Author Archives: aviyer2010

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About aviyer2010

Dean and H. William Lichtenberger Chair in Management at the School of Management, University at Buffalo, State University of New York.

Reducing Variety to manage Supply Chain Shocks

An article in the Wall Street Journal on September 1, 2026 titled “Retailers Ditch Variety to Best Supply-Chain Costs and Tariffs”, describes how Under Armor, an athletic apparel retailer, Helen of Troy, a consumer products company and Yedi Houseware, a … Continue reading

Posted in competitiveness, consumer, manufacturer, Operations Management, product, Supply Chain Issues, Variety | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment

Alternate routing options for Saudi Arabian oil

An article in the New York Times (August 26, 2026) titled “Under Threat, Saudi Arabia Reroutes Oil Exports Yet Again”, describes a couple of different routes for Saudi Arabian oil since the closure of the Straits of Hormuz. The initial … Continue reading

Posted in Supply Chain Issues, Capacity, Cost, logistics, ship, Africa, transport, congestion | Tagged , , | Leave a comment

Data Centers and their manufacturing impact

An article in the Wall Street Journal (August 15, 2026) titled “Big Manufacturers find new demand in Equipping AI Data Centers”, describes the impact on Caterpillar, Eaton and Ford Motor company. Caterpillar’s electric generators and turbine engines, Cummins generators for … Continue reading

Posted in Capacity, Coordination, logistics, supplier, Supply Chain Issues, technology | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment

Arctic Routes for ships and their impact

An article in the Wall Street Journal (August 15, 2026) titled “China is Opening the First Regular Cargo Route through the Arctic”, describes the planned voyage of a Chinese ship, Dubai Tower, from Ningbo, China, to Felixstowe, U.K, through the … Continue reading

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New technology to use the entire cocoa fruit – who will it benefit ?

An article in the BBC news site (August 27, 2024) titled “Have Swiss scientists made a chocolate breakthrough?” describes new technology developed at the Federal Institute of Technology at Zurich that claims to use the rest of the coca fruit … Continue reading

Posted in Africa, Cost, delivery, Prices, productivity, supplier, Supply Chain Issues, Sustainability, technology | Tagged , , , , | Leave a comment

AI Use trends across businesses – who is using it, and how are they improving productivity ?

Analysis of a survey of over 1.2 million firms (NBER # 32319) in a paper titled “Tracking Firm use of AI in Real Time” suggests that the fraction of firms reporting use of AI grew from 3.2% to a projected … Continue reading

Posted in AI, Capacity, competitiveness, consumer, Cost, Service Operations | Tagged , , | Leave a comment

Should early cash access, with voluntary tips as the cost, be treated as a loan?

An article published by the Associated Press (July 28, 2024) titled “US agency says apps that let workers access paychecks before payday are providing loans”, states that the Consumer Finance Protection Bureau wants the Truth in Lending act to apply … Continue reading

Posted in cash, Cost, technology | Tagged , , | Leave a comment

Cocoa risks – high prices, the EU deforestation initiative, cocoa substitutes

An article in foodnavigator.com titled “Six startups rethinking cocoa for alt choc innovation” describes the combined impact of cocoa bean prices exceeding 10,000 euro per metric ton and the new European Deforestation Regulation starting December 2024 as driving substitutes for cocoa. Celleste … Continue reading

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Boeing division, to independent supplier, back to Boeing, the story of Spirit Aerosystems

An article in the Wall Street Journal (July 2, 2024) titled “Boeing Calls Time on the Great American Outsourcing” describes the reintegration of supplier Sport Aerosystems back into Boeing as a failed attempt at outsourcing. When Spirit split from Boeing, … Continue reading

Posted in Capacity, Coordination, Cost, logistics, Made in USA, manufacturer, Operations Management, productivity, supplier | Tagged , , , , | Leave a comment

Treating patient’s at home: good idea or potential liability?

An article in the Wall Street Journal (August 13, 2024) titled “Hospital’s New Push: Treat Patients in Their Homes”, describes the over 23,000 Medicare treated at home through April this year. The rules require the patients to be less than … Continue reading

Posted in Capacity, consumer, Coordination, Cost, Liability, logistics | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment