Tag Archives: Cost

Lulemon’s CEO’s blame on supply chain issues for poor performance a stretch ?

Posted on September 16, 2013 by aviyer2010

An article in the Wall Street Journal (September 12, 2013) describes a conference call in which Lululemon’s CEO blamed supply problems associated with Luon, a stretch fabric that was the cause of see through black yoga pants that had to … Continue reading →

Posted in Global Contexts, Operations Management, Service Operations, Supply Chain Issues | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Will Apple’s two different market segment phone offerings help or hurt?

Posted on September 16, 2013 by aviyer2010

An article in the New York Times (September 11,2013) describes possible issues caused by Apple’s decision to offer the iPhone in a 5S and a 5C configuration, priced at $550 and $400. The cheaper model will have a plastic body … Continue reading →

Posted in Service Operations, Supply Chain Issues | Tagged , , , , , , , | 4 Comments

Does fast fashion enhance poor garment manufacturer working conditions in Bangladesh ?

Posted on September 16, 2013 by aviyer2010

An article in the New Yorker by James Surowicki (May 20,2013) quotes MIT political scientist Richard Locke as suggesting that fast fashion, with short cycle times, high variety and demands for quick turnaround, force garment manufacturers to demand poor working … Continue reading →

Posted in Global Contexts, Supply Chain Issues | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | 16 Comments

Will a flat-fee model by publishers for ebook access work ?

Posted on September 3, 2013 by aviyer2010

An article in the Wall Street Journal (September 3, 2013) describes a proposal by two companies, eReatah and Oyster, to provide a flat-fee access to ebooks. eReatah plans to offer 80,000 titles and offers a $16.99/month for two books or … Continue reading →

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

“Disruption clauses” by Mississippi barge operators in contracts with shippers

Posted on August 26, 2013 by aviyer2010

An article in the Wall Street Journal (August 27, 2013) describes the worries of barge operators on the Mississippi river who have been hurt by floods and the drought. The new disruption clauses shift the cost of delays and the … Continue reading →

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Will consumers pay a premium for ethical transparent supply chains ?

Posted on August 26, 2013 by aviyer2010

An article in CNN (http://www.cnn.com/2013/08/26/living/aj-zady-ethical-fashion/index.html?hpt=hp_c3) describes two companies, Small Trades and Zady.com, who focus on providing all details of their supply chain – from the factory location to the employee sewing the apparel. The hope is that fashion conscious consumers … Continue reading →

Posted in Global Contexts, Operations Management, Supply Chain Issues | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | 4 Comments

Will shuffling aluminum ingots between warehouses increase commodity prices ?

Posted on July 21, 2013 by aviyer2010

An article in the New York Times (July 21, 2013) claims that commodity traders, who have purchased large stocks of aluminum ingots, but are required to ship out from warehouses at a rate of 3,000 tons. But these traders are … Continue reading →

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

Paying Auditors to audit pollution compliance inspections

Posted on July 18, 2013 by aviyer2010

An article in the Wall Street Journal (July 18, 2013) describes an experiment in Gujarat, India, to increase the correctness of the pollution readings by auditors. In the past, most pollution audits claimed compliance. But two experiments were conducted – … Continue reading →

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The US alliance vs the European accord’s plans for Bangladesh garment factories

Posted on July 18, 2013 by aviyer2010

An article in the New York Times (July 14,2013) describes plans by an alliance of the US retailers to offer shared inspection reports of over 500 factories in Bangladesh, loans from a pool of $100 million to factory owners to … Continue reading →

Posted in Global Contexts, Operations Management, Service Operations, Supply Chain Issues | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , | 24 Comments

On to the next legal round regarding Apple’s role in ebook pricing

Posted on July 18, 2013 by aviyer2010

An article in the New York Times (July 10,2013) describes the judge’s ruling that Apple coordinated with competing publishers to increase ebook prices. Apple is said to have offered publishers an agency pricing scheme by which it would be paid … Continue reading →

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