Global Supply Chain Management

Does IBM Sale of POS Unit Spell the End of Point-of-Sale Hardware Business?

April 23, 2012

When IBM announced it was selling its entire POS business to Toshiba TEC for $850m, it was arguably the most explicit sign yet that the retail POS hardware business is on its last legs. Not IBM's POS business, but retail POS activity in general.

The Risks and Rewards of Innovation in Consumer Packaged Goods

April 23, 2012

SupplyChainBrain

Innovation in consumer packaged goods isn't a luxury in today's competitive market - it's a necessity. In an uncertain economic environment, most companies are struggling to achieve organic growth. "Driving both the top and bottom line has been elusive," says Girish Gulvady, director of integrated demand management and food service planning with Campbell Soup Co. "Innovation is filling that void."

The Power of Real-Time Analytics

April 23, 2012

SupplyChainBrain

Having information and processes trapped in operational silos is a continuing problem that keeps many businesses from performing as well as they should, says Paul Boris, vice president of collaborative manufacturing at SAP, in an interview with Greg Gorbach, vice president-collaborative manufacturing, ARC Advisory Group

Hughes Communications Tells How to Manage Supplier Risk

April 20, 2012

CFO

At Hughes Communications, managing risk means developing proactive resiliency. Building a satellite requires coordination between both internal efforts - where engineers design the satellite, aligning the beam patterns with the geography that needs to be covered - and external partners, which provide parts from around the world.

Is There a Manufacturing Renaissance in the U.S.?

April 20, 2012

SupplyChainBrain

Prospects are very bright for manufacturing in the U.S., says Raj Batra, president of the industry automation division at Siemens. Batra, who believes that the U.S. now offers a high-end, innovation-oriented manufacturing environment, cites 30 months of consecutive increases in the PMI index and growth in plant capacity utilization as signs that a renaissance is under way.

Enabling a Connected Point-of-Sale System for CPG Firms

April 20, 2012

Indy Sawhney, Dir., Strategic Accts, Mfg. Industry GroupÃ¢â‚¬â€œAmericas, MindTree Ltd.

An integrated point-of-sale IT strategy will help CPG firms gain valuable insight into consumption data that can pave the way for a positive impact in a number of important areas. They include new/improved product formulation, inventory optimization, supply chain optimization, trade promotion management and optimization, and demand/forecast optimization. Furthermore, an integrated POS strategy can create a win-win for all stakeholders involved, including the retail partners.

How 'BYOD' is Changing the Mobile Supply Chain

April 20, 2012

SupplyChainBrain

As a culture of "bring your own device" takes hold in the business world, solutions providers face the challenge of ensuring that their applications work well on a variety of operating systems, says Mike Maris, senior director for transportation and logistics at Motorola Solutions.

Input Sought for Performance Study of Procurement Organizations

April 20, 2012

The Hackett Group

A newly-launched performance study from The Hackett Group Inc. is designed to help procurement organizations improve how they enable their companies' growth, in revenue and other areas. The open performance study should assist procurement leaders move beyond cost savings, and better understand the progress and strategies used in all facets of growth.

National Grocery Chain Commits to Have 300 Stores Divert Waste from Landfills

April 20, 2012

Supervalu

Grocery store chain Supervalu Inc. is committing to have 300 stores divert 90 percent or more of their waste from local landfills by the end of the current fiscal year, Feb. 23, 2013).

Container Key Performance Indicators Coming from Drewry and CargoSmart

April 19, 2012

Drewry Maritime Research

Drewry Maritime Research and CargoSmart Limited will introduce a wider range of container key performance indicators to help importers and exporters benchmark their carriers' service levels.