Welcome to Episode 20 of the Cloud Wars Horizon Minute — featuring news and commentary hosted by Acceleration Economy analyst Tom Smith. Each episode provides insights into one or more Innovation Accelerators on the Cloud Wars Horizon.
Highlights
00:10 — Tom introduces an in-depth analysis of the current supply chain issues and various approaches that can be taken to work through it.
00:40 — Things have gotten so tough for retailers that they’re considering telling customers to keep the goods they’re returning, even though they’re giving refunds.
01:00 — Where are things breaking down? Without the right tools, and the right timely data, companies don’t have the visibility they need to be responsive to shifting customer demand
01:25 — Most of the systems that companies are using today look backward, not forward
01:45 — It’s going to require technology, better processes, and collaboration to work through today’s supply chain problems
01:50 — AI technology is one that comes up again and again as a way to help companies better understand, and be responsive to, demand signals.
02:10 — Use of additional data sources (weather, industry indexes) can help improve visibility and forecasting
02:30 — Processes are breaking down too, and automation, as well as process mining, are ways to diagnose and fix them
02:50 — Experts say supply chains need to evolve into supply webs, with additional, closer suppliers for greater resilience
03:30 — Lots of innovative solutions are being brought to bear from nimble startups
03:50 — Collaborative B2B networks (such as the SAP Business Network) can help companies identify prospective partners and build stronger supply chains.
