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August 21, 2020
This Week on Supply Chain Now: August 17th – 21st
Another BIG week at Supply Chain Now! If you missed an episode, get a quick summary and listen here! On Monday, we published a new episode in This Week in Business History. Scott shared the stories of a few retail legends, the birth of Motown, and more! Supply Chain Now · “This Week in Business History for August 17th: Retail & Radio Legends are Born” We continued the Today in Manufacturing series on Tuesday as Kelly Scheib with Proterra joined Laura Madajewski, Jason Moss, and Scott on the podcast on Tuesday. Supply Chain Now · “Serving the People Behind the Numbers: Kelly Scheib with Proterra” On Wednesday, we published this week’s Supply Chain Buzz, where Scott and Greg shared the top supply chain stories of the week. Supply Chain Now · “The Supply Chain Buzz for August 17th: Imports Up, Cold Chain Explosion, & Good News” On Thursday, we shared an excellent interview on supply chain leadership as Scott & Greg spoke with Rick Blasgen, the President & CEO of CSCMP. Supply Chain Now · “Leading the Supply Chain Industry Forward: Rick Blasgen with CSCMP” And we wrapped up the week a little…
supply chain planning
January 6, 2026
ZS’s Caglar Ozdag on Firefighting, AI Skepticism, and Why Data Must Come First in 2026
At the Gartner Supply Chain Planning Summit in Denver, Scott Luton sat down with Caglar Ozdag, a supply chain leader at ZS. Known for its deep analytics and technology expertise across industries such as life sciences, airlines, consumer goods, and agriculture, ZS has become a trusted partner for organizations looking to elevate their planning and manufacturing performance. Ozdag leads the firm’s supply chain practice with a focus on planning from detailed forecasting through detailed scheduling. As a former practitioner himself—having led planning operations at large global enterprises—he brings a grounded, real-world perspective to the challenges facing today’s supply chain leaders. Old Problems Persist—and New Ones Are Emerging When asked about classic and emerging challenges in planning, Ozdag didn’t hesitate: firefighting isn’t going away. From supply planning disruptions to last-minute schedule changes, firefighting remains a daily reality. “Life happens,” Ozdag noted. Plans rarely match reality, and organizations must constantly adjust. But today, a new layer has been added: AI uncertainty. Everywhere he goes, leaders are asking the same questions: “Is AI the right investment?” “Will the ROI materialize?” “Are we adopting the right tools, or just chasing hype?” This blend of enduring complexity and emerging skepticism has become a defining…