Robert J. Bowman, SupplyChainBrainMore from Robert J. Bowman, SupplyChainBrainLogistics OutsourcingWhy Europe's Economic Woes Spell Bad News for U.S. ExportersSchadenfreude is the act of deriving pleasure from observing the misfortunes of others. It helps to explain our enjoyment of tragedy, comedy and reality TV. It's also a convenient emotion to access when we read about economies that are in worse shape than ours. We would be well-advised, however, not to submit to the urge to feel superior to the slow-motion train wreck that is the European Union. What's happening in that dysfunctional coalition promises to have severe consequences for U.S. exporters.August 27, 2012Logistics OutsourcingWhy Europe's Economic Woes Spell Bad News for U.S. ExportersAugust 27, 2012All LogisticsWhat Are U.S. Retailers Getting for Christmas?There was a bit of good economic news last week, with the announcement that U.S. retail sales rose 0.8 percent in July. That was the biggest gain since February, and well above the 0.3 percent that economists had predicted. So is the economy finally recovering?August 20, 2012All LogisticsThe Pros and Cons of Hedging Ocean Freight RatesOver the last five years, the word "hedge" has become something of a dirty word. Think hedge funds - those massive, unregulated accumulations of capital that played a key role in bringing about the Great Recession. The idea of protecting oneself against adverse economic conditions seemed sound, but it quickly mutated into a bewildering flurry of transactions that ended up creating more risk than they were designed to mitigate. What's more, the original concept behind hedge funds became watered down to the point that many today aren't really "hedging" against anything. They're simply a means for investors to park their money with a trusted fund manager who might or might not repay that trust in the form of steady returns - all with minimal regulatory oversight.August 13, 2012All LogisticsThe Pros and Cons of Hedging Ocean Freight RatesAugust 13, 2012All LogisticsHow the Intermodal Chassis Became a Hot PotatoNearly all major ocean carriers have announced plans to stop providing chassis to U.S. truckers at key shipping locations. But it's far from clear how that decision will play out.August 6, 2012BlogsHow the Intermodal Chassis Became a Hot PotatoAugust 6, 2012All LogisticsThe Global Economy as Spaghetti WesternWhat's in store for the U.S. and global economy? To Walter Kemmsies, chief economist of engineering firm Moffatt & Nichol, the next few years will bring "the good, the bad and the ugly."July 30, 2012BlogsThe Global Economy as Spaghetti WesternJuly 30, 2012Logistics OutsourcingOpen or Closed Supply Chains: Which Way to Go?Supply chains are just as susceptible to faddish behavior as anything else. We're social animals, so we tend to follow the crowd - especially if we believe that the crowd has a competitive edge. That's why so many companies flocked to China over the last couple of decades, in search of ever-cheaper sources of production. Or why outsourcing became such a hot trend over that same period of time.July 23, 2012Previous PagePage 224 of 265Next Page
