Gartner Identifies Four Imperatives for Value Chain Transformation

Analysts Explore the Shift from Supply Chain to Value Chain at the Gartner Supply Chain Executive Conference 2011, 14-15 September in London

Egham, UK -- Organizations seeking to make the transition from supply chain to a demand-driven value network (DDVN) must look beyond traditional projects and the adoption of functional best practices, according to Gartner, Inc. Gartner analysts have identified four imperatives that supply chain leaders must address to make the change successfully.

“The case for value chain transformation has never been greater,” said Steve Steutermann, research vice president at Gartner. “Competing in today’s global markets requires companies to abandon internally focused supply chains and reorganise resources, processes and systems to support networks aligned for joint value creation.”

The four imperatives that organisations address before attempting to design and execute a transformation road map are:

1. Identify a Burning Platform
Organisations must realise that supply chain change is required and identify pain points that stakeholders can relate to. The burning platform can include a picture, slogan, list of problems or quantification of business impact and should send a concise and direct message about the primary nature of the problem, allowing details to be itemised within the business case.

2. Have a Compelling Vision
A vision must paint a clear and inspiring picture of the intended future outcomes as its primary purpose is to inspire and align the organisation to move forward in a common direction. The vision must be durable and specific enough to serve as a guideline for decisions, trade-offs and courses of action during the journey. However, the vision does not attempt to define features of the solution (people, processes and tools) but rather it focuses on describing the experiences and benefits from a stakeholder’s point of view.

3. Document a Business Case
The business case should contain detailed assumptions and analysis that quantify and pressure-test the benefits to make sure the view is worth the climb. It must be presented separately to protect the emotional appeal of the burning platform and vision, and is also a valuable repository that captures the link to strategy, key assumptions, and anticipated business risks and impacts. The key elements of a business case framework for supply chain transformation include an executive summary, scope, rationale, financial impact, timing, risks, key leadership roles and a request for resources.

4. Establish Capability to Change
This step assesses and equips the organizational capability to change. It looks at whether other change initiatives are underway, the skills required to organise and lead the change and how ready the organisation is to adapt.

Leaders for transformation should be carefully selected by the executive champions and given the necessary training and time for team formation. Clear and distinct roles for process architects, technology architects and program managers should be established. This period can also be an opportunity to perform more detailed as-is process analysis of the current state to understand in greater detail the gaps, constraints and opportunities. Mapping the complex overlap of processes will also help identify future points of integration, which need to be added, removed or redesigned.

“The difference between leading organisations and the rest of the pack is the ability not only to formulate elegant strategies for supply chain excellence, but to execute well-designed transformation plans,” said Mr. Steutermann. “Before attempting to design a road map for value chain transformation, supply chain leaders should put in place the four imperatives for success to increase the probability that best-laid plans are converted to reality and shareholder value.”

About Gartner Supply Chain Executive Conference 2011
The Gartner Supply Chain Executive Conference 2011 focuses on the new fundamentals for efficiency, agility and innovation as supply-chain executive transition from recession to recovery. Its topics range from advanced sales & operations planning (S&OP), to sustainability strategies, and innovative approaches to talent management. The Summit offers two intensive days of Gartner analyst presentations, success stories from supply-chain executives, and roundtables aimed at sharing best practices, to help IT leaders navigate a further squeeze on already-strained supply chains as global commodity prices rise.

For further information on the Gartner Supply Chain Executive Conference 2011 taking place on 14-15 September in London, please visit www.europe.gartner.com/supplychain. You can also follow the event on Twitter at http://twitter.com/Gartner_inc using #SupplyChain.

Additional information is available in the Gartner report “The Four Imperatives of Value Chain Transformation.” The report is available on Gartner’s website at http://www.gartner.com/resId=1696314.


About Gartner:
Gartner, Inc. (NYSE: IT) is the world’s leading information technology research and advisory company. Gartner delivers the technology-related insight necessary for its clients to make the right decisions, every day. From CIOs and senior IT leaders in corporations and government agencies, to business leaders in high-tech and telecom enterprises and professional services firms, to technology investors, Gartner is a valuable partner to 60,000 clients in 11,500 distinct organizations. Through the resources of Gartner Research, Gartner Executive Programs, Gartner Consulting and Gartner Events, Gartner works with every client to research, analyze and interpret the business of IT within the context of their individual role. Founded in 1979, Gartner is headquartered in Stamford, Connecticut, U.S.A., and has 4,500 associates, including 1,250 research analysts and consultants, and clients in 85 countries. For more information, visit www.gartner.com.