Integrated Business Planning

Let’s Rethink How We Manage Business

 

IBP is provocative, challenging, and, at times, contentious, yet the benefits are unquestionable. We have experience navigating the dynamics which impede IBP implementation in a variety of different businesses. This experience affords us the opportunity to help others take the concepts of IBP and provide pragmatic operational solutions, avoiding rabbit-holes, minefields, and some of the frustration associated with the deployment.  This site is created to provide online support, answer questions, and help others on their IBP implementation journey.

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Integrated Business Planning

IBP Challenges, no one wants to talk about

Integrated Business Planning (IBP) is a management process that aims to bring together different business functions to plan and execute an organization's strategies. IBP goes beyond traditional Sales and Operations Planning (S&OP) by including functions such as finance, marketing, and human resources in the planning process. While IBP can provide many benefits, such as increased visibility, better decision-making, and improved alignment, it also comes with several lesser-known challenges or rather taboo sensitive challenges that can make implementation difficult. Basic supply chain capability is lacking in any ability to execute the plan. There is a misconception that if you build it,…
Debbie Evans
April 24, 2023
Integrated Business Planning

IBP – Where Decisions Are Made

In the movie Field of Dreams, the character played by Kevin Costner repeatedly heard the words, “if you build it, he will come”, implying that if he built a baseball diamond in his cornfield the famous Shoeless Joe Jackson would return to play ball once again.   If only this worked when implementing IBP, if you build it value will come.  Unfortunately building an IBP process doesn’t necessarily mean value from the process will miraculously just appear like Shoeless Joe Jackson and we are left with a mechanized IBP process but dissatisfied with the results. When designing an IBP process…
Debbie Evans
October 23, 2020
Business

Navigating Success: How Integrated Business Planning Can Propel New Businesses to Prosperity

Starting a new business venture can be an exhilarating yet daunting journey. Entrepreneurs often wear multiple hats, juggling countless responsibilities while striving to achieve sustainable growth. In this dynamic and competitive landscape, the concept of Integrated Business Planning (IBP) is often thought of as something for more mature businesses, but nothing can be further from the truth.  IBP is the valuable compass that can steer new businesses toward success by aligning all functions towards those strategic growth ambitions. Understanding Integrated Business Planning At its core, Integrated Business Planning (IBP) is a holistic approach to business management that aligns various organizational…
Debbie Evans
September 4, 2023
Integrated Business Planning

“The Comedy of Integrated Business Planning: An Unparalleled Adventure”

Integrated Business Planning (IBP) - a concept that sounds as exciting as a spreadsheet party! While it may be a critical business process, let's take a lighthearted approach and dive into the world of IBP, where strategic decisions meet the unexpected twists and turns of corporate life. The Perils of Forecasting: IBP starts with forecasting, where businesses try to predict the future like fortune-tellers armed with spreadsheets. But alas, forecasting can sometimes feel like gazing into a crystal ball that stubbornly refuses to reveal its secrets. Just when you think you've got it all figured out, reality does a cheeky…
Debbie Evans
June 29, 2023