Sourcing to low cost destinations is not a new development and Bangladesh has been a favored destination of apparel brands and retailers. But incidents like Rana Plaza disaster (an eight-story factory collapsed, killing over 1,000 workers) brought to light non-existent safety measures. This incident, and three others during 2013-14, challenged the sourcing strategies of large […]
The times they are a-changing. This week’s news reflects some major changes, especially in the retail world. The West Coast port work stoppage has come to an end with a formal agreement in place after 9+ months of discussions. Major retailers are branching into new, and often unlikely spaces, as the global e-commerce market soars. […]
I wrote a Logistics Viewpoints article in October that discussed how Diageo has transformed its supply chain from a cost savings function to an enabler of growth-driving innovation. This case discussed how supply chain was elevated to a strategic level due to its critical role in executing new product introductions. I found the connection between […]
The health care industry in the US is undergoing transformation driven by the Affordable Care Act (Obamacare) and the increasing impact of consumerism. Healthcare providers historically have had prepaid plans where the cost of care was paid up front and the more procedures a hospital did, the more they got paid. Consequently providers felt little […]
We’ve written a lot about the truck driver shortage here at Logistics Viewpoints and the impact that this could have on the global supply chain moving forward. Often times we forget about, or simply don’t think about, everything and everyone that makes it possible for us to get the goods we desire. The shortage could […]
The financial supply chain needs more attention than it usually gets. Traditionally, the focus of supply chain management is on the movement of finished goods and raw materials across the value chain. But companies also need to pay attention to the flow of money. The movement of money happens in the form of bank credits […]
This week I had the pleasure of attending the Manhattan Associates Momentum user conference in Hollywood, FL. The main theme for Momentum was to get “commerce ready.” What “commerce ready” means may vary a little based on company, industry, segment, and target market, but the key point was clear. Organizations need to be ready to […]