In at least one episode (and probably more than that) of the popular TV show, NCIS , the crack sleuths of the Navy Criminal Investigative Service find interlopers in their midst — agents from the Department of Homeland Security (DeHoSe). Typically, the pretext for the unwelcome arrival of the stiffs from DeHoSe is that Jethro…
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A great many factors go into choosing an electronics manufacturing services (EMS) provider. Based on our experience as an electronics contract manufacturer, here's an inside look at the six criteria we see most often — and some of the pitfalls you should avoid when you use these factors to evaluate a potential EMS partner. Price:…
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Supply-chain professionals deal with all kinds of risks every day, from managing routine shipping delays to second-sourcing products when a natural disaster hits a key supplier. But there are a number of other global issues that should compel supply chain experts and corporate senior management teams to rethink their risks and their potential impact. One…
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I enjoyed reading Bolaji Ojo's blog post, PAPP: Sixth-Sense Solution for the Supply Chain, and it got me thinking about premonition and what that means for the supply chain executive. Now, I really don't believe that there are people who can see the future, but I am confident that thoughtful analysis can prepare an organization…
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Does reverse engineering a competitor's product bother you ethically? The pervasive practice of opening the other guy's enclosure to see what's inside is not considered outright espionage, but it is rarely done openly. If it is unacceptable to peek into another company's R&D labs, then why do many businesses have their competitors' products on the…
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I find myself confused between what I read in the press and my personal experience. One example is the exodus of manufacturing from China to North America. While this widely espoused turn of events may play well to nationalism and hope for local job creation, I don't see it. My clients are being well served…
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Natural disasters may be unavoidable, but the global manufacturing supply chain can limit the impact of such calamities by sharpening rather than ignoring its “nose for trouble” — the sixth sense or perils avoidance system. When catastrophes strike, as they have often done in the manufacturing world, the best and most efficient supply chain systems…
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Some well known tech brands have well established personalities. Often those personalities may not be exactly what their managements would prefer. Google, Microsoft, AT&T, and Comcast come to mind. But tech brands can help themselves by establishing or nurturing a personality that connects with their customers in a positive way just as many consumer brands…
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The announcement that {complink 4267|Royal Philips Electronics N.V.} is leaving the consumer electronics business and will sell its Lifestyle Entertainment Business — which includes its audio, video, multimedia, and accessories — to Japanese consumer electronics company Funai Electric Co. for $201.8 million is a reminder that change is constant, and there are no guarantees that…
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Maybe it's still early enough in the new year to think about starting fresh. Or maybe companies are seriously considering which operational areas work best and which don't. Or maybe they are launching in or expanding in other product segments to shake off the economic malaise from the last few years. Whatever the reason, it…
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