Supply Chain Management Review

09/02/2026

Worker wellbeing is often treated as a compliance or ESG responsibility. Carmel Giblin, president and CEO of the Ethical Supply Chain Program, argues that it should instead be viewed as an operational capability. In this episode of Talking Supply Chain, Giblin explains why audits alone cannot provid...

09/02/2026

Forecasts create plans, but supply chain AI creates value when it helps people respond to the disruptions that break those plans.
In this new SCMR article, Hemang Upadhyay explains why the exception queue and not another dashboard or prediction is where supply chain AI begins to earn its ROI.
An effective exception queue helps teams:
• Distinguish actionable exceptions from routine alerts
• Prioritize disruptions by consequence and time to recover
• See the evidence behind AI-recommended actions
• Assign every exception a state, owner and next decision
• Capture recovery outcomes and improve future performance
The goal is not simply to identify more potential problems. It is to help planners recognize which problem deserves attention now, understand why it matters and act while recovery options still exist.
Read the article: https://www.scmr.com/article/the-exception-queue-is-where-supply-chain-ai-earns-its-roi

Supply chain AI delivers measurable ROI when exception management systems…

09/01/2026

Food and beverage supply chains face a demanding combination of shelf-life constraints, complex distribution networks, omnichannel expectations and pressure to improve service without adding cost.
At the 2026 NextGen Supply Chain Conference, leaders from Mars Snacking, Southern Glazer’s Wine & Spirits, Target and Berry Direct will share how they are applying AI, automation and new fulfillment strategies to these challenges.
Attendees will hear:
• How Mars is using AI to accelerate cross-functional supply chain decisions
• How Southern Glazer’s and Dematic are modernizing beverage distribution
• How Target and Berry Direct are navigating automation, omnichannel ex*****on and changing consumer expectations
The program will also feature the 2026 NextGen Supply Chain Awards and a Nashville rooftop performance by songwriter Scooter Carusoe.
Read more about the food and beverage speakers: https://www.scmr.com/article/food-and-beverage-supply-chain-leaders-bring-ai-automation-and-fulfillment-lessons-to-nextgen

08/31/2026

All indications say everything is fine but trouble is on the horizon and no one sees it.
That observation captures a persistent supply chain problem: Enterprise systems can show that everything is on track even as the signals of an impending disruption begin to accumulate.
AI is starting to close that gap.
The most compelling AI applications are not autonomous systems attempting to manage an entire supply network. They are focused decision services helping companies answer practical questions:
• Which open purchase order is likely to arrive late?
• Will a shipment meet its next operational cutoff?
• Is a critical asset showing signs of failure?
In this article, Sara Hsu examines how AI is delivering tangible value in three areas: supplier-risk prediction, predictive logistics and predictive maintenance.
The common thread is clear: A prediction creates value only when it reaches the systems, workflows and people capable of changing the outcome.
Read the article: https://www.scmr.com/article/where-ai-is-delivering-value-in-supply-chains

AI is delivering measurable supply chain value by helping companies predict…

08/28/2026

Procurement teams collect an enormous amount of valuable cost data during the RFQ process. Too often, much of that intelligence disappears once the business is awarded.
New research involving 100 procurement and supply chain professionals found that 85% use supplier cost breakdowns for negotiation and price validation, but only 30% use them to support strategic decisions such as make-or-buy analysis and reshoring.
The problem is not a lack of data. It is what happens to that data after the sourcing event.
In this new article, Sime Curkovic, Ph.D., Jeoff Burris and Mike Wynn explain how organizations can transform RFQs from one-time transactions into a continuously improving source of strategic cost intelligence.
Key steps include:
• Standardizing supplier cost-breakdown formats
• Creating a centralized, searchable repository
• Preserving cost structures in core systems
• Connecting procurement data with engineering and finance
• Building a strong data foundation before pursuing AI
Read the full article: https://www.scmr.com/article/rfq-data-procurement-cost-intelligence

08/27/2026

Over the past two decades, supply chain has moved from a largely behind-the-scenes operational function focused on cost and efficiency to a strategic enterprise capability that touches everything from growth and customer experience to geopolitics, sustainability and national security. Few people hav...

08/27/2026

Artificial intelligence may be transforming supply chain decision-making, but AI is only as trustworthy as the ecosystem supporting it.
As companies connect more suppliers, cloud platforms, operational technologies and data sources, cyber resilience is becoming more than a defensive capability. It is a prerequisite for scaling trusted AI.
Sasha Pailet Koff of the Cyber Readiness Institute explains why organizations need to strengthen trust across their data, infrastructure and supplier networks and why supplier cyber readiness should become part of procurement and supply chain management.
Read more: https://www.scmr.com/article/building-trusted-and-ai-ready-supply-chains

As artificial intelligence becomes embedded across global supply chains,…

08/26/2026

A high return rate does not always indicate poor performance and a comparatively low rate does not necessarily mean a product is performing well.
The problem is that traditional returns dashboards treat every percentage point as though it carries the same meaning.
In this SCMR article, author Saurabh Bahree proposes a risk-adjusted alternative: the Excess Return Ratio. By comparing observed merchandise returns with expected returns, retailers can identify the products, suppliers, categories and operating nodes generating more return demand than their underlying risk would predict.
The approach can help retailers:
• Distinguish expected return volume from abnormal performance
• Set more meaningful accountability benchmarks
• Create escalation thresholds for excess return demand
• Direct corrective action toward the underlying cause
The raw return rate describes workload. A risk-adjusted measure can help leaders decide where to act.
Read more: https://www.scmr.com/article/stop-managing-the-raw-retail-return-rate

08/25/2026

Logistics providers are being asked to do far more than move and store products. At the 2026 NextGen Supply Chain Conference, executives from Ryder, Penske Logistics, DHL Supply Chain, DP World, GXO Logistics, Vitti Logistics and ODW Logistics will share practical lessons in 3PL collaboration, warehouse intelligence, automation and operational transformation.
Fulfillment and transportation leaders from Wayfair, Amazon, BJC HealthCare and Southern Glazer’s Wine & Spirits will also explore home delivery, scalable distribution and predictive carrier-risk management.
The sessions reflect NextGen’s focus on real-world implementation, measurable outcomes and the people leading supply chain transformation.
👇 Read more about the logistics, fulfillment and 3PL sessions at NextGen 2026:
https://www.scmr.com/article/logistics-and-3pl-leaders-bring-fulfillment-innovation-to-nextgen-2026
Register now and take advantage of early-bird pricing: https://ngsc.regfox.com/nextgen-supply-chain-conference-2026

08/24/2026

Cost savings are back at the center of procurement’s mandate, but the function cannot abandon the strategic responsibilities it gained during years of supply chain disruption.
New research finds that 54% of executives now identify cost savings and optimization as procurement’s primary source of value, up from 43% a year earlier.
The challenge is that procurement must deliver those savings while continuing to manage supplier risk, strengthen resilience and support growth. That is helping accelerate interest in agentic AI and predictive insights capable of identifying opportunities and guiding faster decisions.
Gordon Donovan of SAP explains why procurement’s next chapter will be defined by amplified decision-making.
Read “The return of cost discipline: Why procurement’s strategic mandate is being rewritten”: https://www.scmr.com/article/why-procurements-strategic-mandate-is-being-rewritten-sap