Now that corporations are "persons," I suppose it's no stretch to describe supply chains as "mature" or "immature." In fact, the words are especially useful when it comes to determining a company's level of supply-chain responsibility.
In the United States, the concept of supplier diversity is becoming more embedded in corporate culture each year. Supply management professionals seek out small- and midsized businesses owned and operated by women, African Americans, Hispanics and other minorities to round out their supply chains, and they are increasingly developing relationships and partnerships built on the foundation of mutual benefit to both parties. Such initiatives outside the U.S. often aren't quite as developed.
The topic of supply-chain risk management is fraught with agonizing questions. Should global businesses emphasize risk prevention, or steel themselves to respond to whatever disaster might occur? Should they seek to transfer risk, or concentrate on achieving better risk-management up front? Should they attempt to do all of the above? The wrong answer can mean the death of an organization.
Every company possesses supply-chain capabilities and supporting IT systems. But they often don't mesh. Roddy Martin, senior vice president of global supply chain with CCI, calculates the price of misalignment - and lays out a strategy for combating the chronic problem.
When it comes to corporate social responsibility, consumers want more than aspirational mission statement, according to research by Cone Communications. They want to know what companies are doing.
Legendary lean practitioner Art Byrne says he didn't have to accept excuses from employees when he requested dramatic improvements on the plant floor. That's because Byrne had become a "lean expert" and knew what type of changes were possible. There's a big difference between CEOs who engage in lean and those who simply encourage it.
Every business needs to "go digital." Data about customers, competitors, suppliers and employees are exploding. Ninety percent of all data were created in the past two years. By 2016, there will be 3 billion internet users globally, and the internet economy will reach $4.2tr in the G-20 nations. No company or country can afford to ignore this phenomenon.
IBM has been recognized for the second consecutive year as the greenest company in the U.S., according to the Newsweek 2012 Green Rankings survey. A panel of independent judges ranked major companies based on numerous criteria, including their environmental impact, environmental management and sustainability disclosure. The survey is regarded as one of the most comprehensive analyses of environmental leadership, and IBM was one of 500 large U.S. organizations evaluated.
