Dynamic Supply Chain Alignment

Book excerpt: Just like the world financial system, but for different reasons, 21st-century corporations need a new business model for their enterprise supply chains. The old conventions no longer work in this new world of volatile and increasingly unpredictable demand and supply. The enterprise needs to become more 'connected' to its own parts, as well as its partners up and down the chains it participates in. So too, we need to embrace new ways of looking at customers to gain deeper, more insightful impressions of what they are telling us about the way they want to buy our products and services. Finally, these signals need converting into corresponding action, driven by the people in the business, leaders and staff alike, who are aligned to their customers' wishes. This is the world of dynamic supply chain alignment where, increasingly, supply chains are the business. In the follow-up to his hugely successful Strategic Supply Chain Alignment, John Gattorna's Dynamic Supply Chain Alignment, explores how to create and sustain multiple supply chains with a level of flexibility and responsiveness that allow you to respond to opportunities and threats; at the same time aligning with your suppliers, your partners and your customers. When more executives get to this stage of development the profits will flow more readily, and sustainability of performance will not be the same issue it is today. The way forward is right there in front of us; but, says John Gattorna, we must throw off old ways and embrace the new.