Chain Links
Sean covers the latest trends and breaking news in the world of supply chain management. Drop Sean a line to let him know what's new, and feel free to respond to his posts by clicking the "Comments" link below each entry.
Globalization? Not in Zimbabwe
Well, there’s one country out there that seems determined to resist globalization. I don’t know how many of you out there are thinking of outsourcing to Zimbabwe, but in case you are, you’d better take a look at this piece I found on the BBC’s Web site. According to the article, the Zimbabwean government is taking steps to ensure that the majority stakeholders in all co ...... Read More
Comments (0)Toyota needs better service data management
It seems that Toyota has come up with an answer to the question the world has wondered about, and I blogged recently about here: Did the problems leading to Toyota’s recalls begin on the drawing board, or is Toyota simply a victim of an overly-competitive business plan? The answer, according to this recent article from CNN, seems to be the latter. Akio Toyoda, the automaker’s p ...... Read More
Comments (0)Suppliers: Go Green or Else!
According to a new report from A. T. Kearney, which we’ve written about here, the trend of going green is moving beyond the base corporate level. It’s no big secret that companies do not exist in a vacuum–some of them have thousands of suppliers and partner organizations. Now, though, companies are looking for those suppliers to be green too. There’s not a lot of WalMar ...... Read More
Comments (0)Toyota: Is the problem here or abroad?
In what will probably go down as among the ugliest chapters in the company’s history, Toyota now has to recall millions of vehicles, to make sure sticky gas pedals don’t send them rocketing off the road, which some vehicles have already done. As a recent story posting to our Web site today shows, there seem to be two ultimate causes for the trouble (not including, of course, a failur ...... Read More
Comments (1)Video: What is Supply Chain Management?
Many visitors to our site are seeking information on the basics of supply chain management. This video is barely more than a minute long, but it sums the topic up nicely. It’s worth a look. ...... Read More
Comments (0)First lead, now Cadmium?
Just when you thought your children were safe from products from China, this investigation from the Associated Press emerged today. At issue is cadmium, a toxic metal that is usually harmless in its everyday form, but capable of causing a whole host of problems, including cancer, in concentration. The problem? Well, it’s now appearing in children’s jewelry, enough that Wal-Mart has d ...... Read More
Comments (1)Want to be a leader? Beef up your talent management!
In these tough economic times, the smart companies are re-examining every nut and bolt of the business, looking for ways to do more with less, and do what they do better. One area you might want to consider is talent management, and by that I don’t mean just buying a piece of software and sitting back while the computer does the work. But that’s what a lot of companies are doing, acc ...... Read More
Comments (0)2010: Hang on! It'll get better!
The dollar is weakening, unemployment is still around 10 percent, and now oil prices are starting to climb again. With the end of the year approaching fast, many supply chain folks out there who barely survived 2009 are likely wondering what fresh disaster awaits in 2010. The good news, according to the Institute for Supply Management (ISM) and other financial experts: Things will improve, just no ...... Read More
Comments (0)Video: The future of the supply chain
This video from CapGemini is a bit old, but it’s still an interesting projection toward the supply chain of the future, based around a report the analyst firm produced on what it believes supply chain management will be like in 2016. The video speaks to many supply chain managers from companies in several industries. Definitely worth a look. ...... Read More
Comments (0)The Green Machine
No, the “Green Machine” isn’t a euphemism for the finance department; it’s a tractor. Not just any tractor, mind you: It’s arguably one of the most energy-efficient trucks on the road. Its users plan to save thousands of gallons of fuel per year, cutting out greenhouse gas emissions measured in metric tons. It’s the brainchild of a group of former trucking ...... Read More
Comments (0)Supply Chain Management Wants You!
Recently, I found this video online from Wisconsin Technical College. It describes in pretty simple terms what supply chain management means in the business world, and what supply chain managers actually do. It’s not an in-depth analysis of the process, but for a short blurb it’s a neat kind of "recruitment video" for supply chain managers. ...... Read More
Comments (3)The Ultimate Green City
Right now, all that exists of Masdar City are a few multi-story buildings, but when it’s done, developers expect this high-tech suburb of Abu Dhabi will house 50,000 people and boast zero carbon emissions of any kind. Yup, that’s right. Zero. There are a bunch of different ways the city’s developers and the Abu Dhabi government claim it can be done, from hyper-efficient recy ...... Read More
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