February 24, 2016 Last weekend, the APICS Southwest district held its 10th annual student case competition. We had 25 teams and 108 students from 3 countries with another 11 teams on the wait list (including another country). We had about 50% undergraduate and 50% graduate level students who competed [...]
February 16, 2016 Last week I attended a meeting of the top 1% of consultants globally. With this sort of talent in one room, I listened carefully. One of the speakers focuses on small to medium sized businesses in North America ($5 million to $250 million). He said that [...]
Although upgrading and implementing an ERP system is challenging, you need to see across your facilities to accurately assess whether you are getting bogged down by your own infrastructure. Since I've been working on several ERP selection and design projects lately, it has reminded me of how challenging these [...]
Inventory management may be a less exciting supply chain topic but it is the linchpin in a manufacturing or distribution business. No matter how many engaging conversations I have with clients, contacts and trade groups about emerging supply chain trends, the less exciting topic of inventory management often-times can [...]
Assessing and spelling out priorities should always be at the top of your list to gain clarity and ultimate business success. [raw] I'm frequently reminded of how critical priorities can be. Of course, this is why it is one of the pillars in my 5P accelerator model for fast-tracking [...]
Harry used uncommon common sense to spot opportunities to turn around companies. His wisdom, integrity and generosity will be missed. My best friend's dad was as close to a business genius as I've stood. He made his employers rich beyond their wildest dreams yet he was happy with this [...]
Strategy and execution are equally important for business success. If you find yourself stuck on one, find a way or a designate a person to attend to the other. If you looked at the last day, week or month, how much of your time are you spending on execution [...]
February 5, 2016 So, other than being a bit depressed that the Arizona Cardinals are not in the Super Bowl, I am thinking about the Super Bowl (hard not to since the hype is everywhere). You'd have to be hiding under a rock to not know that it is [...]
Make a conscious effort every day to stop what you’re doing and look around your workplace and beyond. By becoming observant you’ll soon spot people and areas that need your attention. It is worth it to take a step back on a daily basis, if not more frequently, to [...]
January 27, 2016 Certainly, you'd have to be hiding under a rock to not have heard about the wild swings in the global stock markets lately. Although we've definitely become more comfortable with volatility, it still can cause executives to take a step back and think. What if China's [...]
