More on the team

Supply chain management has proven to be a significant service area for IBM, and at IBM China Research Lab, staff R&D engineer Changrui Ren is developing a SCM asset that will aid IBM Global Business Services clients. He and his teammates are working on a project called Smart Supply Chain Operations Reference (SmartSCOR). SmartSCOR will provide a comprehensive, process-centric supply chain framework and methodology for on demand SCM problem-solving. This transformative methodology is based on the cross-industry Supply Chain Operations Reference model. It employs a variety of simulation and optimization techniques to tackle two supply chain challenges: design/redesign and supply chain process improvement.

Ren, who holds a PhD from Beijing’s Tsinghua University, has been working on SmartSCOR since coming to IBM two years ago. The project proved a good match for his interest in supply chain simulation and optimization, logistics system design and performance management. Discussing SmartSCOR, Ren notes that “Supply chain management is a very important service area for IBM, but currently there is no standard methodology and tool for Global Business Services consultants. I hope my research will provide a powerful methodology for these consultants, one that will differentiate IBM from its competitors and drive delivery excellence.” Ren also believes the project will help increase IBM software sales and help the IBM Integrated Supply Chain organization to improve its clients’ overall operations.

His work will grow increasingly important, Ren believes, as “SCM services move from labor-based to asset-based models, and more analytics and templates need to be developed.”