All episodes › Planning and analytics
This episode considers where business planning in supply chains is heading and why the traditional approach struggles under change. It traces planning from the forecast-driven material requirements methods of the 1960s through to the cross-functional sales and operations meetings that followed.
The discussion points out that forecasts are rarely accurate and that weekly or longer planning cycles must be redone whenever conditions shift. A newer view treats volatility as the normal state and aims to prepare for it, for example by deciding how much inventory to hold according to how variable demand and suppliers are, and where to place it to avoid stranded stock. The vision is an always-on, real-time planning environment.