Based on our readership analytics, the Supply Chain Matters blog provides our annual listing of for all of the ten most read blog commentaries that were published during 2019. 
Our 2019 Top Ten Blogs again share common themes related to specific industry focused supply chain management challenges, major developments in areas of advanced technology and supply chain business processes, along with continued advancements in supply chain management functional areas.
Presented in reverse order, they are:
Number 10
Preliminary 2019 Black Friday and Cyber Monday Online Sales Data Points to Mixed Results (December 3, 2019)
Supply Chain Matters blog Executive Editor and supply chain management industry analyst Bob Ferrari reflected on initially reported Black Friday and Cyber Monday holiday sales volumes and the challenges remaining for retail, supply chain and customer last-mile logistics fulfillment teams to make expected 2019 holiday customer fulfillment expectations. As it turned out, many of such challenges came to the forefront during the crucial final weeks.
Number Nine:
More Supply Network Challenges for Commercial Aerospace- Enter Arconic (February 12, 2019)
A Supply Chain Matters commentary that focused on commercial aerospace industry supply network’s ever-growing and more challenging scale-up needs. The commentary addressed added evidence of OEM and major supplier self-induced management strategies that introduce more weighting on short-term financial return needs defeating the ability for the industry’s overall supply network ecosystems to scale to fulfill multiyear order backlogs.
Number Eight:
GE Appliance Announces $55 Million Investment in Smart Warehouse (June 17, 2019)
The Supply Chain Matters blog highlighted General Electric Appliance, a Haier company, and its newly announced $55 million smart warehouse facility located in Columbus Georgia. A lot had changed regarding GEA and the approach thus far appears smart in many different dimensions not the least of which is embracing how consumers and contractors expectations for products, experience and the embracing of Haier’s vision of zero virtual distance to customers.
Number Seven
Two Supply Chain Technology Providers Each Announce Corporate Headquarters Expansion Plans (July 31, 2019)
The Supply Chain Matters blog highlighted significant expansion plans from two supply chain planning technology providers, Kinaxis and Llamasoft. Both announced expansion plans in the same week. With supply and customer demand planning and response management technology experiencing continued market growth, as is the need for continuous innovation into areas of artificial intelligence, cognitive and machine learning, the announcements were deemed not surprising.
Number Six
Supply Chain Matters Coverage of Oracle OpenWorld 2019 Conference- Summary Impressions (September 23, 2019)
The Supply Chain Matters blog provided summary impressions of the Oracle OpenWorld 2019 conference along with the overall major themes of the conference. Industry analyst Bob Ferrari sensed both an intent to be an aggressive competitor in the Enterprise Cloud platform and software applications marketplace but with a renewed emphasis to compete on the notions of bullet-proof information security protections, more robust applications, simpler paths to the Cloud with more user-friendly, highly productive systems. That includes a continued maturity and robustness of Oracle SCM and ERP Cloud suites.
Number Five
New Jabil Global Supply Chain Trends Survey Worth a Review (November 8, 2019)
The Supply Chain Matters blog shared highlights and insights from a published Global Supply Chain Trends survey sponsored by Jabil, along with takeaways from an interview conducted with Frank McKay, CPO at Jabil. McKay observed that with trade tensions and national interests rising, there are discernable signs of a potential fallback toward regional supply network strategies over the next 3-5 years. When and how that occurs presents supply management teams with a need for being prepared with various contingency strategies, some of which will have multi-year transitional timelines.
Number Four
Highlights of Airbus and Boeing Full-Year 2018 Financial and Individual Operational Performance (February 18, 2019)
The Supply Chain Matters highlighted the 2018 full year financial and operational performance results from both Airbus and Boeing. It was becoming ever clearer for both commercial aircraft aerospace manufacturers that individual supply network performance remained crucial in 2019 and beyond and will be the determinant of long-term goal attainment for investors, suppliers and customers. Indeed, that all came to fruition during 2019.
Number Three
Supply Chain Matters Highlights of the Kinaxis 2019 Customer Conference (October 17, 2019)
Supply Chain Matters Executive Editor and supply chain technology industry analyst Bob Ferrari sharing of highlights and insights from the first day of the 2019 Kinaxis Kinexions customer conference. That included the very significant product strategy announcement indicating the Kinaxis RapidResponse technology platform would be extended to partners for use as a custom development platform for building supplemental supply chain or enterprise planning process support applications.
Number Two
Kraft Heinz Stunning Financial Stumble- A Watershed Industry Development (February 22, 2019)
The Supply Chain Matters blog reflected on the stunning financial performance disclosures from Kraft Heinz and how consumer products supply chain management teams can now hopefully move forward with required investments in instilling demand and supply network agility and augmented responsiveness to a totally change business model.
Drumroll Please…. And the Number One Most Read 2019 Supply Chain Matters blog turned out to be:
Perspectives on the ASCM and Deloitte Joint Announcement of Supply Chain Digital Capabilities Model (September 25, 2019)
Supply chain technology industry analyst Bob Ferrari highlighted, and shared insights related to a joint announcement from ASCM and Deloitte on the development and availability of a Digital Capabilities Model (DSM) for Supply Networks. The model is to aide companies in understanding and transforming linear supply chains to dynamic, interconnected, digital networks.
Once again, in our twelfth year of existence, we trust that our community of global readers have gained value and insight from our independent lens on supply chain management focused industry, business and advanced technology developments and learning. The field of supply chain management focused social media has become very crowded of-late, and we pride ourselves in standing out in the quality of our content.
We continue to believe that that Supply Chain Matters has accumulated a truly in-depth library of insights and remain honored in the recognition of being among the top blogs in the area of supply chain management.
Thanks to all for your continued readership and supporting feedback.
Bob Ferrari, Founder and Executive Editor
© Copyright 2020, The Ferrari Consulting and Research Group and the Supply Chain Matters® blog. All rights reserved.
