7 Steps to Build a Sustainable S&OP Culture

S&OP is a long term game, if not a never ending continuous improvement game. More than once, I’ve witnessed well working S&OP processes collapse within months after a merger, restructure, leadership change or other significant business changes. The process was working; people rocked up to meetings and had meaningful conversation. Information was on the table, some business decisions were made. Systems were working to support … Continue reading 7 Steps to Build a Sustainable S&OP Culture

How to find gold in Big Data

A CFO I worked for once famously said; ‘give me the golden nugget, don’t give me all the dirt’. What he meant is that although he knew the finance communicate navigates its way every month through a lot of data, he was only interested in key insights. Presented in an understandable way, without too many numbers please. Makes sense doesn’t it? Well not when we … Continue reading How to find gold in Big Data

A perspective on collaboration and IBP

My last blog I wrote on the 5th phase of S&OP. That 5th phase refers to behavioural capability that is required to take S&OP beyond the process, systems, reporting and KPI’s S&OP practitioners usually talk about. I called that phase emotionally competent as that felt just about the right description for knowing yourself, your behaviours, controlling your behaviours and adapting your behaviours to different circumstances … Continue reading A perspective on collaboration and IBP

The 5th phase of S&OP maturity

This blog follows on an interesting discussion I had in the Tom Wallace S&OP group on LinkedIn. The discussion started because I didn’t necessarily agree with Tom’s statement: Successful S&OP = better teamwork To me it feels this formula makes some short cuts and the big assumption that better teamwork just appears because of S&OP. S&OP will definitely provide an opportunity for teams to work … Continue reading The 5th phase of S&OP maturity

It’s a complex business process, STUPID!

I’ve seen it before and I’ll probably see it again, but it still takes me by surprise every time. In the last 6 months I’ve observed two 2 billion $ well-respected FMCG companies with some very well-known world brands make the same mistake with IBP. First they build up the burning platform for IBP. Their customer service levels are not up to scratch, waste levels … Continue reading It’s a complex business process, STUPID!

The changing role of planning

The  following is some more detail behind the attached presentation I gave at an Australian planning & forecasting conference. YOu can find the presentation here: 2013 The role of DR in IBP October 1st v2 The changing role of planning The key message in my presentation was that Planning & Forecasting is not only about numbers anymore. Forecasting must mature beyond numbers, systems and spreadsheets only. … Continue reading The changing role of planning

The right brain and S&OP: cornerstones to a collaborative culture

Collaboration is widely accepted to add value to a business network. Yet few companies will say they have truly a collaborative culture. The supply chain function and S&OP process can be catalysts to drive a collaborative company culture. For this to happen, the traditional left brain thinking supply chain organization has to start activating and using right brain skills and S&OP needs to start leading … Continue reading The right brain and S&OP: cornerstones to a collaborative culture