Blog

Blog Entries by Rich Becks

• Segmented consensus

  Rich Becks, General Manager, High Technology, E2open - Thursday, April 26, 2012 - 0 Comments
  

  Why have we come so far so fast? With the rise of globalization and outsourcing, it has become increasingly difficult for single supply-chain companies to meet the requirements of all their major customers. Complexity and interdependence are unavoidable realities for modern supply chains, and adapting supply chain processes to meet these new realities is crucial for survival.  More »

• National Strategy for Global Supply Chain Security underscores importance of collaboration

  Rich Becks, General Manager, High Technology, E2open - Monday, March 19, 2012 - 0 Comments
  

  The release of the National Strategy for Global Supply Chain Security (The Strategy) at the recent World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, has put a strong spotlight on the increasingly pivotal role of the global supply chain in the nation’s economic development. In a letter introducing the strategy, President Obama noted that the global supply chain “is essential to the United States’ economy and security and is a critical global asset.” We absolutely agree. More »

• Re-thinking supply chain risk and resiliency

  Rich Becks, General Manager, High Technology, E2open - Friday, March 02, 2012 - 0 Comments
  

  In the last decade, supply chain visionaries have promoted outsourced manufacturing, vendor managed inventory (VMI), and third-party logistics providers (3PLs) to handle everything from procurement and materials handling to manufacturing, transportation, and warehousing. And while the projected cost savings were compelling, many businesses worried that sacrificing control of these critical operations would introduce a number of business risks—specifically, would outsourced vendors act in their own self interest, as opposed to supporting the needs of the end consumers?  More »

• Bridging the gap between profitability and social responsibility

  Rich Becks, General Manager, High Technology, E2open - Thursday, January 19, 2012 - 0 Comments
  

  Apple controls one of the world’s top supply chains, which has been shrouded in secrecy for years—until now. The beloved consumer electronics company recently revealed the name of 156 companies that represent 97 percent of its supply chain. This is an unusual move for an industry that relies heavily on foreign component suppliers to drive margins, especially for Apple, a notoriously secretive company.  More »

• Consumers seeking Black Friday tech deals may be disappointed this year

  Rich Becks, General Manager, High Technology, E2open - Tuesday, November 22, 2011 - 0 Comments
  

  Today, the term "Black Friday" has evolved into an unofficial holiday nationwide, marking the start of the holiday shopping season. For those hoping to snag the newest, hottest tech toys this Black Friday and Cyber Monday, your best intentions may be thwarted by an act of nature thousands of miles away. More »

• Outsourcing: Are we ever going to stop?

  Rich Becks, General Manager, High Technology, E2open - Friday, August 26, 2011 - 0 Comments
  

  Last week I came across a fascinating column in the Economist that asked the very same question—can the outsourcing boom go on indefinitely? The article concluded that the business logic behind outsourcing remains compelling and that outsourcing will continue to grow. All around us we continue to see evidence of it, companies outsourcing more and more of their operations to specialized third parties: IT, Human Resources, clinical trials, accounting, training, promotions, manufacturing, distribution, warehousing…the list goes on.  More »

• Natural disasters 2011: Are supply chains readying for the next big one?

  Rich Becks, General Manager, High Technology, E2open - Thursday, August 04, 2011 - 0 Comments
  

  More than three months have passed since the tragic natural disasters in Japan...so I got to thinking: How long-lasting were the effects of this massive supply chain disruption? How have the most heavily impacted industries rebounded — and how can companies better prepare themselves in the future? Given that Japan accounts for 31.5 percent of global semiconductor production for automotive electronics, it’s no surprise that...  More »

• Supply chain visibility: Still king

  Rich Becks, General Manager, High Technology, E2open - Friday, April 15, 2011 - 0 Comments
  

  Inventory risk among manufacturers has been higher than ever before due to events that are outside our control – for example: the geopolitical instability in the Middle East; earthquake and tsunami in Japan; last year’s air traffic disruption in Europe due to the volcanic eruption in Iceland; and strikes all across Europe in September 2010. And while many companies continue to rely on Vendor Managed Inventory (VMI) systems or better collaboration with customers... More »

• Multi-tier visibility: Just a pipe dream?

  Rich Becks, General Manager, High Technology, E2open - Wednesday, March 30, 2011 - 0 Comments
  

  As far as I’m concerned, visibility is the golden ticket when it comes to good supply chain management. The ability to monitor partner behaviors and track part/inventory movements is critical if you plan on keeping your customers around – and visibility to real-time demand enables your organization to avoid costly stock outs or surpluses. For most companies today, visibility means electronic connectivity to a few key suppliers. But the game has changed a bit... More »

• How many supply chains do I need? A quick Q&A on supply chain segmentation

  Rich Becks, General Manager, High Technology, E2open - Wednesday, March 16, 2011 - 0 Comments
  

  Supply chain segmentation is a simple yet powerful idea. The basic concept is that an organization’s supply chain can be categorized (“segmented”) along various dimensions in order to create multiple distinct, more operationally efficient and profitable supply chains. Supply chains can be segmented by product, market, supply/distribution characteristics, variability, and more.  More »