Curated articles from various sources.
The Economist attempts to rethink “low-cost” and “high-cost” manufacturing locations with the publication of this article. In terms of manufacturing and when managers are choosing where to locate a new factory, their decision depends on many things – with cost being one important factor. And with currencies constantly moving too, yesterday’s low-cost location may turn…
The Economist reveals how new technologies are being used to extract bitumen from oil sands. In the face of one of the bleakest scenes of man-made destruction, being the strip mining of oil sands in the forests of Alberta, Canada – it is hardly surprising that environmental campaigners want to restrict or shut down the…
“Increase Quality, Increase Velocity”; LMJ Board Member and XONITEK’s Chairman, Joseph Paris, explores the financial industry’s attempts at lean and shows where the real savings have been made. Published in Lean Management Journal in the September 2014 issue. Download PDF
The news about deadly crashes linked to a faulty ignition switch, followed by wave upon wave of recalls, did not go down well for General Motors dealers earlier this year. But according to Robbie Long, service director for the dealer, what looked like “great adversity” has turned into an opportunity. The hundreds of customers bringing old cars…
The Economist reports how Joe Kaeser is transforming Siemens’s structure, but changing its culture will be significantly harder. Mr Kaeser is hoping to remake Siemens, to become more than what its current definition spells in a word: electrification. After electrification, he would like to add two more words: automation and digitisation. The engineering giant is to focus…
AT FIRST glance it would appear that China has gone digital with great gusto. The country now has more households with internet access than any other, and boasts an e-commerce industry that turned over $300 billion last year. So, it’s rather surprising to hear that much of Chinese business has still not plugged in AT FIRST glance…
