Supply Chain Management

Supply chain management covers a wide range of technologies and disciplines, from the tiny devices that help track materials throughout the supply chain to the broadest systems for implementing global strategies. And, like any chain it's only as strong as its weakest link. Some would say the weakest link is at the data collection level, others say strategy is the shortcoming. What is the weak link in your organization, and what tools or ideas would help to strengthen it?

The preceding article is a "sneak peek" from Supply Chain Management, a newsletter from GlobalSpec. To stay up-to-date and informed on industry trends, products, and technologies, subscribe to Supply Chain Management today.

The 19th Annual State of Logistics Report paints a pretty grim picture — fuel prices are sky-high, carriers are dropping out of the business, consumer confidence continues to sag. Other negative factors include health care costs and general inflation. Some help is on the way — the U.S. Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) is taking steps to increase the visibility energy futures and bring petroleum prices more in line with supply and demand. How does the state of logistics appear to you? Are there any silver linings in the clouds?

The preceding article is a "sneak peek" from Supply Chain Management, a newsletter from GlobalSpec. To stay up-to-date and informed on industry trends, products, and technologies, subscribe to Supply Chain Management today.

A recent article summarized the evolution of digital manufacturing from CIM (computer-integrated manufacturing) and CAD/CAM (computer-aided design/manufacturing) to the enterprise-wide notion of PLM (product lifecycle management). Adopting a PLM strategy can lead to accelerated business processes, better departmental collaboration, and shorter time-to-market. Is your company moving towards this integrated approach? What gets in the way?

The preceding article is a "sneak peek" from Supply Chain Management, a newsletter from GlobalSpec. To stay up-to-date and informed on industry trends, products, and technologies, subscribe to Supply Chain Management today.

There's no shortage of ideas and innovations among workers at U.S. companies, but there are sometimes roadblocks on the way to commercialization. There has been a call for an idea-to-commercialization "superhighway" to enable U.S. manufacturers to bring new, useful products to the marketplace. Are there roadblocks in your organization? What should that highway look like? What policies and structures would help to make it happen?

The preceding article is a "sneak peek" from Supply Chain Management, a newsletter from GlobalSpec. To stay up-to-date and informed on industry trends, products, and technologies, subscribe to Supply Chain Management today.

If you read the rest of this newsletter, you might have noticed the theme of carbon footprints and "greening" the supply chain. It used to be that you could concentrate on making the supply chain more efficient without giving too much thought to energy efficiency or global warming. Are those days gone for good? Can you do your job responsibly today without thinking about the carbon footprint or the effect your work has on the environment?

The preceding article is a "sneak peek" from Supply Chain Management, a newsletter from GlobalSpec. To stay up-to-date and informed on industry trends, products, and technologies, subscribe to Supply Chain Management today.