reconciliation Step of the S&OP Process Colleen Crum and Rob Tearnan This white paper discusses the importance of the Integrated Reconciliation Process, how it works, and who is responsible. There is also a review of symptoms that the process needs improvement. Click here to read this white paper

Management Business Review Colleen Crum and George E. Palmatier The Sales and Operations Planning process consists of a series of steps, the Management Business Review being one of them. In this white paper, Colleen and George review the typical agenda for a management business review, questions that should be asked, and the role of the general manager or president. Click here to read this white paper

S&OP Data Management Critical to a Successful Implementation Rob Tearnan Sales and Operations Planning (S&OP) is widely considered a best practice management methodology for manufacturing, engineering and distribution organizations. A mature process enables strategic management visibility of the status of strategic initiatives and identification of gaps between current plans and strategic goals. Successful companies understand that S&OP is a critical strategic process used by companies large and small. Click here to read this white paper

Strategic Planning An Executive’s Aid for Strategic Thinking, Development, and Deployment George Palmatier In this white paper, George Palmatier discusses strategic thinking, development and deployment including techniques for communication, alignment, and continuous evaluation of the strategic planning process. Click here to read this white paper

Business Excellence Assessment Doug Burns This paper describes, in detail, the assessment process to identify strengths and weaknesses in organizational practices and to drive continuous improvement through all levels of the organization. Click here to read this white paper

Sales and Operations Planning Management's Control Lever Doug Burns Effective sales and operations planning processes can be difficult to achieve. In this paper, Doug Burns describes keys to overcoming obstacles that plague top managers trying to implement well-designed, formal S&OP processes. Click here to read this white paper


Profit Chain Integration Ron Ireland Today, more than ever, you are experiencing increasing demands from your largest and most important customers to lower product pricing, reduce inventory stocking levels, and to become the most cost efficient and easiest trading partner with which to do business. In this white paper, Ronald Ireland describes the benefits of Profit Chain Integration (PCI) and the "Closed-Loop Supply Chain Total Solution". Click here to read this white paper


Linking CPFR® to S&OP Ron Ireland and Colleen Crum Leading companies continue their migration towards best practices and emerging technologies as they strengthen their supply chain, both within their own corporation and externally with their trading partners. Two leading industry supply chain best practices are now being linked together to leverage what each does best -- collaboration.This paper describes the vision, process and value of linking CPFR® and S&OP. Click here to read this white paper

Success with Fast Track S&OP Robert Tearnan This paper describes the five critical factors necessary to position an organization for a "Fast Track" S&OP implementation. The expectation is that the S&OP process will be operating at a Class A level within six months from initiating the process. If a company is considering the use of S&OP to improve performance, this paper is a "must read". Click here to read this white paper

Business Process Owners The Unsung Heroes Dennis Groves The business process owners, by maintaining high standards of performance, and by ensuring that the organization’s business processes are at world-class levels of operational effectiveness, keep the organization finely tuned. Click here to read this white paper


CPFR® Collaborative Planning Forecasting & Replenishment Ron Ireland This paper describes in detail how many of today's leading companies are embarking on a path of collaboration with external trading partners, enabling improved overall value chain performance with CPFR®. Click here to read this white paper

Achieving and Sustaining Class A Operational Excellence Doug Burns In this paper, Doug Burns describes how to effectively understand and utilize operational practices integral to managing your business as well as the importance of properly educating your people prior to the implementation of new processes, tools and technologies. Click here to read this white paper

Lean and ERP A marriage made in heaven Jim Correll This paper is designed to help companies maximize results with ERP and Lean Manufacturing by seeing how they relate to each other, and by learning how to apply a combination of the two practices within a company environment. Click here to read this white paper

Sales and Operations Planning (Integrated Business Planning) an Executive Level Synopsis George Palmatier This synopsis is designed to help people new to S&OP understand how it works and where it can benefit their company. By understanding what the marketplace requires for delivery lead time and how that lines up with the manufacturing cycle time, a company can determine “where it should meet the customer.” Click here to read this white paper This white paper is also available in Spanish Lea éste White Paper en Español

Demand Management Lessons Learned George Palmatier and Colleen Crum This white paper is based on the lessons learned by Oliver Wight consultants in helping companies, large and small, implement demand management processes over the past 20 years. In this paper, Palmatier and Crum share the keys to success. Click here to read this white paper This white paper is also available in Spanish Lea éste White Paper en Español

Forecasting and Communicating Project Demand George Palmatier This paper is designed to help demand managers and planners recognize different demand streams and how to treat them, identify, categorize and review project demand, and how to forecast and communicate demand and develop "what if" scenarios and contingency plans. Click here to read this white paper

Role of Technology in Demand Management George Palmatier and Colleen Crum This is an excerpt from the book, Demand Management Best Practices: Process, Principles and Collaboration, published by J. Ross Publishing. Crum and Palmatier write about best practice solutions that will improve overall business performance for supply chain partners and all functions within a company impacted by the demand management process. Click here to read this white paper

The Day Exuberance Trumped a Proven Process Dennis Groves This is about ensuring that S&OP is adding value to the business. It is about recognizing the importance of a formal S&OP process and the role that forecasting and demand management play in realizing the business benefits of that process. Click here to read this white paper

Strategic Planning What does excellence look like Brant Slade In this white paper, Brant Slade explains the four key elements of a good strategic planning process and how your company can become much more focused on what it takes to really win in the marketplace. Click here to read this white paper

Class A, Lean and Six Sigma Robert Bailey and Donald McNaughton This paper is intended to remove confusion about the numerous management systems and their subsets that compete for attention today . It provides an overview of the three most commonly-used systems and the key areas of overlap to provide insight on how these management systems can be effectively integrated. Click here to read this white paper

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