1. Summary
• Responsiveness and agility have become the core attributes of a competitive supply chain
network
• Suppliers are moving from a “push” supply chain built around the needs of the assembly line to
a customer-centric, demand-driven model that becomes “circular” in nature.
• In order to gain a better understanding how supply chains have transformed from responding
demands to managing demands, SCM World and Martin Christopher conducted a global survey
of 819 cross industry senior executives to gain an understanding of trends in customer-supply
relationships and SC technology.
2. Introduction
• Conventional 4Ps (Product, Place, Price, Promotion) have proved themselves ineffective in
determining and managing demand.
• Better relationship between supplier and retailer have improved SC efficiency by promoting
transparency and data sharing.
• Shift of power from Big Corporates to retailers in the Consumer Packaged Goods (CPG)
• Commoditization of products have forced companies to go beyond a customer centric approach
to attract and retain customers.
• Such attempts are being achieved through collaboration between corporations and retailers,
which contributed to a reduction in transaction costs, data handling costs and wastage due to
miscommunication.
3. Methodology
• 819 companies were approached to study how corporations are exploiting the opportunities for
colloborative working by adopting B2B e-commerce solutions.
• The vast majority of participants were either process or discrete manufacturers, but all industry
sectors were included and almost all of the companies operate globally.
4. Results of Survey
• Logistics management activity increasingly is utilizing information and communications
technology to a greater extent, particularly in order fulfilment.
