Last month, we shared with you a useful infographic from our friends at Silicon Expert Technologies that illustrated the impact of the SEC rules on conflict minerals (See Infographic: Conflict Minerals Trail). Here's one that breaks down where 3TG is coming from and who's affected. (Source: Venkel Ltd., vis Visua.ly)
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This is both an excellent business case study and a fantastic morality tale. Faced with pressure from overseas manufacturing, a group of managers and workers at Applicance Park in Kentucky worked together to reimagine their dishwasher manufacturing line and their machine's design. The Atlantic's Charles Fishman tells the story: (They) put together a group that…
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He was an intimidating presence. Jerry Fishman, CEO of Analog Devices Inc., was not an easy interview. But Electronic Business Magazine had chosen him as its CEO of the Year in 2004, and as national editor it was my job to profile him and his company. I was surprised that Fishman agreed to do the…
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Steve Laub could be the most interesting semiconductor CEO you've never heard of, and he's probably not unhappy with that. He's done time at Teridian, Silicon Image, and Lattice, and it might not surprise you that he's a Bain Capital guy from back in the day. But he's never been the executive who seeks out…
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If you have a dynamic information source, secure storage, an efficient means for retrieving that information, and an in-demand use for the information, then you have the backbone structure for businesses of all sorts. If you can securely transport that information over both short and long distances without worrying about adding equipment or customizing existing…
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Because people are replacing their electronics at accelerating rates, there has been a proliferation of electronic waste worldwide. Some companies, such as Nokia, have started programs to recycle cellphones and to reclaim valuable materials hidden in electronic waste. More than 130 million cellphones are thrown away every year in the US. Seventeen-thousand tons of electronic…
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The reverse supply chain is becoming every bit as important as the traditional supply chain… only it's a lot more complex. Here's a glimpse, courtesy of Fonebank, at some of the challenges in reclaiming used mobile devices, computers, and other electronics: (Source: Fonebank via Fast Company)
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Water. Depending on where you live, some years there's too little of it (the current drought in the US) and some years there's too much of it (Thailand floods — ring any bells?). In either case, the global need for water — for personal consumption, to grow crops, or to help produce electronics parts –…
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The supply chain is undergoing quickening change as technology continues to help us optimize various aspects of it along the way. Additionally, the global economy increasingly survives on the oxygen of the supply chain — so much so that seemingly small disruptions have enormous ripple effects. As the supply chain becomes more integral to daily…
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Over the past two decades, companies have poured billions of dollars into improving their supply chains. These efforts, from implementing new ERP platforms to overhauling supplier selection and management processes, have delivered significant benefits: reduced cost of goods, accelerated time to market, and stronger global competitiveness. But a weak link remains. Even the most sophisticated…
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