Study: Manufacturers Using Supply Chain for Growth
Supply Chain Capabilities Factors Prominently into Executive Agendas for 2008
Sean Murphy, Associate Editor -- Supply Chain Management Review, 7/25/2008 12:09:00 PM
A new survey by management consulting firm Archstone Consulting has found that manufacturing executives are planning to use supply chain management as a tool for boosting performance.
The results of the survey, conducted in April of this year, further prove that the concept of supply chain management is gaining popularity in corporate circles, according to John Ferreira, Archstone’s industrial manufacturing practice leader.
“It’s starting to move into the mainstream,” he said.
The survey, Archstone’s Manufacturing Executive Agenda for 2008, includes responses from 265 manufacturing executives from a wide range of industries.
“Over 80% of manufacturers have responded to the current economic climate by devising aggressive agendas to boost sales and cut costs,” said Todd Lavieri, Archstone’s president and CEO.
According to the survey, two of the four most common ways that executives plan to boost performance this year were supply chain management-related.
“I think it’s very intriguing that they’re talking about leveraging the supply chain to enable growth,” Ferreira said.
The four executive agenda items shared by manufacturers in all industries include:
- Increasing revenue growth by leveraging supply chain capabilities to add value to products and services.
- Reducing costs with supply chain efficiency improvements.
- Improving product innovation.
- Controlling direct material costs.
In addition, Ferreira said respondents indicated they wanted to use supply chain management techniques to rapidly adapt to changing markets and offer more customized customer service.
Ferreria said the respondents did not indicate how long it would take to implement their ideas, but the survey asked respondents to consider their plans for 2008.
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