A significant shortage of skilled supply chain professionals is prompting industry to focus on effective and inventive ways to recruit and retain talent. A growing interest in sophisticated, agile supply chains has combined with an improving economy and the graying of skilled executive ranks, among other factors, to create what one expert calls a “perfect storm” of need for supply ...

The value of certifications is debated in almost all industries as organizations try to quantify the benefits of certification versus college education, sometimes basing the answers on entry level versus management positions. Certifications seem to be growing in importance as the need for ongoing education that reflect changes in a global, technology-based business environment grows and as new positions are ...

Sometime in 2015, the young adults of the generation born between 1980 and 2000—the Millennials, or Generation Y—will displace Baby Boomers as the largest group in the workplace. Although some critics have labeled them as slackers with a sense of entitlement, that characterization is unfair. Gen Ys are undoubtedly different from both Gen Xers (born 1965-1980) and Boomers (born 1946-1965), ...

Employee turnover is costly. Losing one link in the chain of your operation can be quantified not only in the time it takes to replace that person, but that in which it takes your new hire to get up to speed. It’s a bill that can run anywhere from 50 to 400 percent of that staffer’s salary, according to the ...

Some professional organizations talk about material handling and logistics. Others talk about supply chains and their processes. Still others are focused on transportation or warehousing or manufacturing. Then there are the ones most concerned with inventory, risk management and even the future. Unfortunately, with all of all of the messages coming at you at warp speed these days, it’s often ...

A year ago, our organization rebranded as MHI—The Industry That Makes Supply Chains Work. At the same time, we also evolved our focus. We recognize that suppliers and end users throughout the material handling industry—as well as in manufacturing, distribution, logistics and transportation—play a crucial role in supporting the overall supply chain. MHI is dedicated to offering more tools, not ...

Every day, headlines present an inordinate amount of conflicting and worrisome information. ITR Economics™ often receives emails with articles attached predicting impending doom, a stock market crash of immense proportions, the collapse of the U.S. dollar, and a future where U.S. GDP growth is limited. Others see unlimited potential in 2014 and a year that will prove to be much ...

Those brown UPS trucks have been doing more than hauling online purchases and wedding gifts. For the past few years, the delivery company has used tens of thousands of its trucks as “rolling laboratories,” analyzing data from on-board sensors and using the findings to optimize routes, cut idling time, assess driver safety and make vehicle maintenance more efficient. This “telematics” ...

3-D printing isn’t a new technology but it’s recently been gaining more attention in the business and popular press. Companies like GE are incorporating it into their manufacturing processes; NASA is planning to send a 3-D printer to the International Space Station; and UPS will be introducing 3-D printing services into some of its stores. Gartner, a market analysis and ...

Having the right item in stock when customers are ready to purchase is an essential component of customer satisfaction. Customers have a wide range of choices, so whether they are looking for clothing, appliances or electronics, there is always another business ready to sell to them if their first choice cannot deliver. The good news is that every business has ...