LOGISTICS
“Inventory availability has become a powerful tool , as it ’ s now capable of shaping demand ”
MARIA REY-MARSTON GLOBAL SUPPLY CHAIN INNOVATION , ACCENTURE
of a network of companies and locations ,” explains Maria Rey-Marston , Global Supply Chain Innovation at Accenture .
Rey-Marston might even be in the frame to don Oliver ’ s crown , as the person responsible for coining the phrase to describe the next 40 years of supply : the Demand Response Network .
“ What we ' re seeing is a network of companies and points for delivery ,”
Rey-Marston explains . “ This network comprises smart suppliers , plants , and transportation companies , as well as intelligent locations for placing products .”
The goal of DRNs , she says , is to respond to omnichannel demand that can arise at any moment , with any kind of request . Omnichannel describes the multiple methods of shopping that are available to consumers , such as online , in a physical shop , or by phone . Most usually omnichannel is associated with retail and consumer goods , but Rey-Marston says this is a misnomer .
“ DRNs are required in plenty of areas outside of retail ,” she says .” You need it in oil and gas , for example . People in oil fields and on drilling platforms require services , so that ’ s your demand , right there .”
Demand Response Networks gained traction in the pandemic She says DRNs were tempered by the heat brought about by the pandemic : “ There was so much disruption to both supply and
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