Yes, I’m broaching a hot topic. This article is deliberately not exhaustive, leaving plenty of room for further discussion. My intent: to encourage constructive, informative conversation among my many LinkedIn supply-chain experts. I have done my best to ensure that I have supported all my assertions with facts, analysis and calculations. Here is my theme: Forecast-to-actual demand variation has no…
This is a big and touchy topic, I know. I intend only to begin a dialog, not present an exhaustive treatise. First, let me define what I mean by “safety stock,” or SS: Not the restrictive, MRP-specific adder to gross requirements, but the general concept of buffer inventory. SS, determined correctly and optimally, protects against random variations…
At a high level, a supply chain’s structure defines critical factors affecting optimal target inventory levels – factors such as replenishment lead time and variation, customer demand and variation, and replenishment frequency. Supply-chain structure is fundamental to optimal overall financial performance. Still, to achieve target service levels reliably with minimal inventory and expediting, we must…
