Articles
Commentary
GOOD QUESTION: True or False? Managing Supply Chains Is More Challenging Than Ever
Is supply chain management the toughest it has ever been? Or are tech tools so advanced they’re alleviating the uncertainty and guarding against disruptions? Industry insiders have a lot to say.
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What’s the Key to Reaching Net Zero? Data Collection
Brands can reach their carbon goals by working better with suppliers. Let’s stop bombarding them with requests for information and instead encourage them to participate.
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Next Year? AI is a Retailer’s Lifeline
Retailers faced a broad array of challenges this past year. What will they face next year? Does it really matter?
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Myth-busting AI in the Supply Chain
Over the past decade, supply chains have undergone a substantial digital transformation. One of the most significant factors driving this change has been the integration of artificial intelligence (AI) and automation technologies. As these technologies have become more prominent, however, so too have misconceptions about their impact on supply chain and logistics operations.
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How Technology Can Steer the Trucking Industry Out of Crisis
High inventories and a pullback of consumer spending signal no imminent relief for the trucking industry which is already on its knees. And this ordeal has posed a stark question: What happens to an economy when its chief logistic artery is under such a strain?
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Shipment Speed and Size: Why It Matters
The 2023 holiday season outlook is a bit more “merry and bright,” according to a recent DHL survey of 800 U.S. small and mid-sized enterprises (SMEs), as respondents anticipate an increase in ecommerce buying activity over last year. Overall, the survey findings suggest that while challenges—such as inflation and supply chain disruptions—persist, a majority of […]
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GOOD QUESTION: What’s One Underrated Skill in Supply Chain Management?
From composure to the ability to handle objections, these skills may not be part of curriculums but they make for great supply chain managers.
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The Impact of Double Brokering: How It Happens and How to Mitigate It
Double brokering has always been an issue in the freight industry but it has taken an alarming upward turn in the past year. It’s vital to assess exactly what’s causing the surge in double brokering, and what the implications are for shippers.
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How to Navigate Your Supply Chain During Market Swings
Market conditions play a crucial role in shaping challenges professionals face when managing their organization’s supply chains. While bear markets are known for their economic uncertainty and declining stock prices, bull markets are characterized by investor optimism and rising asset values. Both markets present unique hurdles that supply chain professionals must adeptly navigate.
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Nearshoring: A New Era for Resilience
Nearshoring and reshoring have gained significant attention as effective ways for businesses to rethink operations while mitigating risk and increasing speed to markets to optimize operations. What are the benefits and challenges?
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The New Global Supply Chain: The Domino Effect of Geopolitical Tensions between China and the United States
With geopolitical tensions between the United States and China drastically increasing in the past year, global supply chains have shifted. Companies around the world are forced to diversify their supply chains to mitigate disruptions, reduce risk, and increase supply continuity. Here’s how we got here, where things currently stand, and how companies can move forward.
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AI Has a Black Box Problem, Here’s How to Avoid It
Retailers beware! Before you dive into artificial intelligence solutions to keep your shelves restocked, consider the ramifications of AI’s lack of visibility into how it reaches its output, and whether a slower approach to AI can yield better longer-term outcomes.
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How to Plan an Optimal Transport Strategy
As the state of the freight industry remains uncertain, optimizing your transportation strategy remains a top priority for logistics operations. At its core, this process includes designing, planning and managing transportation systems to maximize efficiency, minimize costs, and meet customer demands.
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How to Attract Megaprojects: Become a Megasite
As industrial development in the United States continues at a lightning pace, it’s essential for communities throughout North America to enhance their megasite offerings in order to meet demand. Kansas City provides an example.
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Small Businesses Need Supply Chain Planning Tools, Too
Supply chain technology vendors historically have paid little attention to the planning needs of small “mom and pop” businesses. That’s surprising, considering there are approximately 32 million such businesses in the United States, with 2.7 million in the retail trade alone, according to the 2019 U.S. Census.
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GOOD QUESTION: How Will Artificial Intelligence Impact Supply Chain Management in the Next Five Years?
Who’s scared of artificial intelligence? These human experts weigh in on how AI will affect supply chain management in the coming years, with answers ranging from “cataclysmic” to “game changing” to “meh.”
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Falling for Pumpkins
Pumpkins carve out increasing sales in the food and beverage market as consumer preferences jack up demand for this fall staple.
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Affordable Automation Insights: Orchestration is the smarter way for shippers to conduct business
With labor shortages ever prevalent, plus operating and energy costs continuing to spiral, companies are increasingly going digital to boost ecommerce and B2B productivity.
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Publisher Viewpoint: Pay More Attention to Supply Chain People Skills
The value of people in the supply chain cannot be overlooked. But where does that leave us as many new supply chain pros, raised on communication skills driven by little keyboards, enter the workforce and supplant today’s practitioners? Here’s some unsolicited and perhaps unwelcome advice.
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A Team-Centric Security Approach Protects Last-Mile Logistics from Cyber Risks
Companies that don’t take the time to implement security measures at every step of their supply chain, especially the last-mile, are vulnerable to threats that could put them and their customers at risk.
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