Make Data One Part of a Strategy
Access to real-time demand and inventory data gives a more accurate picture of customer needs. But for real operational improvements, data is only one part of a strategy. Processes should be part of the focus too.
Many organizations seek to benefit from information transparency, especially in their supply chains. One approach organizations have taken to achieve this goal is to share real-time, electronic demand and inventory levels within the enterprise and with external partners. The belief is that making this information available will enable organizations to shorten order processing times through improved inventory levels and deliver a more accurate picture of customer needs.
While it may seem counterintuitive, our research indicates that organizations that focus on data sharing without also addressing their underlying processes sometimes end up with less efficient supply chains than other organizations. In other words, while access to real-time demand and inventory data gives a more accurate picture of customer needs, information alone is not enough.
What then is the current state of the market?
Data from APQC’s Open Standards Benchmarking in logistics indicates that a slight majority of organizations (59 percent) have adopted the sharing of real-time, electronic demand and inventory data within the enterprise and with external partners ( Of organizations that do make this data available, 26 percent have done so extensively.
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Many organizations seek to benefit from information transparency, especially in their supply chains. One approach organizations have taken to achieve this goal is to share real-time, electronic demand and inventory levels within the enterprise and with external partners. The belief is that making this information available will enable organizations to shorten order processing times through improved inventory levels and deliver a more accurate picture of customer needs.
While it may seem counterintuitive, our research indicates that organizations that focus on data sharing without also addressing their underlying processes sometimes end up with less efficient supply chains than other organizations. In other words, while access to real-time demand and inventory data gives a more accurate picture of customer needs, information alone is not enough.
What then is the current state of the market?
Data from APQC’s Open Standards Benchmarking in logistics indicates that a slight majority of organizations (59 percent) have adopted the sharing of real-time, electronic demand and inventory data within the enterprise and with external partners ( Of organizations that do make this data available, 26 percent have done so extensively.
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