I earned my Ph.D. in operations research from Wharton, focusing on optimization algorithms and decision analysis. Observing the COVID-19 pandemic during retirement, I noticed how traditional business planning methods, like demand forecasting and sales and operations planning (S&OP), became ineffective. Companies faced challenges in supply-demand planning amid uncertainties, severe supply shortages (like semiconductor chips), and labor issues due to lockdowns. This highlighted the need for specialized planning teams to navigate forecasting and planning under such uncertain conditions.

Source: https://www.scmr.com/article/the-special-demand-optimization-team