‘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”
Tag Archives: solutions
‘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’”
Sometimes It’s the Smallest of Things that Cause Big Problems
It can take three (3) hours to travel to the hot spring pools of Los Baños, Laguna in the Philippines. Authorities have invested millions of dollars in improving the highway’s infrastructure but motorists still complain about the long travel time. At one intersection of the highway leading into the town, a lone traffic cop stopsContinue reading “Sometimes It’s the Smallest of Things that Cause Big Problems”
The Many Questions Supply Chain Managers Are Asked to Answer
The following are questions customers typically ask supply chain managers: “Why is it taking you so long to deliver my order?” “When will you deliver?” “How many of the items we ordered will you deliver today?” “How much of an item do you have available?” “Your items didn’t meet our specs; when will you replaceContinue reading “The Many Questions Supply Chain Managers Are Asked to Answer”
Problems are Doorways to Opportunities
Since the start of 2021, semiconductor chips, which are used in cars, trucks, computers, and smart-phones, have been in short supply. Supply has been so short that automotive companies have shut down assembly lines and consumer electronics corporations have delayed roll-outs of new products. Bloomberg reported in its September 22, 2021 Supply Lines newsletter thatContinue reading “Problems are Doorways to Opportunities”
Why We Need to Define the Bigger Problem*
When Apollo 13 astronauts reported an explosion on their space module, NASA’s Houston Mission Control contemplated on continuing the mission and land on the moon. It was only when NASA realized that the problems were life-threatening that it was decided to abort the mission and to have the astronauts return to Earth safely. We tendContinue reading “Why We Need to Define the Bigger Problem*”
The Feasibility Study Ends with a Plan, Not A Solution
The feasibility study consists of the following steps: Defining the Problem Brainstorming Possible Solutions Developing Criteria for the Solution Evaluation and Selection of the Solution Assessing the Solution’s Practicality and Benefits Making a Plan It starts with defining the problem. It ends with a plan. A lot of people make the mistake of ending aContinue reading “The Feasibility Study Ends with a Plan, Not A Solution”