ResearchReportR-1312-02-RRTransformingtheSupplyChainAboutThisReportThisreportisbasedonasurveyandinterviewswithexecutivesfrom65majorU.S.organizations,andareviewofrecentliteraturesources.Thestudydesignwasguidedinpartbyinputfrom11companiessponsoringthestudyandparticipatinginthreeworkinggroupmeetingsheldfromOctober2000throughJune2001.TheConferenceBoardcreatesanddisseminatesknowledgeaboutmanagementandthemarketplacetohelpbusinessesstrengthentheirperformanceandbetterservesociety.Workingasaglobal,independentmembershiporganizationinthepublicinterest,weconductresearch,conveneconferences,makeforecasts,assesstrends,publishinformationandanalysis,andbringexecutivestogethertolearnfromoneanother.TheConferenceBoardisanot-for-profitorganizationandholds501(c)(3)tax-exemptstatusintheUnitedStates.SurveyParticipantProfileAtotalof75organizationsrespondedtothesurvey,with78percentindicatingthattheyhadorweregoingthrougha“supplychaintransformation.”Thisreportisbasedupontheresponsesfromthatgroup.AllthecompaniesareheadquarteredintheUnitedStates,exceptforonemajorU.S.-baseddivisionofaEuropeancompany.RepresentingEntirecorporationDivisionorBUMarketsservedPrimarilyB2BPrimarilyB2CCombinationB2B/B2CAbouttheAuthorAnnaS.PowellisseniorresearchassociateattheBoard,whereshehaspublishedanumberofreportsinperformanceexcellenceandoperationsmanagement,includingPeoplePracticesinBaldrigeCompanies,QualityOutlook,andTQMandEnvironmentalManagement.ShehasalsoplannedprogramsandmanagedaseriesformembersoftheGlobalCenterforPerformanceExcellence.PriortotheBoard,sheworkedinpolicyanalysis.SheholdsaB.A.andM.A.inpoliticalsciencefromtheUniversityofHawaii,andanM.B.A.fromColumbiaBusinessSchool.AcknowledgmentsManythankstotheConferenceBoardteamthatassistedthisproject:DeannaCinelliandTomCapotostafortheiradministrativesupport;HenrySilvertforhisstatisticalwork;KayTroyforherinsightsandguidance;andJohnRadzinforhiseditorialwork.ThemembersoftheSupplyChainWorkingGroupprovidedvaluableguidanceindevelopingthetopicsofgreatestimpact,andinsightsintotheoperationalissuesthatsupplychainexecutivesfaceastheylooktothefuture.EEddiittoorrJohnRadzinDDeessiiggnnPeterDrubinPPrroodduuccttiioonnJoannLemonPercent73%27451144TransformingtheSupplyChainByAnnaS.PowellContents4ExecutiveSummary12TheBusinessofSupplyChain20OrganizingfortheSupplyChainTransformation28SCMTransformationDesignandImplementation:E-Procurement,B2BMarketplaces,andtheRoleofSuppliers38MeasuresandOutcomes43LastingEffectsofSeptember11th?TransformingtheSupplyChainTheConferenceBoard34TransformingtheSupplyChainTheConferenceBoardSummary“Thesupplychainisthesetofinter-andintracompanyprocessesthatproducesanddeliversgoodsandservicestocustomers.Itincludesactivitiessuchasmaterialssourcing,productionscheduling,andthephysicaldistributionsystem,backedupbythenecessaryinformationflows.Procurement,manufacturing,inventorymanagement,andtransportationaretypicallyconsideredpartofthesupplychainorganization.”1Executive1MercerManagementConsulting.TransformingtheSupplyChainTheConferenceBoard5Thesupplychainwastraditionallyalittle-acknowl-edgedoperation—andtheresultwasoftenhighorexcessinventoryinmanufacturing,relationshipswiththousands(tohundredsofthousands)ofsuppliers,andunknownquantitiesofpoorquality.Intheearly1980s,effortstoaddresstheseissuesbroughtnewlifetowhatisnowknownassupplychainmanagement(SCM),resultinginnewmethodologies,projects,andprocesses:inventorymanagement(includingjust-in-timeprocesses),supplierselectionanddevelopment,globalmarketexpansionofproductionanddistribution,leanmanufacturing,anduseofstrategicmanagementsystemssuchastheMalcolmBaldrigestrategicmanagementmodel.Theseeffortsdramaticallyimprovedoperations,includingSCM.Therewerenewfactorsaffectingoperationsbythelate1990s:Newtechnologiesthatcreateanoverwhelmingchoiceforcompanies—shouldtheyinvestinenterpriseresourceplanning(ERP),forinstance,andwhatplug-and-playsoftwareworkswitholdlegacysystems.TheInternetisnewtechnology,but(moreimportantly)isanewchannelwithincreasedvisibilitythroughoutthesupplychain.Thedistillationofmassiveamountsofinformationisnowthenewcompetitiveadvantage.Globalreachhascreatedmoreefficientmarkets,increasingcompetition.Thesupplychainisnowapriorityofseniormanagement.Personalizationandmasscustomizationarenowincreasinglystandardcustomerrequirements.Amidstallthischange,newmodelsaretakingholdinsupplychainmanagement.Someofthetrends:E-procurementis“hot,”withafocusonstrategicsourcing.Operationsexcellenceisagainonthefrontburner.E-fulfillmentisgrowing,withafocusonprecisedelivery.Outsourcingisacontinuingtrend.Digitalexchangesareslowlybuilding,butthereisagreatamountofchurn.What’sDrivingSCMChanges?Newtechnologiesaredrivingmuchofthechangeinsupplychainthinking(aswellasotherpartsoftheorganization).Themajorlearningincompaniesisthatthetechnologyneedstobeappropriatetotheorganizationandcultureofthecompany.Surveyrespondentsindicatethat:Nearly70percenthaveinstalledorwillinstallanERPsystem,withahighernumberofmanufact-uringfirmshavingERPinplacealready.Electronicdatainterchange(EDI)hasbeenamajo