Adapt and Thrive

Supply chain success depends upon the right combination of people, processes, and technology. But change is hard, and there’s no shortage of new ideas and technologies available to help drive the business forward. In this episode, Paul Webb shares his experience driving transformative projects at several major organizations and tells us how to identify a need for new software and drive consensus among stakeholders across the enterprise.

Data Scientists like nothing more than writing algorithms to solve complex problems in new and different ways. But translating that code into a scalable solution for use by the business is a whole different ballgame. In this episode, LLamasoft Data Scientist Clara Quigley joins Matt Gunn to discuss her take on the complexities of data science deployment. Hear first-hand, the challenges of data science delivery and how a new tool is enabling her to spend more time on what she loves most.

That pile of Amazon packages waiting on your doorstep is proof of its own. The rapid growth of this popular e-commerce marketplace has placed it in a class of its own, a retail technology powerhouse. LLamasoft SVP, Ganesh Ramakrishna joins Matt Gunn as they discuss life as a vendor of this highly complex demand channel. Hear how historical approaches and tools are consistently falling short and how Amazon actually helps you in the fight to decode what they are going to do next.

Given today’s ‘never normal’ status quo, can we still learn from the past? In this episode, Andy Fox joins Matt Gunn to share his first-hand experience with the practice of digging into performance issue data in order to find and treat the true root cause as opposed to chasing the many symptoms. Hear how the increase in available data as well as powerful AI algorithms have changed the game for Root Cause Analysis and why its value is only continuing to grow in 2020 and beyond.

How do you keep essential products moving during the biggest disruption of the century? COVID-19 has caused wild swings in demand, unpredictable disruptions to supply, and anomalous capacity constraints on a global scale. Matt Tichon joins Matt Gunn to share his personal account of the challenges and innovation that's gone into scaling up a new supply chain to deliver PPE to those who need it the most.

Tim Judge, President and CEO of Agillitics presents his view on the purpose and creation of a Digital Twin to help Supply Chain organizations develop a nimble technique for quickly solving business questions that in the past only needed to be answered on a monthly, quarterly or yearly cadence. First step? Bite small, chew fast as you map things out.

Sam Israelit, one of the Practice Leads in Supply Chain at Bain joins this podcast to explore how organizations can manage massive changes due to external forces that are beyond what a business can control and emerge stronger and more competitive.

In this podcast, Vikram Srinivasan, Senior Director Product Management at LLamasoft discusses why the severe disruption caused by COVID-19 means organizations must rethink how they do short-term forecasting. He offers practical tips for an “outside-in” AI approach using COVID-19 and internal sales data. By pinpointing inflection points, current demand patterns can be revealed to prioritize and set agile short-term forecasts to meet customer demand and balance supply.

Whether you're operating out of your garage or running a multibillion dollar enterprise, odds are high that your business relies on a global supply chain. And as the COVID-19 pandemic has shown us, those global supply chains are often more delicate than we think. Supply Chain Risk Management Consortium founder, Greg Schlegel joins Matt Gunn for an engaging discussion on the nature of risk, how to identify it, and the crucial role supply chain design and analytics play in preparing your...

A significant percentage of multi-national enterprises' carbon footprint comes from the supply chain. And while many businesses continue to operate through unusual circumstances, initiatives to reduce emissions and lower costs remain a significant priority. Nate Rosier, enVista Vice President of Strategy, says, “The best way to make immediately impact in the environment is to design a more efficient supply chain.” He joins host Matt Gunn to discuss sustainability, services and how to...

Enlisting in the Army at age 17 and rising through the ranks from private, to sergeant, to Lieutenant General, Larry Wyche served as the second highest ranked logistician and supply chain professional in the United States Army. In this episode, General Wyche shares his experiences running a $58 billion supply chain and provides insight on managing logistics and operations challenging times. Tune in for perspective on how to develop strong leaders within a global organization, and what it...

In past episodes we have explored how traditional methods to forecast demand simply don’t work anymore. Customers need a better forward-looking signal to balance the data inside systems that are influenced by data outside the system and beyond control. In this episode, LLamasoft's Ryan Chan and Vikram Srinivasan join Matt Gunn to discuss the topic of demand-driven design. Through a free ranging exploration of several examples involving network design, policy modifications and data-backed...

In the blink of an eye, the COVID-19 coronavirus swept through China and parts of the globe, bringing with it a near-immediate impact on human lives. As the epidemic set in, it quickly became apparent that the coronavirus would quickly disrupt the global supply chain as well. With operations and demand so heavily entrenched in China, few industries will escape its effect. Dr. Madhav Durbha joins Matt Gunn to examine the near and long-term effect COVID-19 will have on the global supply chain...

We are not too far removed from the days when supply chain simulation and optimization were a mysterious art practiced by mathematicians and scientists locked away in the deepest, darkest corners of the enterprise. But in the past decade, advances in computing power, analytics and AI have given modelers a new set of tools to increase the speed, frequency and opportunity unlocked through their work, elevating the art from the realm of arcane wizardry to an essential foundation for enterprise...

In achieving the strategy to thrive, it’s critical to weigh the strengths of the technology you have available to help you make decisions and execute your plan. Planning systems are a great way to have a forward look to balance your supply and demand balance, and when combined with a “system of innovation” can deliver greater value in holistic visibility across your end to end supply chain. In this episode, Spinnaker SVP of Consulting John Sharkey, and LLamasoft Group Vice President,...

Food waste is a $750 billion problem globally - especially when it comes to produce, where it's either fresh, frozen or on its way to a landfill. The supply chain plays a major role in ensuring the viability of food when it reaches grocery shelves. But what happens if that extended supply chain is eliminated? Babylon Microfarms CEO Alexander Olesen joins Matt Gunn to discuss his company's approach to bringing the farm directly to the store, and why produce is the gateway to a post-supply...

While the retail industry has swiftly adopted omnichannel fulfillment strategies, grocery stores still largely depend on in-store visits. But as more consumers demand delivery, will traditional grocery stores get left behind? Farmstead CEO Pradeep Elankumaran joins Matt Gunn in this episode to discuss the digital disruption of grocery shopping, and why the future of food is fast, fresh and subscription-based.

External market changes are outpacing businesses' ability to keep up. Traditional methods to forecast demand simply don’t work anymore. Relying on historical data to point the way is only going to give you a piece of the answer. In this podcast, Vikram Srinivasan, Senior Director of Product Management at LLamasoft joins Matt Gunn to describe what it means to model demand in today’s complex business environment to drive your desired business outcomes.

In the world of high stakes poker, players make critical decisions every 90 seconds without any knowledge of what hand their opponent holds. Each decision could be worth thousands — if not millions — of dollars, and there’s no reward for second place. Do you fold under pressure, or make a calculated bet based on all the risk factors and information you have in hand? In this episode of Adapt or Die, Cambridge-trained economist and former professional poker player Caspar Berry joins Matt Gunn...

When it comes to new product launches, seasonal offerings and balancing inventory to meet customer demand, businesses still depend heavily on spreadsheets and email to chart the course ahead. But these manual processes often fall short, leading to stock outs, lost sales, or excess waste throughout the supply chain. LLamasoft’s Matt Tichon joins Matt Gunn to give perspective on how industries can leverage advanced technology to improve their processes and break organizational silos, paving...