About The Author
Norman A. Katz
Norman Katz is a Senior business and technology leader with a history of architecting and delivering best-in-class enterprise software solutions for startups through global companies that transform and strengthen the full spectrum of end-to-end order-to-cash and procure-to-pay supply chain operations. Norman is a US national and international speaker, writer, and multiple first-of-their-kind exclusive book author. He has given over 60 presentations and written more than 50 published articles.
A foil and saber fencer since 1993, (though he will fence epee if someone puts one in his hands), Norman owned his own fencing club and coached from 2007 to 2023. Norman is ambidextrous in fencing, which challenges his students more and also better prepares them for the real-world competitors they will likely face.
This multiple perspective advantage is carried through from Norman's fencing to his professional consulting as he helps companies execute better by examining their data, software, operations, organization, and supply chain challenges from different viewpoints.
Detecting and Reducing Supply Chain Fraud
Detecting and Reducing Supply Chain Fraud (Gower/Routledge, August 2012) is Norman's first book. This book highlights a business model that utilizes the standard supply chain systems of Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP), Electronic Data Interchange (EDI), and Automatic Identification (namely, barcode labeling and scanning), and the transactions those systems output, for not only supply chain performance analysis but to also detect and reduce supply chain fraud.
Successful Supply Chain Vendor Compliance
Successful Supply Chain Vendor Compliance (Gower/Routledge, December 2015) is Norman's second book. It is an industry-neutral, dual-audience book. The first part is targeted to help customer/buyer companies in being better leaders in defining and implementing vendor compliance initiatives. As Norman has observed, it is more often the program failure that leads to supply chain disruption than the desire or attempt at program adoption. The second part of the book is targeted to supplier/vendor companies in providing advice on how to be more involved, and therefore more competitive, supply chain partners.
Attack, Parry, Riposte: A Fencer's Guide To Better Business Execution
Attack, Parry, Riposte: A Fencer's Guide To Better Business Execution (Austin Macauley, November 2020) is Norman's third book. In this book, Norman fuses the strategies and tactics of the martial art of fencing - a sport in which he has been participating since 1993 and coaching from 2007 to 2023 - and uses them as analogies of business execution examples through his extensive and experienced career. This book is a serious strike at the problems preventing companies from becoming champion contenders and successfully competing in their marketplaces.
The book is available in hardcover, paperback, and ebook formats. It can be purchased directly from the publisher or through distributors like Amazon.
Katzscan Inc.
After a progressive 11-year career where Norman began as a Programmer and advanced through Programmer Analyst, Business Analyst, and Information Technology Manager, Norman became a solo-flyer entrepreneur and launched his own consultancy, Katzscan Inc., on January 1, 1996. Norman has helped numerous companies in various industries improve their software systems, supply chains, operations, internal relationships, external partnerships, and information insights.