Understanding the relationship between S&OP and S&OE is akin to the novel versus the short story. With the novel, an author more often than not takes the long view of the narrative, spanning large swatches of time with a multitude of characters in order to tell a fully-realized, fleshed-out, and satisfying story. On the other hand, a short story is a much more compressed form of narrative where the author focuses on one, two, or maybe three characters in a more narrow window of time with a specific set of themes, tropes, or conceits in order to give the reader a mere glimpse into the lives of those inhabiting the story.

Both of these narrative modes rely on similar principles of storytelling, but they deploy those principles in slightly different ways for a desired impact - the novel a more long-term, wide-ranging look at a world, and the short story a more compact, micro view of characters, situations, and contexts. The similarities and differences between the novel and the short story mirrors essentially the relationship between S&OP and S&OE in today’s global manufacturing and supply chain. S&OP allows manufacturing companies to create integrated demand planning between sales and production teams for the short to mid-term (the novel game) while S&OE gives planners and managers the capacity to examine their supply situation on a more micro level (the short story).

To understand where S&OE (sales and operations execution) and S&OP (sales and operations planning) differ, let’s think about the game of golf. During a round of golf, you have to engage in two very different approaches to the game: the long game and the short game. The long game revolves around teeing off and how close or strategically you can position yourself with your first stroke. The short game, on the other hand, concerns how you engage each hole the closer you get to the green. While the long game requires strength and agility, the short game necessitates precision and discipline. Each approach, though fundamentally different, work hand-in-hand as a player works to drop the ball in the hole with the fewest strokes possible.

The difference between the long game and the short game is essentially the difference between S&OP and S&OE in today’s global manufacturing and supply chain. S&OP allows manufacturing companies to create integrated demand planning between sales and production teams for the short to mid-term (the long game) while S&OE gives planners and managers the capacity to examine their supply situation on a more micro level (the short game).

Today’s global manufacturing supply chain is rapidly evolving and maturing thanks in large part to globalization and the advancements in technology and supply chain theory. As a result, manufacturing companies are tasked with competing in new and emerging markets often times with the same or limited amount of resources and manpower.

This is where S&OE (sales and operations execution) can be an extremely important value proposition for companies in reducing costs associated with their supply chain management. In alignment with lean manufacturing and supply principles, S&OE provides companies a method of checking the pulse of their overall supply situation in order to make critical adjustments for short, mid, and long-term success and viability. And because much of S&OE relies heavily on core industry drivers such as Industry 4.0, digitization, and other technological platforms, companies who embrace S&OE can often see significant enhancements of processes across other touch points of their value chain.

It was the Scottish poet Robert Burns who said it best: “The best laid plans of mice and men often go awry.” This sentiment is perhaps no more true than in today’s global, complex automotive supply chain where demand planning and production programs often shift and change depending on a wide range of variables and elements - everything from the availability of component parts to labor to facility capacity and job scheduling. 

But to cut the complexity of mid and long-term planning and supply chain management, planners and managers have a relatively new tool at their disposal: sales and operations execution (S&OE). Coined in the last few years by supply chain industry publication Gartner, S&OE acts as a demand planning supplement or safety net to detect the possibility of bottlenecks or breakdowns in larger-scale planning platforms. This in turn allows planners and managers to create and deploy solutions to these disruptions to enhance each touchpoint of a company’s overall value chain.

For companies in the automotive industry, growth in large part depends on the success or failure of your supply chain. In a global, volatile, and variant-rich industry, the ability to seamlessly move products from the production floor to your customer’s door is top priority for supply chain planners and managers, and companies that achieve this desired result are able to leverage significant advantages over competitors when it comes to growing profits, revenues, and customer bases.

With so much of the conversation in global supply chain management surrounding technological advancements and the digital revolution via platforms like Big Data, Industry 4.0, and advanced analytics, it’s sometimes easy to forget the core principles that have driven the automotive supply chain for the last two or three decades. S&OP (sales and operations planning) is one of these basic principles that, while critical to an efficient supply stream, can sometimes go overlooked in the most pressing discussions of the day.

It’s easy to get caught up in the newest and most disruptive technologies poised to impact the automotive supply chain - even when it comes to S&OP. For example, a recent survey conducted by Supply Chain Trends cited major technological and software complications in implementing sales and planning solutions. Contrast that with a report issued by Supply Chain Management Review in which companies surveyed said they allocate roughly 70 percent of their S&OP budget on developing and implementing new technologies.

How can organizations get the most out of their Sales and Operations Planning (S&OP) efforts? By establishing a separate Sales and Operations Execution (S&OE) process that focuses on short-term performance and supports the long-term goals of S&OP. While the S&OP team usually looks ahead by up to 18 months, the S&OE team concentrates on the next zero to three months. 

It’s the dead of winter and you wake in the morning to find your car windshield completely covered in a thick layer of ice. You turn on the defrost and wait for the ice to thaw, and after a few minutes a small patch of windshield is clear for you to see through. As you drive down the street, you realize you cannot see the entire road, are unable to spot potential hazards or obstructions in your path of travel, and have to slow your speed in order to avoid a collision or accident.

What does this have to do with global automotive supply chain management? Well, the danger of driving without a fully clear windshield is similar to OEMs who fall back on sequential planning silos as part of their demand capacity planning strategy. The lack of visibility, agility, and responsiveness that comes with driving with a blocked windshield is analogous to the lack of visibility and supply chain insight manufacturers struggle with when it comes to planning silos hampering their productivity and efficiency.

The role of international trade and investment has grown steadily since World War II. Yet we think of globalization as a relatively recent trend; indeed, rapid technological advances and other factors have changed the scale and direction of globalization. While large, multinational corporations once dominated the global market, now smaller enterprises have also gained entry.

The manufacturing industry has been evolving rapidly thanks to globalization and technological advances. Global supply chain leaders often find themselves pulled in multiple directions, and they must decide which new strategies and approaches will offer maximum ROI.

One option that supply chain managers definitely shouldn't overlook is developing a Sales and Operations Execution (S&OE) process that's separate from the Sales and Operations Planning (S&OP) process. While these two processes seem like one in the same, creating a discrete S&OE process requires relatively little investment but can yield significant returns, not only in terms of daily operations cost, but also with regard to long-term strategic planning.