An astounding 70 percent of U.S. companies struggle with immature sales and operations planning (S&OP), according to eye-opening research from Gartner Inc. Is yours one of them?

The problem is that most S&OP is stuck in a ‘60s supply-driven model, or, at best, an operations- or demand-driven construct, where internal economics and inventory inform decisions. But that doesn’t work in today’s challenging economy, where customers require individual attention and specialized products. Successful supply chains must become market-driven.

The Market-Driven Supply Chain delivers an original, in-depth methodology and detailed case studies to help you transform your traditional, internally focused supply chains into advanced, market-driven S&OP—a gateway to enhanced market share and liberated cash flows. The book’s conceptual framework is complemented by step-by-step guidelines and easy-to-use tools that show you how to:

• Use analytics to conduct value segmentation based on customer needs and differences, and develop a go-to-market strategy for each segment

• Improve your organization’s performance using time advantage and customer connectivity strategies

• Replace “conventional wisdom” based on past behavior with facts and market analysis that look to the future

• Create open and productive collaboration across, up, and down the organization

• Implement monthly planning processes for effectively managing demand

• Design a weekly rate-based planning pro­cess at the operational level—the key for becoming market-driven in inventory replenishment, procurement, and production

• Retool 26 management processes to achieve advanced, market-savvy S&OP

Today’s high-stakes economy requires dyna­mic, market-driven S&OP to keep pace with accelerating service demands and response times. Yet market-savvy S&OP is practiced by fewer than 5 percent of U.S. firms, and even fewer of the world’s manufacturers. It is a true “secret weapon” for increasing share price 3 to 9 times over in just a few years—and an unpre­cedented opportunity to put your orga­ni­­zation in a competitive position, ahead of the pack and prosperous for years to come.

ROBERT P. BURROWS III is founder, managing principal, and chief strategy officer of the On-Point Group, a firm that applies the quantitative science of operations research to supply chain management. His extensive client base includes multinationals and mid-market companies in manufacturing and distribution of both consumer and in­­dustrial products. He lives in Cleveland, Ohio.

“I have seen firsthand the process behind Bob Burrows’ book, The Market-Driven Supply Chain, evolve over more than 15 years in multiple industries. His is an insightful and practical recipe that uniquely integrates customer values with the CEO’s need to optimally manage the company’s balance sheet.”

— Robert J. Palmisano, CEO, Wright Medical Group

“Bob Burrows has helped us change how we work and better understand what we need to do to continue our progress. The pursuit of operational excellence is a journey, and S&OP is a critical tool that will help us reach our destination. Bob’s insight and guidance have been very valuable to Goodyear as they will be to all readers of The Market-Driven Supply Chain.”

— Richard J. Kramer, Chairman, President, and CEO The Goodyear Tire & Rubber Co.

“VTech has used the ‘market-driven’ approach for S&OP in The Market-Driven Supply Chain for several years with major electronics retailers, including WalMart. As a direct result, VTech is the category leader and has significantly reduced both our own and retailers’ inventory.”

— Nick Delany, President, VTech Communications Inc.

“The principles of market-driven S&OP described in Robert Burrows’ book provide a totally new eye-opening approach to S&OP which we find to be essential in our highly competitive business environment.”

— Lior Carmi, S&OP Project Manager of NETAFIM, Kibbutz Hatzerim, Israel