You’ve probably heard the phrase, “May you live in interesting times.” It’s supposedly a Chinese curse, although there is no verified Chinese source for the phrase. Nonetheless, to live in interesting times, per the curse, is to live in times of trouble and uncertainty. I think we can all agree that we have all been…
Benjamin Franklin famously said that “If you fail to plan, you’re planning to fail.” While this is certainly true, it doesn’t mean that coming up with a plan and an executable strategy is easy, especially in a very volatile and uncertain market like we are experiencing currently. So, if you’re a transportation executive, what are…
It’s no secret that Google and Amazon.com are continuously looking to outmaneuver each other, especially in logistics-related areas such as same-day delivery and drones…In short, logistics is becoming a greater competitive differentiator for companies across all industries, so if Google wants to seriously compete with Amazon on that front, it needs to become a 3PL,…
One Network has years of experience in healthcare supply networks that provide medicines and vaccines to hundreds of millions of people in Africa and around the globe. For example, the One Network platform for supply chain planning and execution is used by the Ministries of Health in Nigeria, Ghana, and Rwanda, providing comprehensive inventory visibility…
A recent episode of CBS’s “60 Minutes” ran a segment on some of the issues involved in the current global supply chain crisis — focusing primarily on U.S. port operations. During the episode, there was plenty of finger-pointing by various stakeholders. Much of the finger-pointing involved the movement of shipping containers into and out of…
The UK leaving the European Union is no longer an uncertainty. Brexit is a reality that businesses around the world have to face and prepare for. Whether you import/export to the UK directly or indirectly, Brexit will impact your business operations in terms of cost and timelines. This can be an opportunity or a threat…
Leaders often cite creativity and innovation as critical components of business success. But many businesses fail to create and encourage environments where creativity can flourish. Managers make three common mistakes that prohibit new ideas and suppress suggestions that don’t align with their own. A 2017 PwC survey of 1,379 CEOs determined that “innovation” was the top…
Staying in the Black on Black Friday Requires Careful Supply Chain Planning. According to the International Council of Shopping Centers (ICSC), customer enthusiasm for Black Friday shopping is up 8% this year, and spending is expected to increase by 4% overall. Black Friday is fast approaching, with its younger sibling, Cyber Monday, as the two highest…
According to FM Global, a commercial property insurer, these are six facets of the current supply chain crisis that exemplify threats to business resilience: 1. COVID-19 – The pandemic has disrupted demand (as consumers have hunkered down) and product supply (as factories have suspended production), setting up a bullwhip effect of supply and demand mismatches. Takeaway: Although…
