As we mentioned last month, Koch Logistics co-sponsored the ninth annual Best Practices Symposium with our partner, Store Opening Solutions. We recently returned from two great days in Florida and want to share our experiences for those of you not able to attend.

With several major retailers in attendance at the Symposium, we were able to facilitate some candid and open discussions regarding current industry challenges. Over the next few weeks, we’ll highlight some key research findings and explore what the “new normal” looks like for retailers. Please feel free to share your experiences with us.

We first identified the state of the retail supply chain, with help from Brian Gibson, Ph.D. Despite the compelling link between supply chain management (SCM) and retailing, few studies have addressed it. Along with the research team from Auburn College of Business, Gibson explored key issues in supply chain management through executive level interviews with more than 40 major retailers. During the Symposium, Brian presented answers to three key questions:

1.      What is the role of SCM in retail companies?

2.      What challenges are of greatest concern to retailers?

3.      What capabilities must retailers develop and leverage to achieve supply chain excellence?

The results suggest that retailers are expanding the role of SCM within the organization. According to the survey analysis, “While they remain responsible for cost efficient fulfillment of store orders, retail SCM executives are now highly engaged in strategic planning at the highest levels of the organization.” We found this to be evident with Symposium participants. We welcome your comments regarding the trend in your own company. How has your role evolved?

-Jennifer Johnson, National Account Executive

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