Knut Alicke - Supply chain transformation, getting the basics right, and GenAI in planning

In this episode, ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Ben⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ and ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Wim⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ speak with ⁠⁠Knut Alicke⁠⁠, Partner emeritus at McKinsey & Company, professor at the University of Cologne, and author of ⁠From Source to Sold⁠.

Knut shares insights from 30+ years in supply chain across research, software, and management consulting. We dig into what really makes transformations succeed or fail and the underestimated role of "health" in change programs.

We also explore planning system failures, master data problems, and why companies chase the AI buzz while still working off spreadsheets.

Knut explains how GenAI can act as a planner’s co-pilot and shares his vision for more modular, flexible planning tools built on real business logic.

The conversation ends with powerful leadership lessons from Source to Soul, drawing on interviews with supply chain leaders from Dyson, Philips, Volvo Cars, and more.

Key topics covered include:

• Why most supply chain transformations fail, and what to fix
• Performance vs. health: a framework for lasting change
• Why “brilliant basics” matter more than big bets
• Planning systems that don’t get adopted: what goes wrong
• AI and GenAI as a co-pilot, not a replacement
• Master data issues and simple visual diagnostics
• Planners as builders: end-user customization and modular tools
• Leadership stories from Source to Soul and how to build influence

Key timestamps:

• (01:00) – Knut’s career across research, software, and McKinsey
• (02:00) – How supply chain transformations start — and why most fail
• (03:00) – The "performance and health" framework for lasting results
• (06:00) – The myth of the one-time big bang change
• (07:00) – Why planners reject new systems and stick with Excel
• (08:00) – The problem with 10x targets and ignoring capability gaps
• (10:00) – Master data, experience, and C-level support as key enablers
• (13:00) – Using GenAI to clean master data and identify root causes
• (14:00) – Brilliant basics: scatterplots and simple planning analytics
• (17:00) – Why AI is now essential to get leadership buy-in
• (20:00) – Vision for GenAI as a conversational planner co-pilot
• (24:00) – Bespoke programming and the future of modular planning tools
• (26:00) – Innovator’s dilemma in planning software vendors
• (27:00) – Knut’s inventory optimization experiment with GenAI
• (29:00) – Training new planners faster and smarter
• (31:00) – Favorite leadership stories from Source to Soul
• (34:00) – The CHAIN framework: what defines supply chain leaders
• (36:00) – Final advice: be curious, speak up, and communicate with impact

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