Tag Archives: Global

Toyota’s Supply Chain and Currency and Global Risk Impact

Posted on December 9, 2011 by aviyer2010

An article in the New York Times (Dec 9, 2011) describes Toyota’s announcement of a 54 % profit drop due to the appreciation of the yen and the floods in Thailand. The strong yen affects Toyota more than other automakers … Continue reading →

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FDA Supplier Shutdown and Cancer Drug shortages

Posted on December 8, 2011 by aviyer2010

An article in the Wall Street Journal (Dec 8, 2011) describes overdue preventive maintenance, quality issues (such as urine in a can in the storage area) not invetsigated enough and excessive defects in some products.  The result – the Bedford, … Continue reading →

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US Battery companies “shocked” by low demands and high costs ?

Posted on December 8, 2011 by aviyer2010

An article in the Wall Street Journal (Dec 5, 2011) describes the plight of US battery companies, funded by over $ 2.4 billion in Federal grants, but struggling to win contracts from automakers. In the case of Ener1, low sales … Continue reading →

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Europe’s Horizon 2020 reserach program funding and implications

Posted on December 6, 2011 by aviyer2010

A New York Times article (Dec 2, 2011) describes the European research fund, Horizon 2020, set to provide $108 billion in funding from 2014 to 2020. But this funding, aimd at innovations in food, health, transport, clean energy etc, requires … Continue reading →

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Higher taxes for ebooks than books in Europe

Posted on December 6, 2011 by aviyer2010

An article in the New York Times (Dec 2, 2011) describes the classification of ebooks as a service in Europe, thus facing sales taxes close to 20% vs a tax close to 5% for paper books.  In addition, books a … Continue reading →

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Outsourcing labor to comply with India’s labor laws

Posted on December 6, 2011 by aviyer2010

An article in the New York Times (Nov 29, 2011) describes the outsourcing of the salespeople by Whirlpool’s India division. The varying labor regulations and enforcement, rules regarding layoffs for companies with mo than 100 employees etc, all combine to … Continue reading →

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The Impact of a Euro collapse on global supply chains

Posted on December 5, 2011 by aviyer2010

A Wall Street Journal article (Dec 3, 2011) ponders the currency impact of different Euro collapse scenarios.  It suggests that Greece dropping out will cause the euro to go from its current $ 1.34 to the dollar to parity with … Continue reading →

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Turkey tails, Samoan obesity concerns and WTO entry

Posted on November 30, 2011 by aviyer2010

An article in Bloombergbusinessweek (Nov 28, 2011) describes the quandry faced by Samoa, which was forced to drop its ban on turkey Tails, the 78% fat content part of the turkey.  Obesity is rampant in Samoa, with the fatty imports … Continue reading →

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New Caterpillar US plant location and state level competition

Posted on November 30, 2011 by aviyer2010

A Wall Street Journal article (Nov 25, 2011) describes a decision by Caterpillar to move its small excavator production fom Japan to the US, to be closer to customers. The $150 million plant, expected to generate 1000 jobs, has set … Continue reading →

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The “Save our Industries Act” Poplin agreement Involving the US and Philliphines

Posted on November 30, 2011 by aviyer2010

A report on the “Save our Industries Act” (http://www.mb.com.ph/articles/342819/shorter-garment-export-categories-okayed) describes the potential agreement between the US and Philippines under which poplin cloth, exported from US producers to the Philippines for garment manufacturing, would be granted zero duties when exported back … Continue reading →

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