In 2013, Big Data” surpassed “Social Media” and “Mobility” as one of the most searched concepts on the Internet. Gerd Leonhard, a noted futurist, author and CEO of the Futures Agency, stated that Big Data’s economic and social importance will rival that of the oil economy by 2020. With the ever-increasing global adoption of smart phones, we are heading towards 5 billion connected devices. With the addition of other electronic devices such as sensors, wearables, and smart homes, that number is expected to grow to 50 billion by 2018. The amount of data being collected across all of these platforms is mind-boggling, and companies that realize the potential of what can be done with that data are breaking away from the pack. Those companies understand this potential and are now investing time and money into tools that can convert all that data into information that drives actionable insights. Oracle’s new In-Memory Cost Management applications for Oracle E-Business Suite offers those insights to for users in discrete manufacturing with Oracle In-Memory Cost Management for Discrete Industries and for users in process manufacturing with Oracle In-Memory Cost Management for Process Industries.

In today’s global manufacturing environment, manufacturers face a multitude of challenges due to regulatory compliance, stringent quality processes and increasing manufacturing costs. In order to accurately calculate margins and maximize profits, organizations must gather, maintain and analyze growing volumes of current and historical cost data. However, existing cost management solutions have not kept up with the exploding volumes of data across global manufacturing operations and various supply chains. To help solve this critical business need, Oracle has introduced Oracle In-Memory Cost Management for Discrete Industries for Oracle E-Business Suite and Oracle In-Memory Cost Management for Process Industries for Oracle E-Business Suite. Utilizing the extreme performance delivered by Oracle Engineered Systems, the new Oracle In-Memory Cost Management solutions are a combination of software and hardware that enables real-time insight across virtually all aspects of cost management, allowing organizations to maximize revenue, increase profits and optimize operational costs and working capital.

Oracle In-Memory Cost Management applications help businesses make decisions in time to capture the highest possible profits and margins, and to discover hidden opportunities to shrink operational costs. Cost accountants, operations, finance and procurement managers can use Oracle In-Memory Cost Management solutions to quickly perform what-if simulations on complex cost data and instantly visualize the impact of changes to their businesses. While existing cost management solutions often require long wait times for batch processes to complete on huge data sets, Oracle In-Memory Cost Management solutions run efficiently in real-time and come pre-built with critical analytical features including Cost Impact Simulator, Gross Profit Analyzer and Cost Comparison Tool.

Oracle’s Cost Impact Simulator and Gross Profit Analyzer help organizations maximize revenue and increase profits by:

• Undertaking multidimensional cost analyses leveraging complex multi-level bills of material and routing data
• Perform detailed ‘what-if’ cost simulations and timely analyses of costs and related inventory valuations
• Easily assessing the impact of future margins including any potential downstream impact of unshipped orders and forecasted demand

Oracle’s Cost Comparison Tool enables users to quickly view and analyze the details of complex cost structures across multiple manufacturing locations so that businesses can reach timely decisions that allow them to identify the most profitable cost structures, simulate the enterprise-wide impact of cost changes and then propagate those savings across their enterprises. Oracle’s Cost Comparison Tool also helps businesses discover hidden opportunities to further shrink operational costs by processing and visualizing large volumes of cost element data quickly.

To help customers in discrete industries such as automotive, aerospace and defense, high tech and industrial manufacturing, Oracle In-Memory Cost Management for Discrete Industries’ transformational suite of applications allows businesses to drive strategic cost management objectives by maximizing gross margins and profits, optimizing product cost structures through minimizing component costs, creating profitable product mixes across their global operations and finding the right products to both increase penetration in existing markets and enter new markets. Oracle In-Memory Cost Management for Process Industries’ does the same thing for customers in process industries such as natural resources, life sciences, food and beverage, chemicals and consumer goods.

For more information on these products, please check out these links:

• Oracle In-Memory Applications
• Datasheet: Oracle In-Memory Cost Management for Discrete Industries
• Datasheet: Oracle In-Memory Cost Management for Process Industries
• Press Release: Oracle Drives Strategic Cost Management with New In-Memory Application for Oracle E-Business Suite
• Press Release: Oracle Announces New In-Memory Applications and Faster Performance for All Oracle Applications on Oracle Engineered Systems
• Supply Chain Management Review Article: Oracle In-Memory Cost Management Launched
• Forbes Article: President of Oracle Speaks on Big Data at Oracle Supply Chain Conference 

Thank you to everyone who joined us at the Oracle Value Chain Summit 2014 in San Jose! Hallways were abuzz with new ideas, cool product stories, and reconnecting with colleagues.  We were reluctant to see it end, but the media has kept it going with photos, recaps, and insights.  Here's a round-up of all the commentary so far.

Photos - Attendees were pretty Twitter-happy at #OVCS this year!  Enjoy all the great photos shared during the week.
OVCS Photo Album (Facebook)

Summary - This IDC Manufacturing Insights Perspective summarizes the entire event, even including attendee feedback.
Perspective: Oracle Value Chain Summit (IDC)

Key Takeaways- Independent PLM consulting firm CIMdata shares their thoughts on key topics after attending the event.
CIMdata's Commentary on Oracle Value Chain Summit 2014 - Innovation Management, Customers, Product Value Chain, and more. (CIMdata)

Big Data - ARC posts an article in Forbes on key executive issues discussed at the Summit.
President of Oracle Speaks on Big Data at Oracle Supply Chain Conference (Forbes)

In Memory and Innovation Management - Supply Chain Management Review shares an article highlighting new product launches including Oracle Innovation Management, during the Summit.
Oracle In-Memory Cost Management Launched (SCMR)

Cloud, Innovation, Mobile, and Darned Spreadsheets - SupplyChainBrain summarizes the most talked about topics at the Summit in an article by Robert Bowman.
Notes from the Oracle Value Chain Summit (SupplyChainBrain)

PLM Perspective - Oracle's Shane Goodwin recounts in this blog entry a growing vibrancy in the Agile PLM community and how the enterprise solution has expanded to become, for many businesses, their go-to foundation for product development and innovation.
Impressions from OVCS 2014 - Agile PLM as a Platform (Oracle)

Executive Voice - Oracle's Rick Jewell concisely reviews the headlining topics covered throughout the Summit.
That's a Wrap for the 2nd Annual Oracle Value Chain Summit (Oracle)

I hope you enjoyed the reading!  And if you missed us in San Jose, I hope you'll consider joining us at the Oracle European Value Chain Summit in Amsterdam on March 18-19, 2014!

 We're pleased to feature this article by Rick Jewell on the success of the Oracle Value Chain Summit 2014.

Rick Jewell, Senior Vice President of Applications Development, Oracle

The second annual Oracle Value Chain Summit held in San Jose, California concluded earlier this month and by all accounts, it was a resounding success.

We welcomed more than 2,100 customers, partners and industry analysts from 27 different countries to the event this year. In fact, customer attendance was nearly 60 percent higher than the previous year, a clear testament to Oracle’s growing momentum in the supply chain industry. From the beginning to the end, there was a palpable energy amongst the crowds in sessions, demo areas and networking receptions.

Business users chose from more than 200 sessions from different supply chain tracks, including, 150+ customer speaking sessions, as well as keynotes that featured Oracle President Mark Hurd and best-selling author Geoffrey Moore.

Mark’s keynote covered a lot of interesting points as he explained how the combination of globalization, the explosion of data, mobility and more demanding customers has made the supply chain more complex than ever. Organizations are balancing the need to control costs while meeting customer demands; and as Mark highlighted, consumers are now more sophisticated. A missed delivery date can result in not only loss of sale, but now thanks to social, a reputation nightmare. A staggering 26% of customers will post negative feedback about products online.

Along similar lines, I presented the idea of the customer-centric supply chain and planning. In a time where it has become even harder for organizations to differentiate themselves, organizations can no longer focus on just ensuring inventory is there when customers need it but also need to optimize the overall customer experience in order to stand out in the crowd.

This is just a slice of what we talked about at the event. Presentations and collateral from the Oracle Value Chain Summit are now available for download at: http://oracle.ovcs2014.virtualcollateral.com. Use the password: ovcs2014

If you missed the event and are eager to hear how Oracle is keeping the supply chain moving at the speed of business, you can always catch the European Value Chain Summit taking place March 18 & 19 in Amsterdam. Otherwise, stay tuned for details about next year’s Oracle Value Chain Summit. 

By Rick Jewell, senior vice president of applications development, Oracle

With Oracle Value Chain Summit right around the corner, I’m getting excited thinking about all the great things this supply chain event offers. So I wanted to take some time to highlight why you won’t want to miss this annual event:

What are you waiting for? If you’re looking for an effective way to build your team’s knowledge, enhance your professional network and find a little excitement, register today and we’ll see you February 3-5 in San Jose.

By Derek Gittoes, Vice President, Value Chain Execution Product Strategy, Oracle

In global trade today, it is critical that all organizations think globally, but act locally. This is particularly true when it comes to ensuring compliance with increasingly complex regional Customs processes and procedures.

With this AES-certified solution, customers can significantly reduce their overall export spend by filing directly with the U.S. Government through Oracle Global Trade Management. Not just that, but by eliminating the need for trading partners to rekey data, organizations can ensure more accurate and timely filings, saving considerable effort, time and money.

In addition, the certification incorporates AES filing into the export workflow, enabling organizations to monitor the process through notifications and status updates. This further streamlines complex processes and procedures by giving a holistic view of Customs transactions.

Customers can start taking advantage of the certification now!

For more information on certification visit: here.

Judy Lemke talks with Mark Sunday about the challenges Schneider National faced and how they overcame them through a companywide transformational change.

http://medianetwork.oracle.com/video/player/2925221836001

By Jon Chorley, Chief Sustainability Officer and Group Vice President of SCM Product Strategy & PLM, Oracle

With the financial pressures that most organizations have had to navigate in recent times, the role of the CFO has been put under the spotlight. And as our global research study with Accenture pointed out, these pressures have seen the CFO’s role evolve from financial leader to corporate strategist and change agent.

In this expanded role CFOs are wearing many hats, but have you ever thought about how the goals of supply chain executives and the CFO are now intrinsically linked?

Registration for the European Value Chain Summit is now open.

Date:  March 18 – 19, 2014
Location:  Amsterdam, Netherlands
Venue:  Mövenpick Hotel Amsterdam City Centre

Join us for a thought leadership forum to explore how new solutions encompassing social, mobile, analytics, and the Cloud are helping companies transform their business through modern value chains.

WHO SHOULD ATTEND
The Oracle European Value Chain Summit brings together thought leaders, executives, business process owners along with industry and technology experts in an intimate and interactive setting.

WHAT YOU'LL GAIN
The Summit will feature industry keynotes, strategic presentations and customer case studies across three complementary solution areas: Value Chain Planning, Value Chain Execution, and Enterprise Product Lifecycle Management. Hands-on workshops and solution demonstrations will complement the program for immediate user experience.

Register early to secure your spot at the Summit.

By Hannes Sandmeier, Vice President of cMRO and Depot Repair Development

Smart businesses are increasing their focus on core competencies and aggressively cutting costs in their supply chains. Outsourcing repairs can enable a business to focus on what they do best and most profitably while delivering top-notch customer service through partners that specialize in reverse logistics and repair. A well managed “virtual service organization” can deliver fast turn times, lower costs and high customer satisfaction. A poorly managed partner network can deliver disaster for your business.

Managing a virtual service organization requires accurate, real-time information and collaboration tools that enable smart, informed and immediate corrective action. To meet this need, Oracle has released the Oracle Outsourced Repair Solution to provide the “control tower” for managing outsourced reverse supply chain operations from customer complaint through remediation to partner claim settlement. The new solution provides real-time visibility to return status, location, turn time, discrepancies and partner performance. Additionally, its web portals allow partners and carriers to view assigned work, request parts, enter data, capture time and submit claims.

Leveraging the combined power of Oracle E-Business Suite and Oracle E-Business Suite Extensions for Oracle Endeca, the Oracle Outsourced Repair Solution provides a comprehensive set of tools that range from quick online partner registration to partner claim reconciliation, from capturing parts and labor to Oracle Cost Management and Financials integration, and from part requisition to waste and hazmat controls.

These tools empower service operations managers to:

· Increase customer satisfaction Ensure customers are satisfied by holding partners accountable for the speed and quality of repairs, and taking immediate corrective action when things go wrong

· Reduce costs: Remove waste from the repair process using accurate job cost and cost breakdown data

· Increase return velocity: Users have the tools to view all orders in flight and immediately know the current location, status, owner and contact point for repairs so as to be able to remove bottlenecks, resolve discrepancies and manage escalations

The Oracle Outsourced Repair Solution further demonstrates Oracle’s commitment to helping supply chain professionals and service managers deliver high customer satisfaction at the lowest cost.

For more information on the Oracle Outsourced Repair Solution, visit here. 

Attend the 6th Annual Manufacturing Forum at the Westin River North in Chicago, Nov 14, 2013. Hear from top executives on how they navigated the road to transformation.