Executive S&OP: Overcoming the “Catch-22” of Implementation

Bob and Joe ask why, in certain companies, S&OP has failed to catch on. They believe the main culprit to be the “catch-22” of change management: if top management is involved from the start, the changes required by S&OP implementation may cause organizational discomfort, but failing to involve top management undermines chances of the project’s success. You’re damned if you do, and damned if you don’t. The authors propose a four-step action plan to hit the problem head on and increase the odds of successful implementation. Copyright International Institute of Forecasters, 2012