Regulation & Compliance

Assessing and Managing Risk in Global Supply Chains

January 22, 2014

Many companies are looking beyond China to less developed nations for sourcing, says Mark Michaels, chief commercial officer at Damco. Michaels discusses supply chain risks around the expansion into less developed areas and the pressure on providers to deliver service comparable to that in mature markets.

Major Trends Impacting Supply Chains for the Next 3 to 5 Years

January 22, 2014

SupplyChainBrain

Surveys conducted by McKinsey and Company indicate that supply chain management is becoming a higher priority in boardrooms at the same time the job is becoming more challenging and complex. McKinsey Principal Yogesh Malik identifies issues for supply chain managers to address now and trends to watch.

Supply Chain Complexity Can Result in Fraud, Study Finds

January 22, 2014

World Fishing

Last year's horse meat scandal in the UK illustrated the ease with which criminals could target the food industry and make huge profits as they did so.

Transitioning from Legacy Broker Applications to New Technology

January 21, 2014

Wayne Slossberg, Senior Vice President, QuestaWeb Inc.

Many of today's customs house brokers rely on legacy systems. Increasingly, new Customs and Border Protection rules and regulations are challenging the capacity of these systems. Beyond just functional limitations, many firms are finding that older technology can be expensive to operate and maintain. Sometimes, maintenance demands are so great that in-house IT staff must focus all their time and energy on keeping these systems operational. Real risks accompany the decision to stick with older systems.

Inventory Accuracy, In-store Loss Prevention Among Top Uses Retailers Have for RFID, Study Says

January 20, 2014

ChainLink Research

By a wide margin, the top reason for retailers to implement RFID is to improve inventory accuracy.

Hong Kong Continues to Have World's 'Freest' Economy

January 17, 2014

Maritime Executive

Hong Kong has maintained its status as the world's freest economy, a distinction that it has achieved for 20 consecutive years. The nomination was made in the 20th anniversary edition of the Index of Economic Freedom, published jointly by The Heritage Foundation and The Wall Street Journal.

You're Not Ready for the Next Supply-Chain Disruption

January 17, 2014

Robert J. Bowman, SupplyChainBrain

If you're a supply-chain executive, there's a good chance that the next tsunami, hurricane, flood or other disaster will take your organization by surprise. Again.

SupplyChainBrain Power Lunch: Should We Forget About the Forecast?

January 16, 2014

SupplyChainBrain

Is the forecast really dead? Should companies instead shift their focus to acquiring the ability to respond quickly to whatever happens in markets? A SupplyChainBrain Power Lunch discussion with Jim White, vice president of central operations with Applied Materials; Jake Barr, chief executive officer of Blue World Supply Chain Consulting; and C.J. Wehlage, vice president of high tech solutions with Kinaxis.

Vietnam Logistics Growth Through Inland, Coastal Investment

January 16, 2014

World Bank

Two reports released by the World Bank provide new insights on Vietnam's freight logistics sector, including inland and coastal waterways, highlighting that it can be a new driver of growth for the country.

Budget Control Act Could Really Crimp Money Spigot Flowing to Defense Contractors

January 16, 2014

CFO

There are cyclical industries, and there's the defense industry. In wartime, billions of additional dollars flow to defense contractors from the U.S. government, and in peacetime, Congress tightens the money spigot. It's a cycle that all contractors are used to, except this time around there's an added dimension: the Budget Control Act of 2011 and sequestration.