ABSTRACT
As companies learn and appreciate the value of not hoarding knowledge and instead realize that by sharing selective information with key business partners they can help each other, a number of new opportunities surfaces. For one thing, firms discover that they can strategize and plan in collaboration with suppliers, channel partners, and customers by openly sharing relevant consumer data and product availability, all focused on a single, reliable forecast shared across the network. The results are strengthened customer relations, more revenues for the partners, and considerably less expediting and excess inventory costs. The vehicle in this area is collaborative planning, forecasting, and replenishment (CPFR), a concept we consider to be at the top of the potential advanced supply chain management ASCM initiatives.
