When researching best practices in global markets, the better place for looking at is the top Supply Chain companies in the world. It isn't the money they annually do what is essential now, but what it takes to be a great Supply Chain enterprise for so many years:
Alibaba – Amazon - Apple – FedEx – Ikea – Procter & Gamble – Starbucks – Toyota – UPS – Walmart
Alibaba - The Alibaba Supply Chain creation was in 1999. However, it is right up there with Amazon and Walmart. It has now presence not only in China, but in different countries like USA, Russia, Brazil, Spain, and some others. His founder is a Chinese named Jack Ma; it is he who makes the difference. Jack Ma quotes:
• “Keep your dream alive. Get inspired, create a culture for your company and stay focus on it.”
• “You need the right people with you, not the best people.”
• “Is not the money but the innovation employees bring with them.”
• “Have a good global name. (Alibaba starts with an A, so it’s always at the top)”
• “Put your customer at the 1st place, then come employees 2nd, and 3rd are stakeholders.”
• “Do not complain, look for opportunities troubles bring.”
• “Have a passion for your work, be a hard worker, keep an innovative spirit.”
• “Never give up. Today is hard, tomorrow will be worse, but the day after tomorrow will be sunshine.”
The Amazon Supply Chain - The Amazon Supply Chain has made the companies incredibly efficient, always improving and leading the competition. Its founder and CEO is Jeff Bezos and is, by all means, a reference when doing business. Here some of his great quotes:
• “We’ve had three big ideas at Amazon that we’ve stuck with for 18 years, and they’re the reason we’re successful: Put the customer first. Invent. And be patient.”
• “One of the only ways to get out of a tight box is to invent your way out.”
• You do it because you have something meaningful that motivates you.”
• “The balance of power is shifting toward consumers and away from companies…”
• “Put the vast majority of your energy, attention and dollars into building a great product or service and put a smaller amount into shouting about it, marketing it.”
Walmart - Walmart is one of the top Supply Chain retailers in the world. One of the reasons Walmart grew as quickly as it did is because of the innovation in its Supply Chain. Sam Walton was its founder.
• “Outstanding leaders go out of their way to boost the self-esteem of their personnel. If people believe in themselves, it’s amazing what they can accomplish.”
• “I have always been driven to buck the system, to innovate, to take things beyond where they’ve been.” ~ Sam Walton
Apple - Apple Inc. is an American multinational technology company headquartered in California, USA that designs, develops, and sells consumer electronics, computer software, and online services. Apple was founded by Steve Jobs, Steve Wozniak, and Ronald Wayne. It was incorporated as Apple Computer, Inc. in January 1977. Apple’s Supply Chain is one of the best in the world, if not the very best.
• “Technology is nothing. What's important is that you have faith in people, that they're right and smart, and if you give them tools, they'll do beautiful things with them. ~ Steve Jobs, co-founder and former CEO of Apple Inc.
• Sometimes life hits you in the head with a brick. Don’t lose faith. ~ Steve Jobs
• The troublemakers. The ones who see things differently. They’re not fond of rules. And they have no respect for the status quo. You can quote them, disagree with them, glorify or vilify them. About the only thing you can’t do is ignore them because they change jobs. They push the human race forward. And while some may see them as the crazy ones, we see genius. Because the people who are nut enough to think they can change the world, are the ones who do. ~ Steve Jobs
FedEx – Shipping, Logistics Management, Supply Chain Management Frederick W. Smith, founder and CEO
• “You can’t make people do what’s right. You can lead them, and you can empower them to make the right decision, but if you don’t produce a culture that allows them to do that, then all the rest is just bumping your gums as one of my old business partners used to say.”
• “A manager is not a person who can do the work better than his men; he is a person who can get his men to do the work better than he can.”
IKEA – Practical furniture and home accessories, a Sweden retailer founded by Ingvar Kamprad:
• “If there is such a thing as good leadership, it is to give a good example. I have to do so for all the IKEA employees.”
• ‘Happiness is not reaching our goal. Happiness is being on the way. It's our incredible fate to be at the beginning."
Toyota Motor Corporation is an automaker; it’ the 5th more prominent company in the world, located in Japan. Taiichi Ohno is the father of the Toyota Production System.
• “Why not make the work easier and more interesting so that people do not have to sweat? The Toyota style is not to create results by working hard. It is a system that says there is no limit to people’s creativity. People don’t go to Toyota to ‘work’ they go there to ‘think’.”
• All we are doing is looking at the timeline, from the moment the customer gives us an order to the point when we collect the cash. And we are reducing the time line by reducing the non-value adding wastes."
SUMMING UP: Must of the founders of these companies have similar goals and standards to work towards taking their companies to higher levels. Considering these premises, which make them stand out as leaders, could make the difference in our companies.
Dave Food
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