Below is a brief excerpt from an article published in today’s Wall Street Journal.

One might ask – how is this relevant to a blog on Sales and Operations Planning (S&OP)?

Not only do lean times beget new, and innovative fashion ideas – but they also beget new and innovative ways to run your business!  Is my sales  organization marching to the same drummer as my operations organization?

Now is the time to think long and hard about tough questions.

Do my planning processes meet the demands of today’s rapidly changing environment?  Are planning decisions based on facts?   Is the information I use to make strategic decisions involving sales promotions, inventory,  sales strategy and operational capacity timely?  Am I looking at and optimizing my decisions based on the “Big Picture” ?  Do I have an efficient system for managing the automation process (such as the purpose-built Executive S&OP solution developed by Steelwedge Software)?  Am I using the valuable information inside my system ecosystem – tracking opportunities inside Salesforce.com,  analyzing demand patterns using data from SAP BW, APO and ERP, or benchmarking my operational plans against my financial goals created using SAP BPC, Oracle  Hyperion, etc

There are many more questions to ask during these challenging times.

Now is the perfect time to innovate and to make difficult but lasting changes.  Institute disciplined S&OP processes, automate slow,  labor-intensive, manual processes, and improving your decision making process!

Lean Times Beget Fresh Fashion Ideas

By CHRISTINA BINKLEY, Wall Street Journal

Kurt Wilberding/The Wall Street Journal

Marc Jacobs sent extreme, 1980s-inspired looks down the runway.

Judging from the styles on display at fashion week, a recession does wonders for creativity.

There’s been an outpouring of artistry and ingenuity on New York’s runways this week — much of it directed at creating looks that are actually attuned to what people want. It looks like the fashion industry is rethinking itself to meet the demands of consumers who want both innovative design and terrific value.

Designer Matthew Williamson showed characteristically vivid patterned dresses.

Many designers appear to be doubling down on whatever talents they feel make them unique. “I’m just doing what I do — tap into that brand DNA and do it to the max,” said designer Matthew Williamson, moments after showing a smart collection of spicy patterned dresses and skirts.

Author : Glen Margolis, Founder & CEO