Focus Your Supply Chain Technology Investments to Reduce Risk and Maximize Competitiveness Lean, Six Sigma, and related approaches offer immense potential for improving competitiveness, cost, and customer experience- if you can overcome the challenges of planning and implementation. The well-targeted use of technology can dramatically reduce your risks and accelerate your progress. Until now, however, many guidebooks and consultants have treated Lean primarily as a "e;pen and pencil"e; technique. Lean and Technology is the first complete guide to integrating Lean thinking with proven, affordable, and emerging technologies. You'll learn how companies are linking strategy, the value chain, and IT-and how they are executing on their plans to achieve real competitive advantage. Step by step, Myerson shows how to use the proven six-step SCOR Model to organize the integration of technology with all key supply chain and operations processes. You'll discover how to: PLAN to optimize supply chain networks, demand forecasting, master production scheduling, and S&OP SOURCE more effectively with today's MRP and procurement/e-procurement technologies MAKE higher-value "e;lean production"e; products with modern ERP, MES, and short-term scheduling systems DELIVER the right customer solutions at the right time and cost via advanced DRP, TMS, and order fulfillment systems RETURN products and materials with state-of-the-art reverse logistics systems ENABLE continuous improvement via carefully chosen measurements, metrics, and analytics Throughout, Myerson presents easy-to-use tools, methodologies, best practices, and real-world examples: all you need to improve speed, accuracy, integration, and collaboration across complex supply chains. He concludes by previewing emerging technologies for maintaining and extending the competitive advantage you've already built.