Where is the money made in your business? Have you heard the saying ‘Know the price of everything and the value of nothing’? The first part has come true through access by customers and consumers to information via the Internet, aided by the growth of digital mobile data. The second part is more subjective; companies such as Apple and BMW … Read More
Visibility in your Supply Chains – a real objective?
The call for visibility. A visible supply chain sounds like the ultimate work environment for logisticians. At any time, using desktop or mobile communications, you know the current situation throughout your supply chains. Commentators since the 1990’s have written about visibility. A recent interesting article on the topic is at http://supplychaininsights.com/supply-chain-visibility-in-business-networks/ which argues strongly that companies and supply chain professionals need to … Read More
Oil price drop will hurt your supply chains
The good and bad of oil. If you are a private motorists or your business is a passenger airline operator, the drop in oil prices brings a smile to your face.In the past five months, the international price of oil has fallen about 40 percent. But if you are a logistician reviewing your future supply chains, your smile may not … Read More
Trade Agreements can change your supply chains
Moving towards regionalism. As multilateral trade agreements negotiated through the World Trade Organisation (WTO) appear to be going nowhere, it is Free Trade Agreements (FTA) that will influence your supply chains. But, FTAs are not about free trade but preferential trade – a country gives preferences to one other country at the expense of others. This week, Australia signed its … Read More
Oil shock is one of your supply chain risks
It only takes one supertanker. Does your supply chain strategy consider a scenario of less oil? Economies operate the way they do because of the availability of oil, but if countries in which you operate are not oil producers, what are their risks concerning supply? As an extreme risk, a Middle East jihadist group has requested its affiliates to sink … Read More