Daily Archives: November 2, 2009

New and Upcoming Events from the #1 Supply Chain Resource Site

The Sourcing Innovation Resource Site, always immediately accessible from the link under the “Free Resources” section of the sidebar, continues to add new content on a weekly, and often daily, basis — and it will continue to do so.

The following is a short selection of upcoming webinars and events that you might want to check out in the coming weeks:

Date & Time Webcast
2009-Nov-3

11:00 GMT-08:00/AKDT/PST

Securing the Mandate to Achieve Cost Leadership and Build a Leading Procurement Organization
  

Sponsor: Denali Group

2009-Nov-3

11:30 GMT-05:00/CDT/EST

It All Comes Down to the People
  

Sponsor: Compliance Networks

2009-Nov-3

13:00 GMT-05:00/CDT/EST

Online Commerce in 2009: How Winning Retailers Have Changed the Game
  

Sponsor: ATG

2009-Nov-3

11:00 GMT-08:00/AKDT/PST

Generate Working Capital
  

Sponsor: Receivables Exchange

2009-Nov-3

14:00 GMT-05:00/CDT/EST

Lean Supply Chain Series: Lean Outbound Supply Chain – The Unrefusable Market Offer
  

Sponsor: Society of Manufacturing Engineers

2009-Nov-3

00:00 GMT/WET

Maintaining Food Quality
  

Sponsor: World Food Logistics Organization

2009-Nov-4

11:00 GMT-04:00/AST/EDT

Organization and Management Community of Interest
  

Sponsor: IACCM

2009-Nov-4

14:00 GMT-04:00/AST/EDT

Tackle eDiscovery Challenges in Social Media
  

Sponsor: Open Text

2009-Nov-4

13:00 GMT+10:00/AEST

Innovation & Emerging Technology Benchmark: How do I shape up?
  

Sponsor: Gartner

2009-Nov-4

11:00 GMT-05:00/CDT/EST

Next Generation Workforces: Best Practices for Manufacturers to Engage Employees and Improve Performances
  

Sponsor: Infor

2009-Nov-5

11:00 GMT-05:00/CDT/EST

Good Governance for Supply Chain Operations
  

Sponsor: Pilgrim Software

2009-Nov-5

11:30 GMT-05:00/CDT/EST

Next Generation Supply Chains: Eliminate Operator Scanning to Optimize Manufacturing and Warehouse Operations
  

Sponsor: Rush Tracking Systems

2009-Nov-5

13:00 GMT-05:00/CDT/EST

Retail Webcast Series: Save the Sale
  

Sponsor: Sterling Commerce

2009-Nov-5

11:00 GMT-08:00/AKDT/PST

Staffing & Recruiting Firms: Generate Working Capital
  

Sponsor: Receivables Exchange

  Want your webinar listed in an upcoming events update post? Submit It!

Dates Conference Sponsor
2009-Nov-19 to
  

2009-Nov-20

Capacity Planning
  

Berlin, Germany (Europe)

Marcus Evans
2009-Nov-19 to
  

2009-Nov-19

West Africa Trade & Export Finance Conference
  

London, England, UK (Europe)

Exporta
2009-Nov-24 to
  

2009-Nov-29

7th European 3PL Summit
  

Brussels, Belgium (Europe)

EyeForTransport
2009-Nov-25 to
  

2009-Nov-26

Central & East Africa Trade & Commodity Finance Conference
  

Nairobi, Kenya (Africa)

Exporta
2009-Dec-1 to
  

2009-Dec-4

Defense Logistics
  

Arlington, Virginia, USA (North-America)

WBR
2009-Dec-2 to
  

2009-Dec-4

World Secure Food Chain Asia 2009
  

Hong Kong, China (Asia)

Terrapinn
2009-Dec-2 to
  

2009-Dec-4

Managing Supply Chain Risks for Critical & Strategic Metals Summit
  

Washington, DC, USA (North-America)

Infocast
2009-Dec-3 to
  

2009-Dec-4

Supply Chain and Logistics 2009
  

Dallas, Texas, USA (North-America)

WTG
2009-Dec-3 to
  

2009-Dec-4

3rd Annual Global Supply Management Conference
  

Phoenix, Arizona, USA (North-America)

ISM
2009-Dec-3 to
  

2009-Dec-4

10th Annual Services Conference
  

Phoenix, Arizona, USA (North-America)

ISM
2009-Dec-3 to
  

2009-Dec-3

Ariba Spend Management Day
  

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA (North-America)

Ariba
2009-Dec-3 to
  

2009-Dec-3

Ariba Spend Management Day
  

London, England, UK (North-America)

Ariba

  Want your conference listed in an upcoming events update post? Submit It!

They are all readily searchable from the comprehensive Site-Search page. So don’t forget to review the resource site on a weekly basis. You just might find what you didn’t even know you were looking for!

And continue to keep a sharp eye out for new additions!

Robert Rudzki on “Procurement and Supply Chain Transformation: How Fast?”

Today’s guest post is from Robert A. Rudzki, a former Fortune 500 senior executive of supply management who now advises other companies as President of Greybeard Advisors LLC, a strategic management advisory firm. Bob has authored several business books including Beat the Odds: Avoid Corporate Death and Build a Resilient Enterprise and Straight to the Bottom Line. Bob also writes the Transformation Leadership blog for the Supply Chain Management Review. (e-mail Bob at rudzki <at> greybeardadvisors <dot> com.)

How fast can a company transform itself to world-class supply management?

One of the most interesting conversations I participated in recently centered around the subject of how long it takes to transform procurement to become world-class at a large (or medium sized) company. The conversation started with this comment:

“We benchmarked Company X, and learned that it took them 7 years to transform their indirect procurement activities to become world-class.”

That’s a quote from a recent meeting I attended, and the speaker was interested in my reaction. Company X was identified, and is a well-known company in its industry.

My reaction to this statement was, and is, straightforward: lacking an assessment process and a transformation roadmap, it can take a long time to achieve successful transformation of your procurement activities (direct or indirect spend). In fact, without a roadmap and the associated business case, the goal is probably not achievable in any reasonable amount of time.

On the other hand, with a well-constructed roadmap, it is possible to achieve a great deal within 18 to 36 months.

What’s involved in creating a good transformation roadmap? It starts with an independent, candid and comprehensive comparison of the “current state” at your company versus appropriately identified “best practices” in supply management (for your company). That provides input to an opportunity assessment, as well as input to constructing a roadmap that is tailored to your company’s situation — and to your desired speed of progression. In our experience, I can tell you that sequencing the roadmap elements is part art, and part science*. Finally, a credible business case is developed which wraps it all together: what you are proposing to do, the expected $ results over the next few years, and the requested internal and external resources to accomplish the plan.

Done well, this Assessment and Roadmap process creates executive understanding, excitement, and support (budget and otherwise). Believe me, this works. I say that as a former corporate finance guy who became a successful CPO (and obtained all the executive support you could wish for) and as an advisor to clients who I’ve guided in their transformations. (I’ve even helped clients obtain approval to expand their strategic resources while the recession was gaining speed.)

That’s the real litmus test — senior management committed to creating world-class supply management regardless of the economy. That’s an indicator of what is possible if you approach this subject properly.

To read more about building a transformation roadmap, you can download A Leader’s Guide to Supply Management Transformation , which was featured in the Supply Chain Management Review.

Thanks, Bob!

*Editor’s Note: For a discussion of Supply Chain Process: Art or Science, see the linked post.

Share This on Linked In