Agile more important than lean: distributed business models require visibility, software-supported production methods

摘要

Some industry experts are warning that simply being lean is not enough for manufacturers that work with extensive networks of supply chain partners. "Lean works well in a steady-state environment," argues Christian Verstraete, a senior director at Hewlett-Packard (HP), who is widely recognized as a supply chain expert. The problem is supply chains are not that steady. Demand changes. Deliveries are delayed. Politics, business cycles, disruptive new technologies, and various acts of God can wreak havoc on carefully laid supply chain plans, leaving companies with lean inventories scrambling to meet customer orders.