Strategy Archives - Page 4 of 8

Sustainability is a Must-Have not a Nice-To-Have

Sustainability is not a buzzword anymore, however, the concept of sustainability remains abstract and complex if it lacks context to make it relatable to people’s day-to-day experience. Though everyone may have different understandings and interpretations of sustainability, we all know that the goal is to minimize negative environmental impact resulting from human activities. This explains […]

Sustainability is a Must-Have not a Nice-To-Have Read More »

Manufacturing Sector- The Growth Engine of the Economy

GDP dynamics – An important factor for developing supply chain strategies Manufacturing sector has been the growth engine of the global economy for the better part of the last two centuries. The transition from an agrarian to manufacturing economy is still an important indicator of growth, prosperity and rise in living standards for a country.

Manufacturing Sector- The Growth Engine of the Economy Read More »

Supplier Customer Diversity Sensitivity and Resilience

In my last blog, Supply Chain Crash Test, I asked if your supply chain could withstand a tsunami like event that might wipe out many component suppliers who serve supply chains of the OEM or EMS companies that would cause it. I asked you to postulate what would happen if Apple had experienced the Samsung

Supplier Customer Diversity Sensitivity and Resilience Read More »

“We supply the science – you supply the art”

In October, I attended the i2030 National Manufacturing Summit in Ottawa Canada, co-hosted by industry groups the CME (Canadian Manufacturers and Exporters) and the CMC (Canadian Manufacturing Coalition). The agenda was geared towards manufacturers and, considering our customers worldwide are comprised of OEM, EMS providers and ODMs, it was certainly topical and relevant to Lytica. Many

“We supply the science – you supply the art” Read More »

Catastrophic Risk Prevention

Analyze financial health to prevent catastrophic risk in your supply chain With increasing occurrences of disturbing events, such as companies going bankrupt, how to predict and prevent the catastrophic risk becomes one of the most important considerations of executives and managers. Such events could adversely impact production and order fulfillment, resulting in financial loss as

Catastrophic Risk Prevention Read More »

Wanted: Lean and Benchmarking ‘Sensei’

To companies focused on operational excellence, Lean Principles and the discipline of Benchmarking are considered two complimentary and indispensable tools toward achieving world class performance. Getting Lean is all about identifying and getting rid of waste, where waste is defined as any non- value adding step that customers are unwilling to pay for. Benchmarking is

Wanted: Lean and Benchmarking ‘Sensei’ Read More »

The Ideal Purchasing Professional

Is there such a thing as an ideal purchasing professional and, if so, what traits do they possess? I believe there is such an ideal – I have met several of them. In my work with price and organizational benchmarking, I meet many procurement individuals from a variety of companies. I have been exposed to

The Ideal Purchasing Professional Read More »

Purchasing: Do You Really Understand Pricing?

Since my company, Lytica Inc., introduced analytics based price prediction for electronic components, many major EMS and OEM companies have saved millions of dollars by applying this technology to their materials spending. As with the disruptive technologies described by Clayton Christensen in The Innovator’s Dilemma, those stuck like deer in the headlights clinging to a

Purchasing: Do You Really Understand Pricing? Read More »

Top 7 ‘Crimes’ Often Committed by Purchasing

I was speaking with my Purchasing Manager last week; Patrick is a very capable and effective purchasing professional who has become addicted to Lytica’s fast track cost reduction methods. We discussed surprising things that we have seen in procurement which we label as crimes because they rob shareholders of value. In no particular order, I’d like

Top 7 ‘Crimes’ Often Committed by Purchasing Read More »

Quickening of Change Stresses Manufacturing

While Nicolas Chauvin struggled alone following the Napoleonic wars, he would have had more company if he lived today. His single-minded devotion to his cause – a dying cause – would have fit well in today’s political and economic climate. Too many leaders and people of influence think the future will somehow resemble the past;

Quickening of Change Stresses Manufacturing Read More »

Strategy