Optimising supply chains and operations: Literature

With increased pressure from consumers and retailers, consumer products companies can no longer afford to operate linear, "one size fits all" supply chains. What steps must consumer products companies take to help ensure that their supply chains efficiently respond to demands?

This paper discusses why industry and market forces will propel media businesses to become more open to business partners, customers and consumers -- opening content reserves and formatting, production processes, packaging and sales options without opening the company to increased vulnerability.

This survey identifies current practices, captures significant trends and establishes operational performance benchmarks in five key areas of supply chain management (SCM): new product development, supply chain planning, customer order management, procurement and logistics.

Today, finance is being pulled in two directions: There's a demand for finance to strengthen its traditional fiduciary role as guardian of the assets and controls; and for finance to become more nimble, efficient and effective in supporting business imperatives.

IBM analysis and interviews with top automotive executives shed light on how a more flexible business infrastructure can help automotive companies cut costs, reduce time to market, increase profits and, perhaps most importantly, prepare for unpredicted challenges in a rapidly changing industry.

In the electronics industry today, business forces and the frantic pace of technological development have intensified the competitive landscape. Surviving and thriving in this environment requires constant vigilance to stay abreast of market forces.

The traditional travel distribution model is only beginning to realise the potentials of e-business to reduce costs. New technology is capable of much more, as this paper will examine.

Improving the patient recruitment process is imperative to avoid wasted investments and eliminate costly delays in bringing new drugs to market -- today and even more so in the not-so-distant future.

Knowing that the future promises an even more frenzied pace, it's time for retailers to consider trading in common practices for on demand processes that provide the speed and flexibility needed to stand out in a crowded retail marketplace.

Today, automotive is truly global, with design and manufacturing occurring on virtually every continent in the world. However, increasing globalisation has brought the industry to a major crossroads in its evolution.

The current automotive industry model is not working. To compete, the leading manufacturers will need to embrace a new business model based on collaboration with suppliers.

What are the different models for data synchronisation and what steps do industry participants need to take to begin exploiting data synchronisation's promised benefits?

In their quest to become ever more efficient, companies are looking to help workers quickly pinpoint and apply relevant knowledge from a growing haystack of corporate content that often includes 'messy' knowledge -- knowledge that is out-of-date, out-of-reach and out-of-touch.

The financial asset growth of the 1990's was an anomaly. As the market normalises, asset managers will need to focus on cost reductions rather than top-line expansion to fuel earnings. This starts with a change of mindset -- from managing assets to managing a complete portfolio of operations.

Data from a two-part survey of 138 people in three companies were analysed to discern how trust affects knowledge sharing and how individuals evaluate the trustworthiness of others when seeking knowledge.

The race for leadership has become more difficult for companies in all industries. Not only has the competition become tougher, but the very rules of the race are changing. Can companies achieve sustainable advantage in this environment?

Intense competition, rapidly declining prices, unpredictable customer demand, and constrained material supplies are facts of life in the global electronics supply chain.

Retail banks are feeling the fallout from strategies that, while fueling growth, failed to leverage the rich potential of these institutions' customer-facing channels -- fertile ground for growing and sustaining profitable, long-term relationships.

Retail banks are feeling the fallout from strategies that, while fueling growth, failed to leverage the rich potential of these institutions' customer-facing channels -- fertile ground for growing and sustaining profitable, long-term relationships.

Electronic bill presentation and payment (EBPP) has reached a point where companies no longer ask whether they should take strategic advantage of this billing process. They are asking, 'How?'

In September 2003, IBM Business Consulting Services completed interviews with 450 CFOs from 35 countries. This report places the research findings into an overall context and provides perspective on the continuing transformation of finance.