It only makes sense that The 3M Company, with a business model resting almost entirely upon technology, would eventually get around to applying it to the supply chain.
Challenge: As a quickly growing business, one of the world's largest infrastructure and irrigation equipment providers realized its existing approach to managing freight invoices wasn't keeping up. An entirely manual process – from tearing envelopes to rubber stamping G/L codes – the company was not only wasting valuable time and resources, but encountering costly errors.
President Trump's executive order reversing what former President Obama put in place around carbon emissions was typical of the political theater dominating headlines these days.
Companies of all kinds try to present their financial results in the best light possible to attract investors. One segment of the drug industry is bucking that trend, using an accounting method that narrows its profit margins.
Analyst Insight: It's surprising yet true that not many professionals in supply chain or S&OP are aware of Cash Conversion Cycle (CCC), a critical success factor metric. Many in finance are well aware of the metric. The elements are simple - Inventory Days of Supply + Accounts Receivable Days of Supply - Payables Days of Supply. Why is the metric so foreign and why doesn't everyone in SCM and S&OP use it to measure success? - Gregory Schlegel, executive-in-residence, Center for Supply Chain Research, Lehigh University
Cost controls helped H&M to limit a drop in quarterly pretax profit but the fashion chain said it was increasing investments this year as it tries to keep pace with its larger rival, Zara owner Inditex.