Revised edition of the author's Demand-driven inventory optimization and replenishment, 2013.

Includes index.

"Remove built-in supply chain weak points to more effectively balance supply and demand Demand-Driven Inventory Optimization and Replenishment shows how companies can support supply chain metrics and business initiatives by removing the weak points built into their inventory systems. Beginning with a thorough examination of Just in Time, Efficient Consumer Response, and Collaborative Forecasting, Planning, and Replenishment, this book walks you through the mathematical shortcuts set up in your management system that prevent you from attaining supply chain excellence. This expanded second edition includes new coverage of inventory performance, business verticals, business initiatives, and metrics, alongside case studies that illustrate how optimized inventory and replenishment delivers results across retail, high-tech, men's clothing, and food sectors. Inventory optimization allows you to avoid out-of-stock situations without impacting the bottom line with excessive inventory maintenance. By keeping just the right amount of inventory on hand, your company is better able to meet demand without sacrificing the cost-effectiveness of other supply chain strategies. The trick, however, is determining "just the right amount"--and this book provides the background and practical guidance you need to do just that. Examine the major supply chain strategies of the last 30 years Remove the shortcuts that prohibit supply chain excellence Optimize your supply/demand balance in any vertical Overcome systemic weaknesses to strengthen the bottom line Inventory optimization is benefitting companies around the world, as exemplified here by case studies involving Matas, CV Voorfruit, Tesco, PWT, Wistron, and Amway. When inefficiencies are built into the system, it's only smart business to identify and remove them--and implement a new streamlined process that runs like a well-oiled machine. Demand-Driven Inventory Optimization and Replenishment is an essential resource for exceptional supply chain management"--

"This new edition provides a focused message on how inventory optimization effects specific business verticals through improved metrics. It reviews the fundamentals of inventory optimization so that practitioners can attain a demand driven supply as well as provides a business perspective of why present inventory systems sub-optimize the supply chain and faulty replenishment processes lead to wasted time and effort. Readers come away with a good understanding of why optimized inventory and replenishment helps overcome in-system weaknesses and deliver results. The book lays out a historical view of the three major supply chain efforts of the last 30 years (i.e., Just in Time (JIT), Efficient Consumer Response (ECR), and Collaborative Forecasting, Planning and Replenishment (CPFR). It then discusses mathematical shortcuts set up in the transitional and supply chain management systems that make it very difficult for companies to attain "supply chain excellence". A discussion of how multi-echelon inventory optimization and replenishment enables the installed systems go from a sequential, "islands of efficiency" approach to a systematic distribution system working as a complete network is also given. Case studies are provided throughout the book. New topics covered include: inventory performance, scenario updates and replenishment; examples of why promotional product flow hurts supply chains; and discussion of industry verticals (What are the relevant issues in industry verticals that would prompt someone to look at inventory optimization?), business initiatives (what are today's initiatives that are relevant to inventory optimization?), and metrics (what are the underlying business KPI's that can be improved by using inventory optimization?). "--