A VC in Vacationland

English: The FedEx Institute of Technology is a major research contributor in the areas of Supply Chain Management, robotics, and intelligent systems. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Huffington Post recently published a Blog extolling the virtues of "3-D supply chains" (whatever they might be) and how the technology could revolutionize the global economy. The authors bemoan the fact that US companies use execution based software to manage their supply chains, but lack the strong operational feedback models that Toyota uses to drive flexibility in operations.

Well, pardon me, but the authors are pretty ignorant of the transformations going on in North American supply chain management over the last decade. FedEx and UPS use real time routing systems to alter delivery routes as requirements change during the day. Descartes' Global Logistics Network connects tens of thousands of suppliers, carriers, manufacturers and retailers, allowing real time visibility and management of shipments pending and in transit. What about companies like Alibaba and Panjiva, who give any company access to millions of global suppliers–instantly? I could go on but you get the point. A little internet searching can accomplish a lot of "3-D supply chain" objectives.

They then carry the argument to more absurd height, speaking about 3-D supply chains allowing all businesses having a "competitive relationship with like businesses under fair conditions, and not simply by size" and that a "cooperative relationship will arise between a business and its nearby competitors". Huh? Is this like not knowing you are a dog on the internet? I just don't get it. 

The authors would be better served to learn more about supply chains today than is spouting academic speak about "how things should be" in some perfect world only they have the eyeglasses to see.