Category Archives: Global Contexts

Regulate sulphur content of ship fuels or offer more incentives in Hong Kong?

Posted on January 19, 2013 by aviyer2010

An article in Bloombergbusinessweek (January 14,2013) describes the low sulphur content fuel (0.5 percent sulphur), which is 14% of permissible limits, used by the Maersk shipping line. The Hong Kong port offers a 50% reduction in port costs, but that … Continue reading →

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How can garment factory fires be prevented by retailers ?

Posted on January 18, 2013 by aviyer2010

An article in the New York Times (December 10,2012) describes the fires that have killed 400 people in two fires, one each in Bangladesh and Pakistan. The Bangladesh supplier was dropped by Walmart for not passing audits, but made the … Continue reading →

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Who is responsible for preventing apparel factory fires in Bangladesh?

Posted on January 18, 2013 by aviyer2010

An article in the New York Times (December 29, 2012) describes the struggle between apparel retailers who outsource manufacturing to factories in Bangladesh, labor advocates and the government. While the $37 a month wage rate makes Bangladesh an attractive sourcing … Continue reading →

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Apple’s increased oversight of global supply chains and impact

Posted on January 18, 2013 by aviyer2010

An article in the New York Times (December 28,2012) describes Apple’s hiring of over 30 people in their social responsibility unit, alliances with employee advocacy groups like the Dutch Sustainability Trade Initiative and pressure on suppliers to comply with fair … Continue reading →

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Coexisting roles for humans and robots

Posted on January 18, 2013 by aviyer2010

An article in Bloombergbusinessweek (December 17,2012) describes a future where robots coexist with humans to deliver productivity gains. The 64 robots working with 330 humans at Quiet Logistics shows humans doing complex tasks and robots moving material. Given the increased … Continue reading →

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Ramp up delays for inexpensive Indian tablet, or infeasible plans?

Posted on January 18, 2013 by aviyer2010

An article in the New York Times (December 30,2012) describes delivery delays for the $40 tablet promised by Datawind, a Canadian company trying to grow electronics manufacturing in India. With fewer than 10,000 units shipped instead of the promised 100,000, … Continue reading →

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Is manufacturing shifting away from China due to wage increases ?

Posted on January 18, 2013 by aviyer2010

An article in the Wall Street Journal (January 17,2013) describes shifts in manufacturing out of China to compensate for the 20% wage increase compared to 2005, as well as an attempt by the government to shift to more value added … Continue reading →

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Boeing’s Dreamliner’s lithium ion battery decision and current worries

Posted on January 18, 2013 by aviyer2010

An article in the New York Times (January 17,2013) describes the lithium ion batteries used in the Boeing 787 Dreamliner, and the current string of fires, as a crucial design element in the success of the airplane. The batteries increase … Continue reading →

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How should the excess steel capacity problem be solved ?

Posted on November 28, 2012 by aviyer2010

An article in the Wall Street Journal (November 28, 2012) describes the glut in steel capacity -an estimated 1.8 billion tons, compared to demand which is 1.5 billion tons. The reason, fragmented capacity with the top five companies comprising 18.2 … Continue reading →

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Higher fares, fewer flights, poorer service – what is the solution for passenger air transport ?

Posted on November 23, 2012 by aviyer2010

An article in the New York Times (November 21, 2012) describes a 14% drop in flights, a 10% increase in fares and longer lines faced by passengers this Thanksgiving. But the US domestic flights continue to be off limits go … Continue reading →

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