Papers and Articles by MML Consultants

In addition to our How To documents, our consultants have written or contributed to papers on topics that may be of interest to our clients and to others visiting this web site.

To view, simply click on the selected title below or click on “as pdf” to view a PDF version that you can save or print and read at your leisure.

ERP in the 21st Century — A New Paradigm     as pdf

As we move into the 21st Century, the use of ERP as an essential management tool is widespread. The last forty years have seen have seen a massive increases in functionality of the supporting IT systems; we now have enterprise-wide, fully integrated capabilities that can be used to manage the whole of the order fulfilment process.
However, some observers are now questioning whether business IT is showing signs of becoming mature. If they are right, it means that we need to think about the way we use IT in business, and ERP in particular. The implication is that it’s time to change the paradigm.

New Thinking On Inventory Management    as pdf

This paper draws on our experience over many years of helping companies to improve their performance, in particular around their use and management of inventory. That experience covers a very wide spectrum of different sectors, from automotive to textiles, in discrete, process and project based environments as well as pure trading and repair and overhaul.
It also draws on recent developments that make it possible to manage and maintain the information much more easily than has been the case in the past. Together, these provide a new insight into how to balance the inventory and keep it that way.

Sales and Operations Planning — Simulation Model Characteristics    as pdf

Whilst Sales and Operations Planning has been with us for more than ten years, there remains a worrying lack of clarity about its definition. Differences exist in the interpretation of its role, its objectives within the business and the way the process operates.
In many companies, what passes for S&OP is often little more than a monthly review of the performance of the Master Production Schedule. Many software providers also take the view that it is best done as an extension of the existing, product level planning process. In our experience both of these approaches fail to achieve the very real business benefits that an effective S&OP process can deliver
This paper looks at the intended role of S&OP, from its development as a means of linking the long-term business plans to the short term operational plans within the business. It explores the role of the S&OP process and the necessity for building a modelling capability to explore, evaluate and compare future potential business options as a medium term strategic decision making tool.

Sales and Operations Planning Models for Different Sectors    as pdf

This paper looks at the types of planning model that can be used for Sales and Operations Planning. In our experience, even in conventional, standard-product manufacturing, where S&OP originated the S&OP model needs to be tailored to fit each individual business. Other types of business can require fundamentally different models.

Successful MIS Implementation — Getting it Right First Time    as pdf

Integrated Management Information Systems (MIS) have been around for over 40 years, having evolved from simple ledgers and stock control to complex ERP. Over that time they have become considerably more reliable and vastly more capable. Sadly, the level of implementation success, when measured as a positive impact on the bottom line, has not kept pace. Based upon our experience of implementations that have delivered substial net returns on investment, this paper sets out some key factors in achieving real payback.

Financial, Accounting & Reporting Systems — Making the wish-list come true

Since computers started to be used in business in the 1950s and 60s, vast strides have been made in the capability of business systems. The combination of low-cost powerful computers, high-performance networks and advanced software has given executives the ability to collect, analyse and evaluate a wealth of data in ways that in the past they could only dream of.
However, their ability to turn data into information, and to use that information to improve decision making, lags woefully far behind.
Decades after computers first helped business, financial reporting systems still don’t deliver what operating managers really want. Tony Cowderoy and Malcolm Hunt of MML find a way forward.
(Published in Consultants Advisory)