ABSTRACT
This chapter seeks to make that point and to guide the reader toward a methodology for achieving the benefits of decision making in a Lean environment. The "old" Miller shipped from finished goods inventory or, when it had to build to order, from a large raw material inventory kept on hand. This make-to-stock approach, one that relies on forecasts and finished goods inventory, has been common among manufacturers in retail supply chains. The company further reports that it "has extended this lean process work to its non-manufacturing processes as well as externally to manufacturing supply chain and distribution channel. The company believes these concepts hold significant promise for further gains in reliability, quality and efficiency". Supply chain and information technology worlds are evolving toward managing exceptions rather than pushing data at decision makers for them to parse. Newer terms include workflow, business rules, and supply chain event management (SCEM).
