The logistics sector in 2011 was characterized by flat freight volume and higher rates, says Rosalyn Wilson, senior business analyst at Delcan, who researches and writes the annual State of Logistics report. The report is underwritten by the Council of Supply Chain Management Professionals and Penske Logistics.
In the mid-2000s there was a beginning of public discussions and a surge in market awareness about support and maintenance (S&M) alternatives for users of enterprise applications. Companies in the market for enterprise software S&M services, like nearly every other market in the world, have responded to monopolistic-like pricing and profit margins by seeking choice. Enterprise software licensees now have a choice of annual support providers.
In emerging markets, regulations impacting trade and business differ greatly from country to country and changes constantly occur with little or no notice, says Mark Millar, managing partner at M Power Associates, Hong Kong. Because of this, trade compliance is an increasingly important issue for companies doing business in these economies.
The ability of the largest U.S. companies to collect from customers and manage inventory improved just slightly in 2011, while payables performance worsened, according to the 14th annual working capital survey from REL Consulting, a division of The Hackett Group and CFO Magazine.
Jim Crowell, director of the Supply Chain Management Research Center at the University of Arkansas, demonstrates why on-shelf availability is a critical metric for retailers.
After demonstrating significant success with lean manufacturing, Johnson & Johnson decided to apply lean principles for reducing waste to its supply chain.
On July 25th Lenovo, a Chinese computer firm, announced a deal to sponsor the National Football League. The PC maker has come a long way since 1984, when it was founded by 11 engineers at the Chinese Academy of Sciences who wanted to supplement their meager stipends.
The savings that can be retrieved by automating and rationalizing approval and purchasing processes in small and mid-sized companies are palpable. A 2009 Aberdeen Group study estimated that "improving the percentage of all non-payroll, tax, tariff and fee-related spend" - that is, indirect, nonstrategic expenses - brought under the management of a dedicated group can help enterprises "achieve a 5% to 20% cost savings for each dollar brought under spend management".
