Supply Chain

How to Choose the Right Forecasting Technique

Fri, 04 Feb 2022 10:34:20 -0500

In virtually every decision they make, executives today consider some kind of forecast. Sound predictions of demands and trends are no longer luxury items, but a necessity, if managers are to cope with seasonality, sudden changes in demand levels, price-cutting maneuvers of the competition, strikes, and large swings of the economy. Forecasting can help...

What is an NFT? The Complete Guide to Non-Fungible Tokens

Fri, 04 Feb 2022 10:22:36 -0500

Non-fungible tokens (NFTs) are a new type of crypto asset taking the blockchain world by storm. It’s hard to go a day without hearing something about NFTs. But what are they, and why are they so popular?...

Elements of a successful bank M&A strategy

Fri, 04 Feb 2022 10:12:39 -0500

Banks are merging and acquiring each other at the fastest pace since the global financial crisis began and signs point to that uptick continuing into 2022. What’s driving these deals? For most banks, it’s the purchasing power inherent in rising...

2022 may be 'watershed moment' for company culture, LinkedIn says

Fri, 28 Jan 2022 11:06:30 -0500

Flexibility may be one of the key trends to shape 2022 for HR, sources told HR Dive, which means employers may need to get creative. Letting workers pick their...

3 Ways to Make Money with Non-Fungible Tokens (NFTs)

Thu, 20 Jan 2022 16:17:59 -0500

There’s no doubt that Non-Fungible Tokens are the most popular trend in the crypto community right now. From celebrities to respected companies, everyone is talking about launching their own NFTs. But not all NFTs are made equal...

Checklist: 10 core components for your next vendor survey

Wed, 16 Oct 2019 02:00:00 -0400

The relationships your department forms with trading partners can have a big impact on your financial success and well-being. When relationships are positive...

Why U.S.-China Trade War Risks Hurting Firms in Both Countries

Tue, 10 Sep 2019 04:00:00 -0400

U.S. businesses are imploring President Donald Trump not to expand his tariffs to $300 billion in goods from China that have so far been...

7 Things To Buy Before More Trump Tariffs Take Effect On December 15

Tue, 03 Sep 2019 03:00:00 -0400

President Donald Trump’s trade war with China and his pronouncements about tariffs have been rocking the stock market and investors.

Now...

Luxembourg's Bold Plan to Mine Asteroids for Rare Minerals

Fri, 30 Aug 2019 02:00:00 -0400

In 2016 the tiny European country of Luxembourg announced an ambitious initiative to mine asteroids and other near-Earth objects (NEOs) for rare minerals. It wasn’t the country’s first foray into space...

Here's What $300 Billion in New Tariffs on China Really Means for You and Your Business

Fri, 02 Aug 2019 03:00:00 -0400

Sometimes, it can be difficult to personalize big numbers like $300 billion. That's the amount of new tariffs President Trump announced he intends to impose on goods from China beginning September 1. It will affect...

Top Resource: 3D Printed Tools for Better Ergonomics, Speed and Design Complexity

Tue, 18 Jun 2019 00:00:00 -0400

Factory production lines know the right jig or fixture speeds production, which increases productivity. But that’s just the beginning. Well-designed tools are more ergonomic, offering both increased worker safety and productivity, as well as cost savings.

Traditional machining produces heavy, costly, multi-piece tools that become an even greater liability as repetitive motion injuries erode line productivity with worker disability. Redesign means even more protracted timelines for machined parts.

Amazon Says Its Drones Will Be Making Deliveries Within Months

Thu, 06 Jun 2019 03:00:00 -0400

Amazon said Wednesday that it plans to use self-piloted drones to deliver packages to shoppers' home in the coming months.

The online shopping giant did not give exact timing or say where the drones will be making deliveries.

Amazon said...

Trump Turbulence Slows Momentum for North America Trade Deal

Wed, 05 Jun 2019 04:00:00 -0400

The momentum that supporters have tried to build for a new North American trade deal has run into some Trump turbulence.

The Trump administration had taken steps in recent weeks to work with Democratic and Republican lawmakers to address concerns about the proposed United States-Mexico-Canada agreement.

Then...

Pump It Up: Energy Department-Funded Project To Explore How Hydro Storage Can Bring More Renewables To The Grid

Wed, 05 Jun 2019 03:00:00 -0400

The U.S. Department of Energy announced recently that it’s awarding a $1.25 million grant to a project team from GE Research and GE Energy Consulting to dig deeper into the possibilities of hydro storage, a promising technology that might...

Top Resource: The Essential Guide to Parts Procurement

Wed, 05 Jun 2019 00:00:00 -0400

Parts management directly impacts the financial return on your fleet. The most effective means of making parts cheaper is not in fact to start buying cheaper parts, but to bring operational efficiency to the purchase and use of these parts. Want to learn the best parts procurement practices and find out how you can actually save more than 100% on parts costs?

U.S. Delay to Huawei Ban Gives Tech Sector Time to Adjust

Wed, 22 May 2019 03:00:00 -0400

The United States is delaying some restrictions on U.S. technology sales to Chinese tech powerhouse Huawei in what it calls an effort to ease the blow on Huawei smartphone owners and smaller U.S. telecoms providers that rely on its networking equipment.

The Trump administration insists...

Embracing the Aging Workforce With 21st Century Loading Docks

Wed, 22 May 2019 02:00:00 -0400

America’s workforce is aging. In fact, according to AARP, nearly half of new jobs in the U.S. last year were filled by workers 55 years or older. Largely due to ongoing labor shortages, this disproportionately small demographic picked up more than 1.4 million of the 2.9 million new jobs in 2018. Many of which are in the growth sector of warehousing and distribution centers.

Unfortunately...

U.S. Factory Output Falls for a Third Time in Four Months

Wed, 22 May 2019 00:00:00 -0400

U.S. factory production fell in April for a third time in four months with a broad decline led by weakness in machinery and motor vehicles, adding to signs of manufacturing sector weakness.

Manufacturing output contracted...

Amazon offers its workers $10K if they quit their jobs - and start their own delivery services

Tue, 14 May 2019 04:00:00 -0400

Amazon wants its employees to start their own businesses — delivering packages for Amazon.

The company announced a program Monday that will offer employees who quit their jobs...

How Google saved over 6 million pounds of food waste in its cafés

Wed, 24 Apr 2019 01:00:00 -0400

In a kitchen at Google’s headquarters in Mountain View, California, as chefs work on part of the lunch menu for the day–vegan fajitas over sapporo noodles, and a quinoa bowl–any ingredients that can’t be used end up in trays on a scale, where...

Lean Manufacturing and the Race Towards Efficiency

Mon, 25 Mar 2019 03:00:00 -0400

Efficiency is crucial in most business operations and, in particular, manufacturing. Like judges in a footrace, consumers usually only care about the result of a production “run”—the product itself. They don’t want to know how many working hours it took to assemble it; they could care less about...

U.S. Trade Gap Surged to $621 Billion in 2018, 10-Year High

Thu, 07 Mar 2019 04:00:00 -0500

The U.S. trade deficit widened in 2018 to a 10-year high of $621 billion, bucking President Donald Trump’s pledges to reduce it, as tax cuts boosted domestic demand for imports while the strong dollar and retaliatory tariffs weighed on exports.

The annual deficit in goods and services increased by...

Realignment Of Global Auto Manufacturing Is Picking Up Speed

Thu, 07 Mar 2019 00:00:00 -0500

The outlines of the future of the auto industry are becoming clearer as recent news developments underscore determinative trends that finally are reaching critical mass. These trends include...

GM CEO Barra's Streamlining Plan Underscores Her Trailblazer Status In Auto Industry

Mon, 03 Dec 2018 14:00:00 -0500

General Motors CEO Mary Barra is putting her pedal to the metal in an attempt to keep the automaker ahead of slowing sales and technological disruption. In fact...

The U.S.-China Trade War Will Continue Hurting The U.S. Economy

Mon, 03 Dec 2018 14:00:00 -0500

Since 2015, China has been the United States' largest trading partner, representing approximately 15 percent of U.S. trade. Meanwhile, the U.S. became China's top and most important trading partner in 1998. According to a recent analysis by the U.S.-China Business Council...

Making iPhones In The U.S. Would Be Challenging, But Not Impossible

Mon, 05 Nov 2018 12:00:00 -0500

Apple's iPhone is one of the highest profile imports from China: "Designed by Apple in California, assembled in China" as the company announces on the package. President Trump has called on Apple to manufacture iPhones in the U.S., and the escalating trade tensions and imminent imposition of more tariffs are causing many firms to rethink their manufacturing location choices. I have been...

10 Tips For Office Managers

Mon, 22 Oct 2018 08:35:06 -0400

It's a tough job. Take a break and check out these 10 tips to help you be a more effective office manager, including: Networking to benefit the office and yourself Communicating your companyï؟½s goals Keeping up with current technology

Lockheed's $29 Billion Helicopter Running Short Of A Needed Part

Mon, 22 Oct 2018 08:04:00 -0400

Timely delivery of Lockheed Martin Corp.'s $29 billion CH-53K King Stallion helicopter for the U.S. Marine Corps may be jeopardized by a potential shortage of specialized metal components two years after the bankruptcy of a key supplier. In an illustration of how even the biggest defense contractor depends on its supply chain...

Trump Renames NAFTA, But What's So Great About New Trade Deal

Tue, 02 Oct 2018 08:04:00 -0400

POTUS got a much-needed win on trade. President Trump delivered on his campaign promise yesterday to scrap the North American Free Trade Agreement into something more friendly to American manufacturing, which means more support for blue collar workers. Trump's new trade deal is called the U.S. Mexico Canada Agreement. NAFTA has become the USMCA. But beyond Trump's penchant for doing away with his predecessor's signature policies...

Walmart, Sam's Club Tell Suppliers To Get On Blockchain Network

Fri, 28 Sep 2018 12:46:00 -0400

Walmart and Sam's Club are calling on suppliers of leafy green vegetables to upload their produce data to a corporate blockchain ledger within a year to enable end-to-end traceability of vegetables back to the farm where they were grown. "This has literally gone out to dozens and dozens of suppliers. If you think about this food system...