Apple and Qualcomm announced that they have dropped all litigation in a multi-billion-dollar patent licensing dispute that has dragged on for more than two years across courts in China, Germany, and the U.S. However, the sketchy details of the settlement leave many unanswered questions. Under the deal, Apple will pay Qualcomm an undisclosed fee. Qualcomm…
Effective inventory management is necessary for any business, but it’s especially critical for electronics manufacturers and their supply chains. Increased efficiency can maximize profits and sales, lower operating costs and introduce better controls and management processes. “When you have control over your inventory, you’re able to provide better customer service,” said Johnny Marx, an account…
Brexit has built a full head of steam as the country enters more unchartered territory. In the last week there’s been complete chaos in government, a harder line from the EU27, and more than a million taking to the streets of London. Despite all the fuming and arguing, all the political wrangling and eleventh-hour negotiations,…
CES 2019 was a white-knuckle roller-coaster of a ride, with some game-changing technology already here and more on the horizon. Here are my top 10 takeaways from the press days, the keynotes, and the time I spent with the exhibitors and innovators on the show floor. Of course, it’s impossible to see everything. The…
Procurement technology to date has been populated by big-budget systems and suites that cause more problems than they fix. It’s an unpleasant workflow for users of all backgrounds, and with inaccessible and rigid user interfaces, it still does not give users a developed and realized view into their spend culture. These systems lack specifically in…
Sixty percent of companies make offshore-sourcing decisions based on rudimentary metrics, such as wage rate, ex-works price or landed cost, often resulting in a 15 to 30 percent understatement of actual offshoring costs. Inclusion of all relevant factors—overhead, balance sheet, risks, corporate strategy and other external and internal business considerations—provides a better determination of the…
It’s now six months since new General Data Protection Regulations (GDPR) came into force, putting organisations involved in handling data under unprecedented pressure to comply with a brand-new regulatory landscape. However, even organisations who think they’re on top of this area are at risk of falling foul – and making a mistake could cost your…
Electronics manufacturers are asking for more sustainability data from suppliers as the meaning of Corporate Social Responsibility extends further up and down the supply chain. These conversations are opportunities to manage greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from a potentially significant source: freight transportation. From materials-sourcing to manufacturing, distribution, take-back, and recycling, transportation-related GHG emissions data can…
Few businesses can be considered non-profit organizations. At its most basic, the electronics business is about being paid. Companies that don’t get paid don’t stay around too long and late payments can hinder an organization’s business operations. The accounts receivable (AR) process revolves around the invoice – pulling it together internally, sending it out to…
If one of your supply chain partners suffers a debilitating disruption, how quickly can it recover? A healthy company should have the working capital on hand to take immediate financial action. Determining the overall health of a company is far more complex than simply looking at revenues and profits. Equally important, especially for investors, is a…