Industry WeekMore from Industry WeekAll TechnologyConsolidating Supply Management at Corporate Can Be Counterproductive If Factory Purchasing SlightedA rationale often used in support of a more centralized corporate purchasing function is the need for a company to project "One Face to the Supplier".April 22, 2015All TechnologyHow Do You Keep Your Lean Program Going?Once you have your lean journey underway, how do you sustain it? How do you build it into the bricks and mortar, and the DNA, of the organization? We no longer want lean to be its own thing; we want it integrated into the organization.April 10, 2015All TechnologyZero-Sum Supplier Negotiation Eventually Leads to Everyone LosingApplying leverage in negotiations results in a zero-sum outcome where one side wins and the other side loses. This typically means that the winner ends up with somewhat more than 50 percent of their hoped-for result and the loser gets somewhat less than 50 percent since, just as in sports competitions where the potential results are win-lose, lose-win and tie, the use of leverage doesn't allow for combined outcomes above 100 percent. Zero-sum outcomes not only create a relational imbalance, they create hard feelings. People who lose in one negotiation often do their best to turn the tables the next time such that they win - and you lose.March 26, 2015All Logistics'De-costing' Programs May Save Manufacturers Huge SumsU.S. manufacturing executives have an opportunity to make their factories even more competitive through parts and components de-costing programs. De-costing is simply a term that refers to removing cost from operations period-over-period. Parts and components usage is a great place to focus because improvements can provide such clear returns.January 29, 2015High-Tech/ElectronicsManufacturers Upbeat and Gearing Up to Hire More in 2015, Survey SaysManufacturing executives like what they are seeing on their balance sheets, are increasingly confident about the U.S. economy and plan to do more hiring and operational spending in the year ahead, a new survey from PwC US reports.January 23, 2015All LogisticsRobust Manufacturing in U.S. Depends on Improved TransportationThe U.S. manufacturing industry is in the midst of a comeback. Manufacturers are gladly shifting from securing demand to meeting demand. However, reworking the U.S. transportation infrastructure is essential to the success of this progress.November 18, 2014All TechnologyStill Battling With Suppliers or Customers? A Little Collaboration Might Help.Spend any amount of time working with supply chains, and one thing becomes clear: The traditional environment of the supply chain is mostly one of competition. That's because, in an effort to earn a customer's business and meet their demands, suppliers are often pitted one against the other to offer the lowest cost possible. But when it comes to overall success of the supplier/client relationship, this short-term competitive approach leaves untapped opportunities in terms of improved quality, cost and lead time, as each along the chain pursues what's best for themselves as opposed to what's best for the whole.November 14, 2014All TechnologySupply Chains Are Only as Sustainable as Their Worst Supplier ParticipantsThe road to creating user-friendly, science-backed, technology-enabled supply chains is paved with good sustainability intentions that get foiled by today's dynamic, global complexities. Achieving sustainability of scale requires involvement of the entire supply chain. To meet the needs of customers and markets, manufacturers need up-to-date and accurate information about their suppliers' materials and components.November 6, 2014Business Strategy AlignmentThe Need Increases to Alter Your Supply Chain Talent StrategyThere is no disputing that talent is a top challenge for companies worldwide. In PwC's 2014 CEO Survey, 93 percent of participants said they recognize the need to change their strategies for talent, but 61 percent acknowledged that they haven't yet taken the first step. The challenge is especially acute in supply chain operations, which is facing a talent shortage - despite an increasing number of undergraduate majors, MBA concentrations and entire programs in supply chain management.November 4, 2014Business Strategy AlignmentHow Will Alibaba Compete With - and Set Itself Apart From - Amazon?Global e-commerce platform Alibaba recently made headlines with its record-setting New York initial public offering, the largest ever in the United States. The company's aggressive growth aspirations are rooted in the success it has seen in its home country of China, where it is one of the biggest retail players. Alibaba is the Amazon of the Chinese marketplace without equal competition. But how will the company fare in its expansion in the U.S.?October 7, 2014Previous PagePage 5 of 30Next Page
