Travelling salesman problem is no more a problem but a Backbreaking task

Many industries, such as transportation and logistics, have deployed enterprise software to help operate and manage work processes for decades now. And, as a result, companies and the solutions providers have collected a treasure trove of information, not only about an individual company, but about the industry as a whole. Until recently, with the advent of business intelligence (BI), few have put this information to work.

Depending on the complexity of your routes, geography, customer expectations, budget and so on - every decision is crucial, and if it’s the wrong one, it can be detrimental to company revenue and customer satisfaction.

Amazon has launched a new offering that helps entrepreneurs build their own companies delivering Amazon packages.

Inbound logistics is a complicated affair, carefully managing the movement of raw materials, components, and finished inventory throughout the production process before it goes out into the wider supply chain. Shipping in particular can be very costly, so great effort is put by shippers into ensuring vessels operate at capacity and as efficiently as possible.

Effective supply chain management in manufacturing is essential for collaboration and coordination, as well as efficient business practices.

With demand for supply chain visibility at an all-time high, a growing number of shippers are powering up their track and trace capabilities in order to meet the needs of their upstream and downstream stakeholders.

Supply chain inefficiencies and miscommunication through “Chinese Whispers” are costing UK businesses over £1.5bn in lost productivity according to analysis of industry data from digital freight forwarder Zencargo.

The e-commerce giant could introduce both competition and relief to UPS and FedEx — and that's just the tip of the iceberg.

News of Amazon recruiting small businesses with “little to no logistics experience” for last-mile delivery services threw the news media and stock market into a tizzy. 

The e-commerce giant announced its plan Thursday to provide entrepreneurs with Amazon-branded uniforms and delivery vans along with thousands of dollars in reimbursement to fulfill last-mile deliveries, citing high consumer demand and strained capacity. 

Gartner has coined a plethora of colorful terms for their Hype Cycle methodology. Here’s one that sounds especially relevant: the “Peak of Inflated Expectations.” If the practical benefits of new technology fail to make an impact quickly enough, your business can careen down into the sadly named “Trough of Disillusionment” just as fast. Nobody wants to end up in that trough, eye-to-eye with Eeyore. Especially not the CEO who just spent big bucks on an emerging technology that didn’t deliver.

In the world of supply chain, there’s an abundance of hype around the potential of emerging technologies promising to transform the core of how supply chain professionals work. The trick is to see through the hype and ensure that any new technology makes a real difference in your organisation. Let’s take a look beyond the hype at the potential of several emerging technologies for the modern supply chain.