Waypoints: Ideas and Insights to Navigate Enterprise Complexity

At the beginning of December, I finally decided to buy a nice insulated cup, a purchase I had debated for some time. I decided which cup I wanted, and started looking for it in my neighborhood. Three different retailers were out and told me they would not have another shipment until after Christmas. I was disappointed and a little irritated.  I finally decided that I wanted it, and now, I couldn’t have it. Who knows exactly where the problem lay – Did the store place the order in a timely way? Did the manufacturer have problems? Was shipping an issue? Either way, it all came back to supply chain management.