A young businessman had set up a wholesale business selling consumer goods in downtown Manila. His competitors, however, told him he won’t succeed. Competition was indeed fierce. There were several wholesalers already established and they sold at cut-throat prices at razor-thin profit margins. To get market share, the new wholesaler would have to offer betterContinue reading “Why We Need Policies and Why They Can Make or Break A Business”
Category Archives: Aha!
Embracing Supply Chain Productivity in Strategic Planning
“No, we will not change our sales policy,” the general manager of the consumer goods wholesale trading company tersely said. As I was formerly a logistics manager and land transportation service provider (trucker for short), the wholesaler GM was asking me for advice on how to bring down transportation costs, which had been rising sharply. Continue reading “Embracing Supply Chain Productivity in Strategic Planning”
What Are We Responsible For?
An old shop proprietor was lying sick on his bed. His wife and children, fearing the worst, were at his bedside. “My dearest wife, are you here?” the proprietor asked weakly. “Yes, I’m here, my husband,” the wife replied. “My dear eldest son, are you here?” the proprietor asked. “Yes, father, I’m right here,” answeredContinue reading “What Are We Responsible For?”
Beware the Balanced Scorecard and Other Buzzwords
Executives of a multinational corporation mandated the roll-out of the Balanced Scorecard (BSc) throughout the organisation. Departments such as Sales, Marketing, Research & Development (R&D), Human Resources, Manufacturing, Logistics, & Purchasing were required to present key performance indices (KPIs) to upper management and show corresponding targets & action plans. Department managers immediately attended BSc seminarsContinue reading “Beware the Balanced Scorecard and Other Buzzwords”
My Car Gets a Day Off; How Come I Don’t?
I work every day of the week. This comes from having several jobs or responsibilities, which is typical not only for myself but also for many Filipino workers, employees, and professionals who eke out what they can for a decent living. True, there are some lucky people who don’t work as much. Many court judges,Continue reading “My Car Gets a Day Off; How Come I Don’t?”
Are You Looking for a Problem?
In the 1980’s, Procter & Gamble had a cost improvement program dubbed “Deliberate Change.” The purpose of the program was to tap all levels of the P&G organization to find ways to reduce cost. The Deliberate Change program encouraged P&G employees to look for ways to reduce costs. There were extensive training programs focused onContinue reading “Are You Looking for a Problem?”
Discerning What We Can Change versus What We Cannot
A long time ago I tried to start a business in which I’d deliver basic consumer products to small provincial stores. I’d buy products from major wholesalers and sell them at small profit margins. I’d offer my customers products at close to wholesale prices and I’d deliver items as soon as there were ordered. AsContinue reading “Discerning What We Can Change versus What We Cannot”
Resigning to but Reducing Red Tape
We encounter red tape in just about every transaction we undertake. It’s burdensome, annoying, and always a waste of our precious time. Red tape is a scourge, and it should be eradicated. But we don’t and we won’t get rid of it because not only do we resign ourselves to it, we accept it asContinue reading “Resigning to but Reducing Red Tape”
Transitioning from Yesterday’s Trade Routes to Tomorrow’s Supply Chains
We use maps to guide us to a new destination. If we don’t have one, we’ll end up lost and asking people on the way for directions. We then would remember the route we took in case we’d return to where we went. Thanks to apps like Waze, Google Maps, and Apple Maps, it’s easyContinue reading “Transitioning from Yesterday’s Trade Routes to Tomorrow’s Supply Chains”
Lessons from an IT & Logistics Mess
A multinational consumer goods corporation initiated a comprehensive information system project for all its departments, manufacturing & logistics operations included. The lead person of the project was Dana, one of the corporation’s up-in-coming IT managers. Dana convened a working group comprised of senior heads of respective departments of the multinational’s various departments, i.e., finance, sales,Continue reading “Lessons from an IT & Logistics Mess”
Ellery's Essays 