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Supplier Management: Is the “Toyota Way” on the Way Out?
I’m pleased to report that after a weekend driving around in a Toyota Avalon, a model impacted by the recent acceleration recall, I’m alive and well. The same can’t necessarily be said about Toyota’s...
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China: Red Chips and a New Type of Supply Risk
Corporate scandals and arrests in the West often skirt the business headlines, making news one hour and quickly getting buried the next. The case is a bit different in China, however, which appears...
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CFO Supply Risk Ignorance is Not Bliss — Looking Forward While Gauging the...
With a hat-tip to Bob Ferrari, I came across a December study conducted by CFO Research Services and American Express. The study surveyed finance executives on their views on economic recovery, and on...
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Will a Return to Automotive OEM In-Country Sourcing in the UK Signal...
I won’t ever forget the shot heard round the global-sourcing automotive world when GM told its suppliers that they’d have to meet a “world price” for given parts and components if they were to remain...
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When Apple Suppliers Fight the Media — Literally
Earlier this week, I shared how Apple is serious about supply chain security — and some of the ends to which it goes to keep suppliers in the dark. It turns out this behavior has led some suppliers to...
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Are Toyota’s Suppliers in Collusion? Antitrust and the Automotive Supply Chain
Earlier today, the news broke that government officials in the US, EU and Japan recently searched the offices of a number of Toyota suppliers that may be involved in cartel-like activities. According...
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Aravo’s $50K Supply Risk QuickStart (Part 1)
Last week Aravo announced a new $50K Supplier Risk QuickStart program that offers one of the first affordable and integrated software/services programs to tackle multiple areas of supply risk. Having...
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The CIA Meets High-Tech Supplier Management: Safeguarding Apple’s Supply Chain
If you think Apple’s development and production initiatives follow a secretive approach inside the company’s four walls only, guess again. Apple takes as much interest in how its supply chain partners...
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Supply Chain Counterfeiters: The Rise of Fake Parts
The issue of counterfeit parts in supply chains tends to focus on high-profile cases (e.g., A&D applications) that put lives directly at risk, rather than more mundane situations involving a range...
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Will Apple’s Supply Chain Let it Down with the New iPad?
There’s been much buzz in the Apple community about whether Apple will be able to meet initial demand for its new iPad. Many Apple enthusiasts would agree with the statement that Apple’s new product...
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Oracle’s On Demand Procurement Launch
Earlier today, Oracle announced the formal launch of its On Demand suite of procurement products. These solutions, which Oracle labels as Oracle Procurement On Demand should be no surprise to Spend...
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Earthquakes Show Supply Chain Risk Extends Beyond Supplier Financial Viability
Copper mine in Chile Inside many companies, the recession has caused supply risk to move from a secondary issue to a primary concern. Despite this interest, many companies are approaching the topic...
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Rolling out a Supplier Performance Management Program ? Key Process Steps...
In this second post in the series on key process steps for supplier performance management (SPM), we’ll turn our attention primarily to monitoring and administering a program once it’s up and running....
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Did Toyota’s Lean Supply Chain Go Bad?
There’s been a lot of finger pointing in the press recently when it comes to Toyota’s suddenly accelerating escapades, which seemed to downshift into third gear with the accelerator floored (even to...
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The Dangers of Lean — Ignore at Your Peril
Even though I’m married to a Six Sigma black belt who wants to run Kaizen events to improve my personal organization and process efficiency both in the office and out, I’ll be the first to suggest...
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Supply Risk Lessons from Nissan’s Recent Production Shutdown
Image credit: Nissan Auto Cars In July, Nissan had to commence a three-day shutdown at four of its manufacturing plants because of a supply shortage of key chip components from Hitachi. According to...
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Boeing: On Becoming 100% Dependent on Suppliers at 30,000 Feet
Kudos to Bob Ferrari for picking up on some recent commentary from Boeing CEO Jim McNerney, who recently voiced his opinion of how the aerospace and defense supply chain is becoming increasingly...
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Will Supply Risk Threaten the Safety of Tomorrow’s Drug Supply?
Even though this article only highlights the findings from a recent PWC and Axendia study looking at the future of the pharmaceutical supply chain, it echoes a number of the things I’ve heard from...
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The Apple Watch: Generating “Supply Chain Strain” or Simply a Blockbuster?
I’m one of the many folks who are geeking out about the Apple Watch and have my place on the waiting list to purchase one. As a runner, the idea of a heart rate monitor that is simply on the wrist all...
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Localized Supply Chains: How Not to Reduce Supply Chain Risk
In a recent Industry Week column, Paul Ericksen, a consultant, makes a number of arguments about the importance of considering the extended supply chain when setting up new facilities or onboarding...
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