Define "superstar": a call to nominate those who turn the supply chain to competitive advantage

Frontline Solutions, June, 2004 by George D. Miller

If the past five months are an indication of things to come, we are in for a year of turmoil, change, and growth. Driving these dynamic times are technologies and aggressive business practices that carry with them opportunities for companies to really shine. The bold and the determined have launched pilot projects to help their companies not only comply with but benefit from the Wal-Mart, DoD, and other radio frequency identification (RFID) mandates. Implementors are scrubbing internal data in an effort to translate the promise of RFID into big business benefit.

Is this your reality? If you're among the majority of our readers and the majority of businesses today, then probably not. Your reality may involve something less glamorous, even though a pilot may be in your future.

But whether you're wrestling with RFID, implementing software to automate manual processes, or simply establishing better communications with your company's trading partners, you are contributing to the success of your company through supply chain enhancements.

Among you are superstars. A superstar, for our purposes here, is an individual or team that has championed and implemented a technology solution to a supply chain problem, bringing both process change and financial benefit. Process change involves a new way of doing something: people or tasks are allocated differently; priorities change from established patterns. New metrics are used to measure success, resulting in a clearer, more informed view of business. Benefits are described in financial terms (increased revenues, savings, or return on investment) as well as other terms specific to the application.

Achieving process change and financial benefit is no small task, especially in times of fiscal contraint when "selling up" the idea to executive management or a board may prove more difficult than the technical challenges.

These people and their efforts deserve to be recognized.

To this end, nominate a superstar--yourself, your team, your boss, a colleague. Download and complete the entry form at www.frontlinetoday.com/superstar. Send me your nominations by July 15, 2004 via email (gmiller@advanstar.com) or fax (603-924-5401).

Superstars will be recognized this September at the Frontline Expo trade show. We will also feature them in a special section of this magazine's October 2004 issue.