by Janice Marquardt | Jul 29, 2025 | Creative Solutions, Processes
There comes a time in every supply chain team when a spend analysis is useful. It happens much sooner in the supply chain maturity model than most people realize, and it’s an incredibly useful thing. A spend analysis gives you a good view of your top suppliers, their...
by Janice Marquardt | Jun 24, 2025 | Creative Solutions, e-Auctions
When I tell people e-auctions are a negotiation tool in the toolbox, they often go straight to “e-auctions are a hammer.” But a hammer doesn’t have flexibility or grace, it can basically do one thing. I say e-auctions are a chainsaw. If that evokes a slightly visceral...
by Janice Marquardt | Jun 17, 2025 | Creative Solutions, Definitions
AI is the biggest buzzword of the day. To Joël Collin-Demers’ point, if you can substitute the word “computers” or “technology” for AI in a sentence, it’s probably not true AI but instead is a clever use of technology. While technology is still valuable and...
by Janice Marquardt | Jun 10, 2025 | Creative Solutions, Supply Chain Career
To the chorus of a thousand clinking name badges, we sat down last week to the ISMWorld 2025 keynote speaker: Kevin O’Leary. “Mr. Wonderful.” His insights and thoughts over the next hour or so were fascinating, thought-provoking, and edged into thoughtful criticism of...
by Janice Marquardt | May 6, 2025 | Creative Solutions, Definitions, Processes
A large part of many corporate jobs is presenting data. Typically presented in chart form, data is intended to help others (especially management) make decisions, plan for the future, and understand the current state. This is especially true in a supply chain team,...
by Janice Marquardt | Apr 8, 2025 | Creative Solutions, Supply Chain Career
So you’ve been invited to a meeting with the consultant your company just hired. Ugh. What do they even know? They’re going to come in with their glossy PowerPoints and get everyone riled up, and then they’re going to leave you holding the ball. It doesn’t have to be...
