The best laid supply chain plans often go astray

A wise person once said, “Change is inevitable, growth is optional.” Change is bound to happen because - hey! — stuff happens. When it does, we have a choice in how we respond. Our response is everything.

That same sage might have also said, “Life is what happens when you are making other plans.” Or, planning is good, but don’t count on it, because - hey! - stuff happens.

What’s this got to do with anything? Those thoughts tumbled through my head when I was reading the blog at Kinaxis.com. The sense I got could also be summarized by paraphrasing Shakespeare: “The best laid supply chain plans, often go astray.”

Kinaxis, a strategic partner of Technology Forecasters, is all about responding to changes in the supply chain and turning them into opportunities. Because no matter how well you plan your supply chain - hey! - stuff happens.

You’d be better off to read the blog and draw your own conclusions, but let me share some items that caught my attention from the May postings.

May 21, interesting discussion that cuts to the heart of the dime-store wisdom offered above. If you need response management, does that mean you planned poorly? In a word: No.

May 15, conventional wisdom says the customer is always right. Maybe, maybe not - it is all in the metrics.

And from May 3, a discussion about the top three issues in supply chain management. No, I’m not going to tell you. Go see for yourself. Let us know if you agree or don’t by posting a comment below.

Let me end this with another piece of dime-store wisdom. Question: How many psychiatrists does it take to change a light bulb? Answer: Only one — if the light bulb wants to change.

We hope that 21st century supply chain professionals in the electronics industry want to change, because whether they do or they don’t - hey! — stuff happens.

Posted by Bill Roberts, June 1st, 2007