Supply Chain Metrics that Matter

Chapter 6What Drives Value in the Value Network?Industry Progress in the Health-Care Value Chain

Rain pelted the window. Gale force winds hurled the sheets of rain against the walls of the conference center where we were meeting. The winds were so strong that it was difficult for Jeff to pull the door shut as we met on the second day. As Jeff wiped the rain from his forehead, Frank quipped that he'd always suspected that Jeff was all wet, but now he knew it was true. The group laughed. He loved to chide Jeff in a fatherly, but friendly way. In his own way, Jeff liked it, too.

The meeting sprang to order when Edgar countered, “Frank, we were thinking before Jeff came in that it was you that was all wet. Will you be able to join us today and shut your laptop? I know that it's hard for you to disconnect from the day-to-day to focus on the important work that we need to do together, but, I need for you to be with us today. It is hard for us as a group to move forward with you jumping in and out of the session.”

Frank shoved his briefcase under the conference table, but kept his phone by his side, as he reluctantly got ready for the meeting to begin. Edgar then turned to me and said, “I enjoyed our discussion yesterday. I got a lot out of it, but I have a request. Could we spend some time as a group reflecting on what we learned yesterday before we begin the discussion of the next value chain?”

The group agreed but rolled their eyes when Frank stood up and walked to the front of ...