Category Archives: Supply Chain Issues

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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Planning Recommendations to the New York Governer following hurricane Sandy

Posted on January 18, 2013 by aviyer2010

An article in the New York Times (January 4,2013) describes recommendations by two committees examining planning before and improving performance after a disaster strikes. The recommendations include building local fuel stockpiles, requiring some gas stations have generators that can assist … 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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Achtar drug price rise from $50 to $28,000 and impact

Posted on January 18, 2013 by aviyer2010

An article in the New York Times (December 30, 2012) describes the rise in price for a vial of the anti-inflammatory drug Achtar from $50 to $28,000. But patients who cannot pay given the drug free. The drug is off … 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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Should the US government permit recycling of scrap metal from nuclear sites?

Posted on January 18, 2013 by aviyer2010

An article in the Wall Street Journal (January 17,2013) describes a plan by the US government to release scrap metal from nuclear sites. The scrap is described as containing low enough levels of radioactivity – comparable to exposures in a … Continue reading →

Posted in Operations Management, Supply Chain Issues, Sustainability | Tagged , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

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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Decoy bottles to track painkiller medicine robbers

Posted on January 18, 2013 by aviyer2010

An article in the New York Times (January 17,2013) describes a plan by PurduePharma to hold fake decoy bottles with tracking capability in drugstore shelves. When thieves steal painkiller bottles, they emit tracking signals that the New York City police … Continue reading →

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