Supply Chains Inching Back to Normal Brace for Headwinds of Softer Demand

Supply Chains Inching Back to Normal Brace for Headwinds of Softer Demand

Shipping strains are on the mend, but a painful spell of weaker demand might be next. Rock guitarist Jack White, who extended his “Supply Chain Issues Tour” into October, might want to name his band’s next road trip after a different villain. That’s because supply strains, while still afflicting many consumers and businesses, are becoming more mundane…

Time to rethink Just-In-Time

Time to rethink Just-In-Time

Just-In-Time (JIT) inventory and manufacturing systems are management strategies where replenishment orders of raw materials, assemblies, and finished goods are based on production schedules; which themselves are based on real customer orders that are due at specific dates (even times).  The objective is to increase efficiency and effectiveness by decreasing the waste associated with carrying…

News analysis: Chaos is the new normal for supply chain

News analysis: Chaos is the new normal for supply chain

Supply chains are global, and the world is shrinking, meaning a shock to one part is a shock to the whole. And the shocks to supply just keep coming … Just as scientists and public health officials are daring to suggest the Covid pandemic might be entering its end-game, so China announces strict new lockdown measures,…

As the World Shifts, So Should Leaders

As the World Shifts, So Should Leaders

Research shows that different eras call for different approaches. Summary: Two decades ago, extensive research led Nohria, the former dean of Harvard Business School, to conclude that the hallmark of great leadership is the ability to adapt to the times. Today, he says, we’re in a period of significant change, thanks to global events, governmental…

Furniture retailers forge new supply chain practices as backlogs, risks prevail

Furniture retailers forge new supply chain practices as backlogs, risks prevail

India, Turkey and Mexico are among the new sourcing destinations emerging as companies seek to mitigate risks. Last year — amid port backups, container shortages and other supply chain nightmares — retailers and brands turned to the skies, sending demand for air cargo in 2021 up nearly 7% compared to 2019 by one estimate. Shipping shirts and…

With Shanghai at a standstill, supply chain problems are compounding

With Shanghai at a standstill, supply chain problems are compounding

Concerns are rising that Shanghai’s lockdown is only the beginning of months-long challenges. After just over two years of a largely successful “zero-COVID” policy, China is facing its biggest test to date in the metropolis of Shanghai and the supply chain headaches that come with a massive lockdown. On Monday morning, the city reported a…