Monthly Archives: April 2011

The diminishing impact of clusters in global supply chains

Posted on April 17, 2011 by aviyer2010

An article in the Economist (April 16, 2011) describes the diminishing fortunes of clusters in Italy – cotton fabrics, jewelry, brass fittings etc.  Italy has over 100 such clusters, developed around generations of skill development and access to natural resources. … Continue reading →

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US Companies ramp up to fill Japanese supplier delivery issues

Posted on April 15, 2011 by aviyer2010

An article in BloombergBusinessweek (April 11-17, 2011, page 18) describes the impact of the Japanese tsunami and consequent supply disruptions. US suppliers such as Microchip Technology claim to be ready to ramp up production to meet demand, with a preference … Continue reading →

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Rail Capacity shortages cause auto shipment delays

Posted on April 14, 2011 by aviyer2010

A Wall Street Journal article (April 13, 2011) describes the impact rail shipment delays on car manufacturer inventories. During the recession, railroads decreased their rail cars and cut their staff. The sudden expansion of car shipments has created a surge … Continue reading →

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Are manufacturers that hedge against risks more risky ?

Posted on April 14, 2011 by aviyer2010

A Wall Street Journal article (April 13, 2011) describes the worries of manufacturers, such as Caterpillar, Ford, Boeing etc that use hedging instruments to decrease risk. Their concern is whether their banks could now require them to back up any … Continue reading →

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Price fixing of detergents by manufacturers seeking green solutions

Posted on April 14, 2011 by aviyer2010

A New York Times article (April 13, 2011) describes fines levied on Proctor & Gamble ($ 306 million) and Unilever ($ 104 million euros) for price-fixing to maintain market shares as they worked together in an industry association to implement … Continue reading →

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Hospital Penalties for preventable patient infections ?

Posted on April 14, 2011 by aviyer2010

A New York Times article (April 13,2011) describes a study doe by the VA hospital to screen patients for MRSA, require use gloves and gowns and hand washing by care providers.   The study reported a 62 % drop in infections … Continue reading →

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Nissan’s Recovery from the Japan Earthquake

Posted on April 9, 2011 by aviyer2010

A Wall Street Journal article (April 8,2011) describes how Nissan rallied after the Japan earthquake to restore its supply chain. Immediately after the quake, the disaster team took stock of the supply chain and, in one hour, got a read … Continue reading →

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Profitability and Sustainable Supply Chains

Posted on April 8, 2011 by aviyer2010

An article in Bloomberg Businessweek (April 4,2011, pg 25) describes efforts at Pepsico’s Walker potato chip plant in England to condense the 80 % of water that escapes as steam, reuse it to wash potatoes and water herbs, and save … Continue reading →

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Oil Soaked booms recycled to make air baffles for the Chevy Volt

Posted on April 7, 2011 by aviyer2010

An article in Fortune (April 11, 2011, page 25) tracks the movement and transformation of oil soaked booms from the BP Gulf oil spill.  The reverse supply chain involves use of centrifuges in trucks to remove the saltwater and oil, … Continue reading →

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The Food vs Fuel tradeoff,biofuel regulation and global impact

Posted on April 7, 2011 by aviyer2010

An article in the New York Times (April 7,2011) describes the impact of rules regarding biofuel use (36 billion gallons by 2022 in the US, similar goals in China, India, Indonesia and Thailand).  The article focuses on cassava, a root … Continue reading →

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