Supply Chain Management

Supply Chain Management

 

Insights into Implementing Genetic Algorithm-based Production Schedulers

Several production scheduling optimizers use Genetic Algorithms (GA) for their ability to manage complexity during scheduling of shop floor production. Our expert analyzes Genetic Algorithms, discusses the implementation challenges... and provides an approach to implement GA-based solutions.

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'Streamlining Supply Chain' Attracts Attention of Transmission & Distribution Utilities

Unlike most other business, Transmission & Distribution (Network Operation) companies do not have the flexibility to modulate their prices independently based on demand-supply dynamics. Given the practice of 'performance-based rate making'... by regulators in place, these companies have to constantly strive to reduce cost through various means to ensure their margins. Having explored various possibilities in their operations, these companies have realized the need to revisit their supply chain practices to identify further opportunities to reduce cost.

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Management of Supplier Risks in Global Supply Chains

Supplier risk management has become a focus area in the wake of low-cost country outsourcing, geo-political instability and recurrent natural disasters. Infosys proposes a Supplier Risk Management (SRM) framework to mitigate risks.

Financial Supply Chains: Applying Classical SCM Techniques for Savings

Financial supply chains are rich with untapped savings opportunities. Infosys believes that in an increasingly networked environment, systematic and proven techniques can help realize such opportunities.

Creating Supply Chain Flexibility in the Flat World

The ever-flattening world presents supply chain risks. Are companies building flexibility to manage such risks? Our experts probe supply chain trends.

Infosys' Supply Chain Transformation Solutions

The Flat World provides opportunities as well as challenges. Networked operations place huge demands on businesses due to the emergence of new markets. Consequently, efficient planning, implementation and control... of supply chain operations are critical success factors. Organizations need to achieve supply chain visibility, secure demand-supply synchronization and reduce landed costs. This white paper examines how Infosys' Supply Chain Transformation solutions help businesses achieve their business objectives.

Shrinking the Expanding Supply Chain

The continuing competitiveness of global enterprises will depend on their ability to evolve their supply chains into highly flexible, globally scalable competitive forces. For this they will have to invest in processes and technologies... that enhance three key characteristics - visibility, coordination and responsiveness - to shrink their supply chains.

Driving Costs Out Of the Supply Chain: Inbound Logistics

This paper discusses best practices observed from the most successful Inbound Logistics Programs of manufacturing organizations in the automotive industry and Consumer Packaged Goods (CPG) manufacturer. It also discusses... the role of a 3PL services provider (focusing on transportation and warehousing services) in this equation.

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Supply Chain Management in Oil Downstream Distribution Business: A Perspective on IT Alternatives and Issues

The oil downstream distribution segment is increasingly adopting a variety of supply chain solutions. However, the unpredictability of prices, margins and long lead-times make the process extremely challenging. This paper... describes the complexities in applying these solutions.

Supply Chain Planning

 

System Separation Approach - A Methodology for Planning Systems

Infosys' expert discusses the concurrent system for separating planning systems pre-divesture, its impact on various facets of planning systems, synchronization issues and critical success factors... for the execution of a system separation initiative. He focuses on the key differences in system separation for transaction systems and planning systems.

An Approach to Effective APO DP Design & Implementation

An efficient Advanced Planner and Optimizer (APO) Demand Planning design ensures long-term sustainability of a solution. A robust APO Demand Planning design should have:...

• Scale and scope management of solution among Demand Planning planners
• Statistical forecast intervention and management through Demand Planning functionalities
• Efficient Product Lifecycle Management in APO Demand Planning

Our white paper provides an effective approach to design and implement an APO Demand Planning package.

Consulting Insights into SNP Solvers of CTM and Heuristics

Solvers in Advanced Planner and Optimizer (APO) Supply Network Planning (SNP) are important tools to undertake requirement planning for a network based on a demand plan. Selecting a solver for an SNP project... is crucial as it determines the SNP design. SNP offers three solvers in APO - Heuristics, Capable-to-Match (CTM) and Optimizer. Our white paper provides practical insights into issues that need to be considered while deciding on the solver. It also explores the possibilities and limitations of frequently used solvers.

Inventory Optimization: A Necessity Turning to Urgency

Greater variability and uncertainty across global supply chains have increased the complexity of manufacturing and distribution. Our experts believe that inventory optimization, backed by advanced technology, is the only way out.

Global Trends in Supply Chain Planning in the Semiconductor Industry

Semiconductor industry is characterized by extensive networks of supply chains with both inbound and outbound partners. Generic supply chain software does not meet the demands of a complex network of multiple partners and... raises reliability issues. This white paper tracks the supply chain ecosystem in the semiconductor industry and evaluates supply chain planning scenarios in both collaborative and non-collaborative systems.

Making DDSN Work: The CPG Perspective

Stockouts are a manifestation of the demand invisibility problems faced by retail and Consumer Packaged Goods (CPG) companies. Demand-Driven Supply Network (DDSN) addresses this business issue. However, to effectively... implement DDSN, CPG companies must address the demands of their retail partners regarding collaboration and IT synchronization. How can CPG companies meet DDSN-related retailer expectations effectively?

DVD Supply Chain-The Emerging Challenge to Media Profitability

The motion picture industry today is facing a challenge that is traditionally associated with the consumer goods sector - management of its finished products supply chain. It may be just the right time for media companies to tighten their... supply chain technology and processes to successfully manage this emerging medium.

Refinery Supply Chain Management Solutions

Advanced refinery planning requires the ability to respond rapidly to changes in the market or refinery capacity. Traditional methods for running the linear planning tools rely on time-consuming processes for data collection, verification and scenario... analysis, resulting in delayed decisions. Rapid and informed decision making requires integrating plant, trading and marketing data. Infosys proposes refinery planning data integration by utilizing an enterprise portal approach. Portals can serve as a point of integration for data collection from both internal sources and external partners, perform analytics, and generate proactive alerts and reports on demand to a wide variety of user types, in a secure manner.

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Supply Chain Analytics

 

Building and Leveraging Metrics Framework to Drive Supply Chain Performance

Consumer packaged goods (CPG) companies can maximize the effectiveness of Supply Chain Performance Management (SCPM) by adopting a metrics framework-based approach. Our experts present a metrics framework... to monetize investments in business intelligence and analytics.

Delivering Business Value through Supply Chain Analytics

Supply chain analytics solutions can help managers across the enterprise analyze barriers to market entry, respond to competition within well-defined supply tier structures, deal with the threat of product substitutes, continually... drive product innovation, and manage product lifecycles to maximize returns.

Sourcing & Procurement

 

Contract Lifecycle Management: The DNA of Procurement

Organizations face challenges in contract management, resulting in lost savings. Contract management, an integral part of Spend Management, links strategy with execution. Infosys' experts... share their perspectives on the benefits and implementation of the 'right' strategy to help you address issues while leveraging contracts across the enterprise.

Managing Costs by Leveraging Procurement Information Intelligently

The Chief Procurement Officer's (CPO) primary responsibility today is to create cost-saving strategies. Limited visibility into an organization's spending in diverse buying categories, however, makes the job challenging. According... to an AMR Research report, only 42% of large firms surveyed have visibility into details of their spending that can drive informed decisions. In this white paper, Infosys' expert recommends a 360-degree approach to enterprise cost management. This white paper elaborates upon augmenting your enterprise's spend visibility and redefining your procurement strategies. It also explains the Inside-Out and the Outside-In views of procurement that give a complete understanding of your cost management landscape.

Order Management

Unleashing the potential of SRM and CRM
A typical IT environment in the manufacturing industry lacks visibility on the customer and supplier... fronts of the supply chain, which holds the key to strategic planning and execution. CRM and SRM investments contribute to increased productivity and improved profitability only through efficient order management processes. Taking an enterprise view of CRM and SRM systems, companies must integrate them to capitalize on opportunities from demand and supply perspectives to increase profits and ROI.

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Re-engineering a Hotel's Purchasing Process

This paper attempts to analyze the buyers' supply chain for the hotel industry. The analysis identifies potential areas from where benefits may arise, the challenges to achieve them, and the approach to overcome these problems.

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Supply Chain Execution

 

A Relook at Inventory Classification for Superior e-Shopping Experience

E-commerce traffic continues to rise exponentially in the retail industry. This growth, however, is hindered by slow e-commerce websites. Retailers need to rethink their inventory availability strategies... to achieve faster browsing without compromising on on-time deliveries. Our white paper addresses the challenge of scalability by using a differentiated inventory visibility strategy. It avoids maintaining inventory positions for sold items leading to an improved website shopping experience.

WMS Consolidation: Getting the Instance Strategy Right

Warehouse Management System (WMS) consolidation streamlines processes by extending best practices to all the storage locations of an organization. Our white paper elaborates on the right instance strategy for WMS consolidation. It improves returns... from WMS implementations and helps optimize hardware investments and operational maturity.

Fraud Management in the Online Retail Environment

Almost 28% of all online retailer orders are affected by fraud. The efficiency of fraud management process directly impacts e-commerce profitability, operating efficiency and scalability. Enterprises need to adopt a toolkit-based approach... that combines a series of fraud prevention tools and techniques to maximize operational efficiency and sales conversion while minimizing fraud risk. Our white paper describes the tools, processes and systems for online fraud detection, prevention and management.

Click 'n' Mortar: Achieving Multi-Channel Integration

This white paper provides insights into multi-channel retailing based on client experiences and provides recommendations to build a customer-centric retail enterprise.

Demand Management in a Multi-Channel Commerce Environment - How Complex is it?

As customers and business partners get more demanding, manufacturers are under pressure to get their orders right when it comes to delivery. Customers want the 'perfect order' - the correct product sent and delivered on time in perfect... condition. A company's ability to forecast demand can help in such a scenario as it will be able to stock products based on demand-driven customer requirements. However, in today's multi-channel commerce (MCC) environment, forecasting demand has become a complex process. This white paper examines the measures that can be implemented by an organization to manage demand more effectively.

Retail Multi-channel Integration

How can retailers position themselves to deliver a seamless customer shopping experience across channels? How can retailers effectively navigate multi-channel integration challenges and build operational synergies through a single view of inventory and customer?

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