‘There were nearly 2.2 million mentions of “supply chain” on Twitter in the fourth quarter of 2021, some five times more than in any quarter in 2019, before the Covid-19 pandemic…’ Global supply chains were a mess in 2022, so it seems when one reads any business news article or video that year. SinceContinue reading “Supply Chain Engineers Have Much to Offer”
Category Archives: The Supply Chain Engineer
The Pros & Cons of Steady-Stream Supply Chains
The two (2) managers of the large multinational consumer goods corporation coined it steady-stream. Both managers, one from sales and the other in charge of orders processing, agreed that the constant volume rushes every month-end were not acceptable. It would be more beneficial to have a smooth flow of supply rather than a spike atContinue reading “The Pros & Cons of Steady-Stream Supply Chains”
‘I Don’t Believe in Supply Chains’
The retail owner didn’t believe in supply chain management and I don’t blame her. The retail owner runs a store that sells office supplies. Her business was hit by the coronavirus pandemic that began in 2020 but which she recovered from as soon as infections subsided and the local government lifted restrictions. The retailContinue reading “‘I Don’t Believe in Supply Chains’”
Scarcity and Abundance Depend on What We Need and Where We Are
My bedroom gets sunlight for only a few minutes every morning. Because my room faces the north-east and because there are trees nearby, the morning sun’s rays shine through my window for only a moment, passing through a break between the tree branches. Then it’s gone, for the rest of the day. The sun’s raysContinue reading “Scarcity and Abundance Depend on What We Need and Where We Are”
The Pros & Cons of Trigger-Dependent Systems
I complained to the Philippines’ Department of Trade & Industry (DTI) that a mobile phone seller didn’t honour the terms of a promotion in which I was entitled to a PhP 3,000 allowance to buy smartphone accessories. The DTI responded that I have to fill out a form before the department would respond. No form,Continue reading “The Pros & Cons of Trigger-Dependent Systems”
Quality is Free; Value is Not
Is quality free? Philip Crosby in his book, Quality is Free, believes it is when we adopt a Zero Defects policy. An enterprise can achieve quality in its products and services without having to pay more. Quality may be free but value is not. At least to consumers searching for the best products and services. Continue reading “Quality is Free; Value is Not”
Don’t Forget Productivity in Promoting Resilience
When the coronavirus pandemic in 2020 catastrophically caused a sudden global economic recession, enterprises went on the defensive to keep their businesses afloat; executives promised stakeholders they would transform their organisations to become more resilient. Risk management was the popular precursor to resilience. In risk management, managers laid out possible threats and prepared for them. Continue reading “Don’t Forget Productivity in Promoting Resilience”
Ergonomics Can Be Helpful, Really Helpful
When it comes to productivity improvement, the first thing many executives think of is head count, how many people are needed for the job. The last thing many managers think of is the human factor, how to better improve the working conditions for the individual person. Ergonomics (or human factors) is the scientific discipline concernedContinue reading “Ergonomics Can Be Helpful, Really Helpful”
About The Supply Chain Engineer
Supply chain management has figured prominently in organisational priorities since Keith Oliver in a reported conversation with a Philips manager, Mr. Van t’Hof, coined the term in the 1970’s, and it has become even more so at the onset of the 2020 coronavirus pandemic. Supply chains are operational relationships made up of activities that transformContinue reading “About The Supply Chain Engineer”
Find Ellery
Hi, I’m Ellery Lim. I like to work with people to make their operations, particularly supply chains, more productive. I’ve been immersed in supply chains since 1984. I did industrial engineering at a West Virginia flat glass facility, managed production & logistics for P&G, and ran a trucking business. Presently, I’m an administrator forContinue reading “Find Ellery”
Ellery's Essays 