Category Archives: Operations Management

Managing small firm supply chain pressures

Posted on February 22, 2022 by aviyer2010

A Wall Street Journal article (February 22, 2022) titled “Worried About Inflation and Supply Constraints? Try Being a Small Business”, describes the longer supply lead times, how higher prices and higher demand, yet lower bank credit access. The article claims … Continue reading →

Posted in Capacity, competitiveness, delivery, disruption, manufacturer, Operations Management, Prices, Supply Chain Issues, technology | Tagged , , , , , | Leave a comment

Manufacturers thinking holistically about opening in the New Normal

Posted on August 19, 2020 by aviyer2010

A report published by Purdue’s DCMME (https://tinyurl.com/y5579emz) describes an approach to leverage smart technology to enable manufacturers to operate as they open after the pandemic. The report describes process adjustments to prevent infection spread and rethinking the economics of technology … Continue reading →

Posted in Capacity, manufacturer, Operations Management, Supply Chain Issues, technology, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , | 48 Comments

Planning for Brexit related upheaval

Posted on February 1, 2019 by aviyer2010

An article in the Wall Street Journal (February 1, 2019) titled “Secret Truck Routes and backup Storage”, describes plans by one UK company, Heller Maschinenfabrik GmbH. The company gets 60% of its components weekly from suppliers across Europe, assembles it … Continue reading →

Posted in Capacity, congestion, Cost, disruption, logistics, manufacturer, mgmt5612019, Operations Management | Tagged , , , , | 59 Comments

Is the inability to source custom screws a reason why it is difficult to build iPhones in the USA ?

Posted on January 31, 2019 by aviyer2010

An article in the New York Times (January 28, 2019) titled “A Tiny Screw shows why iPhones won’t be “Assembled in the USA”” describes the difficulties that Flextronics, Apple’s assembler of the high end Macbook Pro in Austin, Texas, faced … Continue reading →

Posted in Capacity, competitiveness, Cost, delivery, emb2021, Global Contexts, logistics, Operations Management, ordering | Tagged , , , , | 20 Comments

Walmart’s new technology intensive warehouse that is 40% more efficient

Posted on October 21, 2018 by aviyer2010

An article in finance.yahoo.com titled “Walmart’s grocery warehouse worker of the future will have a STEM background” discussed the new warehouse in Shafter, California that will use automation to get eggs, diary and frozen goods to warehouse employees pick rather … Continue reading →

Posted in consumer, Cost, disruption, logistics, Operations Management, retailers, technology | Tagged , , , , , , , | 55 Comments

Going Digital in the construction industry to reap $1.6 trillion in potential savings

Posted on October 11, 2018 by aviyer2010

An article in Fortune (October 2018) titled “Building with Bits and Bytes” reports that the construction industry is replacing paper with digital drawings, enabling collaboration with architects and reducing the 33 percent reported waste, totaling $1.6 trillion. The construction industry’s … Continue reading →

Posted in Capacity, competitiveness, Cost, delivery, logistics, Operations Management, technology, waste | Tagged , , , , | 17 Comments

Reducing complexity and returning to profitability at PSA’s Opel division

Posted on October 11, 2018 by aviyer2010

An article in BloombergBusinessweek (August 29, 2018) titled “The Stunning One-Year turnaround of GM’s German castoff” describes a focus on reducing part variety. The article describes reduction of the 57 possible infotainment systems for the Corsa hatchback to 10. It … Continue reading →

Posted in consumer, Cost, Operations Management, productivity, Variety | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment

Tesla’s request to suppliers for assistance and associated impact

Posted on August 21, 2018 by aviyer2010

An article in the Wall Street Journal (Tuesday, August 21, 2018) titled “Some Suppliers Worry About Tesla” quotes suppliers claiming that Tesla is delaying payments and demanding cash back. They cite that Tesla is now paying production related suppliers 95% … Continue reading →

Posted in Capacity, cash, Collaboration, delivery, Operations Management, product, technology, Tesla | Tagged , , , | 1 Comment

Fingerlings – the miniature monkey toy best seller during the 2017 Holiday season

Posted on December 24, 2017 by aviyer2010

An article in BBC.COM (http://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-42374523) describes the Fingerling – an animatronic toy made by a Hong Kong based Canadian company, WowWee. The article describes the early launch in the UK and Canada, and an internet buzz on social media that … Continue reading →

Posted in Capacity, consumer, Cost, delivery, manufacturer, mgmt5612018, Operations Management, ordering, Prices, Supply Chain Issues, transport | Tagged , , , , , | 65 Comments

Clothing related waste and possible solutions

Posted on December 10, 2017 by aviyer2010

A report by the Ellen MacArthur Foundation (https://www.ellenmacarthurfoundation.org/assets/downloads/publications/A-New-Textiles-Economy_Full-Report_Updated_1-12-17.pdf) describes the global clothing sales increasing from 50 billion units in 2000 to 100 billion units in 2015 while the number of times clothese were worn on average before being discarded decreasing … Continue reading →

Posted in Air, Capacity, Collaboration, consumer, Operations Management, Supply Chain Issues, Sustainability | Tagged , , , , | 63 Comments