Internal and External Collaboration: The Keys to Demand-Supply Integration

Effective demand-supply integration (DSI) is an increasingly acute problem in industry, prompted by pressure from large retailers on manufacturers to provide higher levels of service while reducing inventory costs. Meanwhile, the advent of online ordering has further complicated matters by creating multiple distribution options. John Mello examines how companies are currently using internal and external collaboration to improve demand and supply integration, thus achieving increased customer service with reduced inventory. Copyright International Institute of Forecasters, 2015