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Business Strategy Alignment: Page 369

Three Issues Driving Warehouse Change

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Productivity Dip in U.S. Tied to Lack of Investment in Workforce, Equipment

When the U.S. economy emerged from the recession in June 2009, productivity was rising at a fast clip. Companies had spent the downturn cutting jobs and were lean and efficient. Productivity—output per hour worked—jumped 5.5 percent in the fourth quarter from a year earlier as workers did more with less. But as the recovery has chugged on, productivity growth has stalled, averaging less than 1 percent a year since 2011. Workers were actually less efficient in the first quarter of 2014, producing fewer goods and services per hour than they had during the previous quarter.

Employees Want to Participate in Their Company's Social Responsibility Initiatives, Study Finds

Employee engagement in corporate social responsibility activities including environmental initiatives can demonstrably improve job performance, according to research from ESMT European School of Management and Technology.

Environmental 4 01

Brick-and-Mortar Stores Will Still Be Around, But They Must Provide Better 'Experience' for Shoppers

The ubiquity of the internet and smartphones has made e-commerce and m-commerce grow by leaps and bounds. But fear not, brick-and-mortar retailers: in-store shopping isn't going anywhere. In fact, brick-and-mortar retail still drives more than 90 percent of commerce, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.

Apparel Store 04

Supply Chain Management Is Too Big a Job for Just One Person, No Matter What Their Title Is

To drive robust supply chain performance, many companies put one individual in charge, either a chief operations officer (COO) or a chief supply chain officer (CSCO). With the right leadership agenda these positions can make a major impact on performance. In some organizations, however, the appointment of a COO or CSCO may unintentionally lead other senior executives to view the supply chain as "somebody else’s problem."

Study Finds That Better Business Results Flow from Integrating Purchasing, Logistics

Organizations that closely integrate their purchasing and logistics functions deliver better business results, according to a new study from the Global Supply Chain Institute at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville. But the study, involving more than 180 supply chain professionals, also shows that many firms fail to capitalize on this opportunity and have supply chains where purchasing and logistics operate in "silos" with little cohesion.

Penetrating Foreign Markets Fraught with Complexities, Hurdles. No Wonder So Many Companies Stumble.

For every company that thrives in a foreign market, probably five companies stumble. The complexities of entering a foreign market can result in many strategic mistakes and missteps. Even businesses that eventually "win" in a geographic region can teeter on the edge for years.

Business Strategy 3 02

Crystal & Company Launches Supply Chain Risk-Management Tool

Crystal & Company, a strategic risk and insurance advisory service, has launched a Web-based tool to manage supply-chain risk.

Sc Security Risk 2 03

To Succeed, You 'Must' Align Lean Initiative with Merchandising Strategy

Any attempt to apply "lean" thinking to a manufacturer or retailer's supply chain must have merchandise lifecycle plans in alignment with supply chain strategy to succeed, according to the vice president of strategic services at software company JDA.

Business Strategy 2 03

Are You Paying for Retail Space You Simply Don't Need?

Retail space isn't what it used to be. More people are browsing and buying online. Stores can get products faster from manufacturers, so they don't need as much space to warehouse inventory. Small businesses are thus moving to smaller storefronts to lower costs.

Your Next Perfect Employee or Job Is Waiting

SupplyChainBrain and JobsInLogistics have joined forces in 2014 for the specialized purpose of:

Job Board 2014 15

Elemica Unveils Supply Chain Process Control Tower

Elemica Inc., a vendor of software for supply-chain network management, has created a Business Process Control Tower application.

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How a Leading U.S. Floral Distribution Company Reduced Warehouse Labor Costs by 45% with RFID

Recycled Tagging Fasteners: Small Changes Make a Big Impact

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Enhancing High-Value Electronics Shipment Security with Tive's Real-Time Tracking

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