Lokad TV - Videos on Quantitative Supply Chain

Supply Chain Lectures(More episodes)

On Knowledge, Time and Work for Supply Chains - Lecture 1.7

Jul 5, 2023

On Knowledge, Time and Work for Supply Chains - Lecture 1.7

Supply chains abide by the general economic principles. Yet, these principles are too little known and too frequently misrepresented. Popular supply chain practices and their theories often contradict what is generally agreed upon in economics.

Pricing Optimization for the Automotive Aftermarket - Lecture 6.2

May 10, 2023

Pricing Optimization for the Automotive Aftermarket - Lecture 6.2

The balance of supply and demand very much depends on prices. Thus, pricing optimization belongs to the realm of supply chain, at least to a sizeable extent. We will present a series of techniques to optimize the prices of a fictitious automotive aftermarket company. Through this example, we will see the danger associated with abstract lines of reasoning that fail to see the proper context. Knowing what ought to be optimized is more important than the fine print of the optimization itself.

The Supply Chain Scientist - Lecture 7.3

Mar 8, 2023

The Supply Chain Scientist - Lecture 7.3

At the core of a Quantitative Supply Chain initiative, there is the Supply Chain Scientist (SCS) who executes the data preparation, the economic modeling and the KPI reporting. The smart automation of the supply chain decisions is the end-product of the work done by the SCS. The SCS takes ownership of the generated decisions. The SCS delivers human intelligence magnified through machine processing power.

Guest speakers(More episodes)

Resilience, Risk, and Effective Leadership (with Knut Alicke) - Ep 153

Jan 24, 2024

Resilience, Risk, and Effective Leadership (with Knut Alicke) - Ep 153

Knut Alicke of McKinsey joins Lokad to discuss the need for systematic planning and digital tool utilization, as well as his recent (co-authored) book, From Source to Sold. Alicke emphasizes the importance of visibility and pre-warning systems to detect potential disruptions, and elucidates some of the key ingredients for successful supply chain leadership.

Large Language Models in Supply Chain (with Rinat Abdullin)

Dec 13, 2023

Large Language Models in Supply Chain (with Rinat Abdullin)

In a recent dialogue, Conor Doherty of Lokad conversed with Joannes Vermorel and Rinat Abdullin about generative AI's impact on supply chains. Vermorel, Lokad's CEO, and Abdullin, a technical consultant,discussed the evolution from time series forecasting to leveraging Large Language Models (LLMs) like ChatGPT. They explored LLMs' potential to automate tasks, enhance productivity, and assist in data analysis without displacing jobs. While Vermorel remained cautious about LLMs in planning, both acknowledged their utility in composing solutions. The interview underscored the transformative role of AI in supply chain management and the importance of integrating LLMs with specialized tools.

The Evolution of Supply Chain Education (with Paul Jan)

Nov 22, 2023

The Evolution of Supply Chain Education (with Paul Jan)

Conor Doherty, host of Lokad TV, recently engaged in a discussion with Joannes Vermorel, founder of Lokad, and Paul Jan, a supply chain professor at the University of Toronto. The conversation centered on the evolving field of supply chain management, the role of data, and the importance of education. Vermorel introduced the concept of "wicked problems" in supply chain, highlighting the limitations of Excel and the need for tools like SQL Server. Jan shared his experience transitioning from Excel to more programmatic options, praising Lokad's tool, Envision. Both emphasized the need for industry disruption and the importance of education in supply chain management.

Supply Chain In 3 Minutes(More episodes)

Effects of AI on Supply Chain Jobs - Supply Chain in 3 minutes

Apr 3, 2024

Effects of AI on Supply Chain Jobs - Supply Chain in 3 minutes

Conor Doherty of Lokad scrutinizes a Harvard study on AI's impact on white-collar jobs, revealing nuanced effects. The research, involving 758 consultants, assesses AI's role in enhancing productivity, particularly in supply chain management. It finds that AI boosts performance in certain tasks, especially with training, but may falter in complex scenarios. Doherty critiques the study's narrow view of AI as an adjunct to human labor, arguing for its potential to fully automate tasks, thus revolutionizing productivity and redefining white-collar work. He warns of overconfidence in job security, as AI's full capabilities could dramatically alter the employment landscape.

Essential Skills for Modern Supply Chain - Supply Chain in 3 minutes

Feb 28, 2024

Essential Skills for Modern Supply Chain - Supply Chain in 3 minutes

Conor Doherty, Head of Communication at Lokad, emphasizes the evolution of supply chain management, highlighting three critical skills for future practitioners':' technical writing, digital literacy, and financial awareness. Technical writing is crucial for documenting complex processes, ensuring knowledge is preserved and shared. Digital literacy, encompassing coding and data analytics, is vital for interpreting vast data streams and solving intricate supply chain challenges. Financial awareness enables practitioners to understand the economic impact of their decisions, ensuring fiscal responsibility. These skills are essential for navigating the complexities of modern supply chains and making informed, prudent decisions.

Forecast Value Added - Supply Chain in 3 minutes

Oct 25, 2023

Forecast Value Added - Supply Chain in 3 minutes

Conor Doherty, Lokad's technical writer, discusses Forecast Value Added (FVA), a diagnostic tool for evaluating the value of each step in the forecasting process. FVA integrates insights from various departments to enhance forecasting precision. Doherty notes that FVA presumes that greater forecasting accuracy is always beneficial, which is not always the case. He suggests that the focus should be on reducing monetary error rather than pursuing greater accuracy. He concludes that FVA could be used as a competence test, but does not validate the routine use of non-specialists for forecasting input.

Supply Chain science and tech(More episodes)

Quality-Cost Dilemma in Supply Chain - Ep 160

Apr 24, 2024

Quality-Cost Dilemma in Supply Chain - Ep 160

In a dialogue with Lokad's Head of Communication, Conor Doherty, Lokad CEO Joannes Vermorel discusses the quality-cost ratio in supply chain management. Vermorel emphasizes that quality refers to decision-making, not product attributes, and that client-perceived quality may not align with optimal supply decisions due to cost. He criticizes traditional KPIs, arguing they don't reflect genuine quality. Vermorel also discusses the role of Large Language Models (LLMs) in supply chain management, noting they can lead to smarter decisions but can inflate IT budgets. He suggests the quality-cost dilemma is a meta game, requiring software engineering to solve supply chain problems and assess trade-offs.

Apr 10, 2024

AI Pilots in Supply Chain - Ep 159

In a dialogue between Lokad's CEO Joannes Vermorel and Head of Communication Conor Doherty, they discuss the impact of AI on supply chain management. Vermorel highlights the advancements in AI and large language models, which have revolutionized task automation. He introduces AI Pilots, a Lokad offering that automates decision-making and clerical tasks, facilitated by Lokad's proprietary programming language, Envision. Vermorel also discusses the potential of AI to automate tasks related to Master data and contrasts Lokad's approach with competitors. He predicts that AI Pilots will become the norm in supply chain management, leading to significant productivity improvements. The conversation concludes with a Q&A session.

Rethinking S&OP (The Future of Supply Chain) - Ep 158

Mar 13, 2024

Rethinking S&OP (The Future of Supply Chain) - Ep 158

Lokad CEO Joannes Vermorel critiques the Sales and Operation Planning (S&OP) process as outdated and inefficient for modern businesses. He argues that S&OP, designed for simpler times, struggles to keep pace with today's complex, fast-moving business environment. Vermorel criticizes the process' slow refresh rate, its reliance on meetings and spreadsheets, and its focus on unified forecasts. He suggests that large companies should eliminate their S&OP divisions, likening them to obsolete fax machines. Instead, he proposes a shift towards improving access to information, transforming S&OP teams into data lake teams.

Industry deep dive(More episodes)

A day to day exhibition of Lokad usage in a MRO company (with Rodrigo Pineda)

Feb 14, 2024

A day to day exhibition of Lokad usage in a MRO company (with Rodrigo Pineda)

In a conversation revealing the intricacies of aviation MRO supply chain management, Baptiste Miceli of Lokad and Rodrigo Pineda of MRO Holdings discussed the challenges of standardizing inventory planning across diverse operations. Pineda detailed efforts to harmonize procurement strategies and risk management for MRO Holdings, emphasizing the need for profitability in their standalone operations. Lokad's tailored software solutions aided in creating a unified material planning process, despite the volatility of demand in the MRO industry. Their event-based forecasting provided a clearer prediction model, leading to satisfaction and a commitment to ongoing improvement in managing the ever-changing supply chain landscape.

MRO Holdings' Quantitative Supply Chain Revolution (with Ricardo Alvarez Henao)

Nov 29, 2023

MRO Holdings’ Quantitative Supply Chain Revolution (with Ricardo Alvarez Henao)

In a recent dialogue, Ricardo Alvarez Henao, Supply Chain Director at MRO Holdings, shared insights on the aviation MRO sector with Luciano Lisiotti of Lokad. Alvarez Henao emphasized the importance of anticipation and visibility in supply chain risk management, noting that inaccurate forecasts could lead to operational delays or surplus inventory. He also highlighted emerging trends in the MRO industry, including a post-pandemic bounce back, a trend towards partnerships, and the increasing complexity of demand. Alvarez Henao stressed the importance of embracing volatility and complexity, and the usefulness of probabilistic demand planning and forecasting. He concluded that while the MRO sector is more complex than the fast-moving consumer goods sector, the principles of leading a supply chain are similar.

Quantitative Supply Chain: What our clients think

Nov 28, 2023

Quantitative Supply Chain: What our clients think

Lokad is fortunate to collaborate with many significant clients across a diverse range of verticals. The challenges each client faces are unique and thus require tailored, programmatic, and automated solutions. Hear what some of our clients have to say about their quantitative supply chain solutions!

French tech(More episodes)

The future of supply chain practice - Discussion with Joannes Vermorel at the Ecole des Mines de Paris (French)

Jan 10, 2024

The future of supply chain practice - Discussion with Joannes Vermorel at the Ecole des Mines de Paris (French)

Recorded at Paris' Ecole des Mines in summer 2023, Lokad CEO and founder, Joannes Vermorel, explains the quantitative supply chain perspective in detail and how it will shape the future of supply chain practice.

Innovating Inventory management at Celio with Julie Schaf

Sep 13, 2023

Innovating Inventory management at Celio with Julie Schaf

In this interview recorded in spring 2023 at a Celio store in Rosny-sous-Bois, Joannes Vermorel (founder of Lokad) and Julie Schaf (Supply Chain Director at Celio), discuss their ongoing supply chain optimization partnership. Schaf praises Lokad's approach, which differs from traditional tools by focusing on product value, optimizing shortage management, and offering high responsiveness to evolving needs. She points out that Lokad anticipates shortages and prioritizes the dispatch of high-performing products to the most profitable stores for each given item. Their close collaboration facilitates rapid adaptation to required changes, generating beneficial economic and operational impacts for Celio.

Stock Optimization at Air France Industries with Stephan Lise

Jul 26, 2023

Stock Optimization at Air France Industries with Stephan Lise

Recorded in the autumn of 2022 at Air France's aircraft engine repair facilities, the interview features Stéphan Lise and Joannes Vermorel discussing "Prognos for Inventory", a collaborative tool between Lokad and Air France for optimized stock management in the aerospace industry. They emphasize the complexity of the sector, especially the prediction of needs for expensive parts. The tool proved crucial during the COVID-19 crisis, quickly adapting operations. Mr. Lise highlights the agility of Prognos for Inventory compared to other enterprise solutions, emphasizing its ability to adapt to user processes while allowing effective inter-process communication.