New book illustrates how supply chain improvements greatly enhance business

In the recently published “Diagnosing Greatness: Ten Traits of the Best Supply Chains,” Frank Quinn, chief editor of Supply Chain Management Review, Chuck Poirier of CSC Consulting and Morgan Swink of Michigan State University highlight 10 common denominators of successful supply chains. Through case studies, they explain how these characteristics translate to higher revenues and lower operating costs. 

“Diagnosing Greatness” targets at all levels and functions of business management. It explains how business performance can be enhanced through a concerted effort to implement improvements across a full supply chain network. Using academic studies, published literature and documentation from annual global surveys among supply chain and logistics professionals conducted by Supply Chain Management Review magazine, Computer Sciences Corporation and Michigan State University, the authors combine their experiences to present a clear substantiation of what leading companies are accomplishing through supply chain efforts.
The authors isolated the best supply chains then diagnosed what led to their superior execution. Findings enabled the authors to articulate the top 10 traits of greatness. Each chapter covers a trait which companies can use to initiate their own plan for achieving success.
The top 10 traits include: sound supply chain strategy supported by solid leadership; focus on financial metrics; commitment to innovation and process improvement; collaboration with selected partners; superior strategic sourcing; excellence in logistics execution; proficiency in planning and responsiveness; high customer integration and satisfaction; ability to anticipate and manage risk; and globally optimized operations.
Key features:
• Shows how businesses can eliminate costs and apply the savings to improve their top and bottom lines;
• Provides practical advice and prescriptive steps for bringing improvements to purchasing and sourcing, transportation and warehousing, sales and operations planning, inventory management, and operating systems;
• Presents clear descriptions to achieve a perfect ordering and handling system, provide vendor-managed inventory capability, introduce forecast collaboration, and achieve matching of actual demand with ability to deliver;
• Explains how leaders are combining other techniques to enhance their supply chain efforts, such as lean, quality, selective outsourcing, and customer intelligence; and
• Gives a step-by-step roadmap and business plan for implementation and success.
Rave review
“This book sets the new standard for what supply chain management is all about. The authors have applied their research and industry data to establish a solid framework and prescription for achieving the best possible results from a supply chain. It is recommended reading.”
—Hon. Roger W. Kallock, Former Deputy Under Secretary of Defense (Logistics and Materiel Readiness)