SPECTRAL Model for High-Performance Supply Chain Management

Over the last year Chris Percival and I have been developing a new model for High-Performance Supply Chain Management which we call SPECTRAL. The first edition of our course on SPECTRAL will be presented through Oxford University’s Department of Continuing Education early in 2024 – here is a taster of what is coming ..

Chris and I spent several years working together for Smiths Group on the development of their Process Excellence programme. I developed and delivered the training component through Oxford University and Chris was my key customer heading-up the Excellence function. We have been delighted to see Smiths going from strength-to-strength in their Excellence journey.

After his departure from Smiths Chris and I decided to focus on high-performance Supply Chain Management (SCM) - an absolutely key driver of growth and success for business. Chris is really the expert in Supply Chain – completing his MSc in SCM whilst in the UK Navy and going on to a series of high visibility roles in Supply Chain leadership. My focus is more on the analytics, simulation, process excellence, and technology. We both have a continuing interest in the role of leadership for any organisational improvement activity.

9-months later and we believe we have built a compelling model for High-Performance SCM - SPECTRAL. This will form the basis of our courses starting in 2024 and there is a SPECTRAL book scheduled for Q4 2024.

The eight elements of the SPECTRAL model are interlinked and built on foundational principles of translating superior Strategy into highly-effective execution. We are using the term ‘Praxis’ to denote the translation of ideas into impactful action. The key principles of Strategy + Praxis are inevitably underpinned by high-performing Leadership supported by emerging Technology and modern Analytics. All of this in the service of growth, through effective Capital management, planning for Risk and Resilience and driven by ESG values.

The details of our model are drawn from a wide pool of practical operational experience and underpinned by academic research. For example, one of my focus areas is the application of methods such as AI and Dynamic Modelling to optimise supply chain efficiency and inventory. Chris has built on this by explaining how these tools can be integrated into ‘S&OP’ (Sales and Operational Planning) to provide a practical, powerful business process that balances internal business processes, customer demand and supply management.

Within the theme of Strategy we draw on the use of visual tools to help formulate, agree, align and communicate strategic intent with operational Praxis. This builds on my long-term interest in Visual Collaboration (E.g. my PESTLEWeb and VPM tools) and strategy tools such as Kaplan and Norton’s Strategy Maps.

A key driver of our work together has been to produce a tool-box of practical, useful tools selected to generate maximum Return on Investment (ROI). Indeed, our key success criteria for the upcoming courses is for participants to generate a 10-times ROI on course attendance. We believe that is eminently doable: SCM is such a strong driver of organisational growth and profitability that the application of even a few of the tools in the SPECTRAL tool-box are likely to generate significant positive returns.

We would love to hear from people who are interested in applying the SPECTRAL model to their business and invite you to watch this space for the launch of the open course through Oxford University and our up-coming book.

Rob Collins and Chris Percival.