Frequently Asked Questions - Supply Chain Management (SCM)

This page provides answers to frequently asked questions covering the topic of the Supply Chain, in addition, we also have pages answering questions on other specific topics including: Integrated Business Planning (IBP), Integrated Tactical Planning (ITP) and more general questions. With a team of professionals offering a wealth of experience if you have any specific questions not answered on these pages and you would like to ask, please contact us.

What is an end-to-end (E2E) supply chain?

An end-to-end (E2E) supply chain considers all parties involved in the supply of quality products and services including third-party suppliers, customers and consumers.

Without doubt, technology advancements have significant merits, but they need to be implemented alongside a thorough transformative strategy to ensure sustained success.

Organizations can be quick to buy into ‘miracle’ products and spend time and money on systems but won’t spend on the actual transformation needed for business planning or the supply chain itself. It’s understandable, but ultimately unwise.

Although software systems need to complement an existing IBP process, IBP in the 21st century is also inextricably reliant on the data these software systems capture. In fact, modern IBP has for some organizations evolved into Enterprise Business Planning (EBP) which uses the latest technology such as AI and demand sensing to provide control in volatile, consumer-driven and unpredictable environments.

Oliver Wight Partner Birgit Breitschuh discusses this in context of the role of Supply Chain in the 21st century or you can learn more about our alliances with other leading experts.

A sustainable supply chain fully considers and integrates human rights, fair labor practices, environmental progress and anti-corruption policies into its model. Organizations with a sustainable supply chain have complete end-to-end transparency.

In his white paper, Reduce, reuse, recycle – building a sustainable supply chain Oliver Wight Partner Flavio Pietrocola discusses how organizations can develop a sustainable supply chain, alongside potential challenges, and, most importantly, how to ensure it is future-proofed.

Industry 4.0 refers to the fourth industrial revolution in manufacturing. Focusing heavily on interconnectivity, automation, machine learning, and real-time data, it marries physical production and operations with smart digital technology, machine learning, and big data. For example, digital twins. A digital representation of a real-world product, machine, process or system which enables organizations to monitor and analyze processes through real-time simulation.

Learn more about industry 2.0 in our white paper, Digital Disruption - is your organisation ready?