The 5 Building Blocks Of Supply Chain Visibility

The benefits of supply chain visibility have been recognized for over a decade, but solutions to date have fallen far short. Although warehouse management systems (WMS) have provided good inventory visibility within facilities and enterprises, the real need is for visibility beyond the four walls. However, due to cultural and technological reasons, true supply chain visibility has eluded most companies.

Meanwhile, globalization of supply networks and the rise of the consumer-driven value chain have greatly increased complexity and the need for supply chainwide visibility. In fact, a recent survey by Aberdeen Group found that the top pressure to improve supply chain visibility came from the growth of global operations and supply chains. "The increased complexity of global supply chains has led to longer lead times, more pipeline inventory, and the need to control downstream and upstream logistics. This, in turn, has contributed to increased supply chain management costs."