Business models collide! As retailers turn to private labels and manufacturers go direct-to-consumer, both industries are repositioning their supply chains to serve an increasingly influential customer base. An industry veteran who founded two e-commerce companies and helped Amazon build its billion-dollar Kindle brand, Jon Reily knows a thing or two about creating compelling consumer experiences. Live from the NRF 2018 podcast studio at Retail's Big Show in New York, Jon joins Matt Gunn and Guy Courtin to talk about brand convergence, the latest digital technology, and how he's working to help clients evolve as a vice president of commerce at SapientRazorfish.

We all value visibility as an ideal. The more you see, the better informed you are. But what supply chain issues can we tangibly fix by seeing better? In this episode of Supply Chain Radio, Greg Kefer and John Nadvornik discuss the applications of visibility, from reducing transportation costs, to in-transit inventory, to making better commitments to customers.

Frequently discussed and often misunderstood, companies have been trying to achieve end-to-end supply chain visibility for decades. However, many still struggle to define exactly what that means. In part one of our new series on supply chain visibility, Greg Kefer and Jon Nadvornik discuss why companies still struggle to get real-time information on their inventory, and how networked, cloud technology is paving the road toward a brighter, more connected future.

When you can deliver toys to an entire planet full of girls and boys in just one night, odds are you've got a pretty good supply chain. But even the jolliest of elves knows there's room for continuous improvement. So what's on Santa's wish list this year? Matt Gunn, Brittany Brown, Suhas Sreedhar, and Jen Susa read St. Nick's list and check it twice to see which suppliers are naughty or nice.

Guy Courtin and Matt Gunn look into the crystal ball and predict the technologies and business challenges that will shape the year ahead. Will we see more consolidation or increased competition? Are AR and VR finally ready for prime time? Which industries are ripe for disruption? And when will 3D printing and additive manufacturing finally bring us those cool in-home replicators we saw on Star Trek? Find the answers to all of these questions and more in this week's episode of Supply Chain Radio!

These days it seems you can't go to a supply chain conference without hearing about blockchain. The hype is real, but the evidence of success is still scarce. But that's not so uncommon with new and emerging technology. The Internet of Things (IoT) was in a similar place a couple years ago - all hype, little action. But today it's taking off, and having a direct impact on supply chain. In this episode we explore the hype cycle of new technology, and how to identify the difference between buzzwords and reality.

In this episode, Brittany Brown, Matt Gunn, and Suhas Sreedhar discuss the most dreadful time of the supply chain year: contracting season. As we look ahead to early 2018, the ordeal of negotiating transportation contracts for the year looms large. But is there a way for shippers and carriers to ease the anxiety and the pain?

It used to be that Black Friday was the biggest shopping event of the year. But the growth of e-commerce and mobile gave shoppers more power to choose when, where and how they wanted to shop for the holidays, and today the holiday deals run from late October all the way through the New Year. In this episode, we discuss how the evolving shopping season puts a strain on supply chain, and how businesses can get smarter about seasonal demand.

Communications tools like Slack have transformed the way teams collaborate within a business. But can that same type of connectivity and interaction also apply to the worlds of operations and supply chain? Or are we doomed to rely on the age-old techniques of phone calls, faxes and emails? Find out, as Guy Courtin and Eric Johnson of American Shipper explore the power of communication in this episode of Supply Chain Radio.

Whether you think digitization is a buzzword or a new way of doing business, it's hard to argue that new technology is transforming the supply chain. But what does it mean for the world's largest carriers? Mike Riegler offers perspective on how digital technology is transforming the industry, and how 3PLs are positioned to connect new business models with real-world results. 

All across the world, they serve as haunting reminders of the fleeting nature of prosperity. In this spooky, special episode of Supply Chain Radio we explore the ruins of the Packard Automotive Plant in Detroit, Michigan. What truths from its demise continue to haunt automakers today?

New competition and the rise of e-commerce have rewritten the rules in retail. As the industry undergoes a difficult transition, many retailers have realized that it's time to get back to what made them successful in the first place: focusing on the customer. In this episode we share some examples from the recent Shoptalk Europe conference of how technology is powering the personalized supply chain.

What do networking, logistics, last-mile delivery, and disruptive technology have to do with each other? Guy Courtin catches up with Raffi Setrakian, a logistics analyst at Danone, to find out.

Digital transformation remains a hot topic in supply chain, as new technologies and new business models are reshaping the way goods are bought, made, moved, and sold in today's global economy. But where do you begin? In this episode, Matt Gunn and Guy Courtin discuss the maturity model approach to digital supply chain transformation, and how businesses of all types can measure their progress toward a digitally connected future.

It's no secret the retail industry faces strong headwinds as customer shopping habits evolve. After all, why go into a store when you can just buy something online? It's put new emphasis on the types of experiences retailers can provide, and the consistency of service across all channels. In this episode, we explore how the supply chain can be a competitive advantage in the age of experiences.

As the promise of Artificial Intelligence excites people across the business world, we explore what exactly "business A.I." will look like.  As it turns out, the supply chain has many traits that make it the ideal testbed for A.I. implementation.  But where will businesses start?  In this episode, supply chain technology experts George Boston and Brittany Brown join Supply Chain Radio host Suhas Sreedhar to talk about our automated future.

Hurricane season can wreak havoc on cities, businesses, and people's lives. And with storms like Harvey and Irma affecting the United States and Caribbean, 2017 could be one of the most disruptive hurricane seasons on record. In this episode we discuss the effort that goes into keeping the supply chain going through these black swan events, and the role businesses play in their communities after a storm. 

Whether it’s groceries and meal kits, clothing and accessories, or even cosmetics and wine, there’s likely a subscription service available to provide it. And consumers have embraced this new breed of services at hypersonic speed thanks to competitive pricing, convenience, personalization, and strong customer experiences. But as these services scale, it puts new strain on the supply chain. Do they have what it takes to keep up? We find out in this episode of Supply Chain Radio.

Maryanna Kersten, senior manager of global logistics at Del Monte Foods, discusses the challenges and opportunities of moving food around the globe, and how technology enables digital transformation in this episode of Supply Chain Radio.

Bimodal supply chain strategies, digital transformation, the Amazon effect, the ongoing debate around true supply chain visibility and orchestration. Greg Kefer and automotive industry expert Scott Conover discuss all these topics and more in this episode of Supply Chain Radio.

What's in a name? Ask anyone in the supply chain community what "visibility" means and they'll surely be able to give you an answer. The problem is, not everyone's answers will be the same. In this episode, Greg Kefer and Guy Courtin examine definitions and their consequences. Can companies still achieve "visibility" and operate as "networks" without a clear consensus on what those terms mean?

Every year, the CSCMP publishes a report on the state of the logistics industry within the US.  Countless hours of research goes into the project.  What we get are some fascinating and important facts, like the fact that logistics, as an industry accounts for 7.8% of total GDP, a staggering $1.3 trillion.  But how can the report help you plan for the future?  In this episode, Greg Kefer sits down with one of the authors of the report,  Sean Monahan of A.T. Kearney, for a behind-the-scenes look.

Global trade management is an oft-used and often misunderstood term in supply chain. In this episode, we chat with American Shipper's Eric Johnson on the evolution of GTM and what it means for business today.

Recorded live from the Gartner Supply Chain Executive Conference, where big themes are front and center, this episode delves into the current and future state of supply chain.  John Atherton of Accenture's supply chain consulting team talks with Greg Kefer about the latest trends in supply chain, including the changing science and art of managing tomorrow's supply chains.

Gartner’s 2017 Supply Chain Executive Conference was all about bi-modal supply chains, supply chain visibility, and digital transformation.  We also saw new concepts emerge around networks – Gartner opened by describing “digital ecosystems” a new way to orchestrate across global value chains.  Recorded on the show floor, in this episode, Greg Kefer and Guy Courtin discuss key observations from the event.