Master the newest methods, tools, and strategies in supply chain management

In The Supply Chain Playbook: How to Transform Planning, Inventory, and Execution into Competitive Power, supply chain planning and transformation expert Marcia Williams, delivers a practical, planning-first guide to transforming supply chain decision-making and execution to move from a largely reactive supply chain management strategy to one that anticipates and responds to challenges before they disrupt business performance.

Williams draws on more than two decades of supply chain experience to provide expert advice for leaders interested in transforming their organizations’ supply chains, strengthening cross-functional collaboration and alignment, structuring core planning roles, improving forecasting and demand planning, strengthening supply, inventory, and capacity planning, and more. She explains how to optimize supply, inventory, and materials planning, effectively use existing planning tools, and track useful metrics.

Inside the book:

• Comprehensive discussions of the foundations of traditional supply chain planning and how recent developments – especially those that occurred during the Covid-19 pandemic – have changed the fundamentals
• Detailed walkthroughs of demand planning and forecasting as well as supply planning, inventory management, capacity planning, and materials planning
• Advice for implementing the latest technological developments in your organization’s approach to supply chains, including analytics, machine-learning-based demand forecasting, and AI-enabled tools that support better planning decisions
• A clear, practical roadmap for implementing S&OP and S&OE, linking long-term planning decisions with short-term execution through well-defined roles, metrics, and operating cadence.

Filled with detailed case studies and step-by-step strategy guides for working supply chain professionals, The Supply Chain Playbook is a must-have resource for navigating the latest disruptions, opportunities, and technologies that will define the future of supply chain management.

MARCIA WILLIAMS is a supply chain planning consultant specializing in demand planning, supply planning, inventory management, materials planning, and S&OP/IBP transformation. With over two decades of experience in supply chain management and cross-functional integration, she has worked with leading global enterprises including Lindt, Hershey, Coty, and Unilever to strengthen planning capabilities and improve cross-functional alignment. Williams has served as a strategic advisor and interim supply chain director to Fortune 500 companies across manufacturing, retail, and CPG sectors, helping organizations build the planning systems, financial language, and strategic frameworks needed to elevate supply chain from operational function to competitive advantage.