Supply Chain Risk

May 11, 2023

Shining a Light on the EV Supply Chain: A Poor Environmental and Human Rights Record

For years, the public has been going around buying electric vehicles, claiming that they are promoting “clean energy” and contributing to less global warming, feeling very smug about themselves.  However,… 

Jun 10, 2021

Will Supply Chain Price Increases Result in Inflation? The Fed isn’t Worried…

As vaccination rates in the US, the UK, and Europe have risen, economies have shifted back and capital projects are beginning to resume.  However, significant problems remain with respect to… 

Mar 12, 2021

Supply Chain Preparedness Lessons Learned: The Gulf Coast Refineries and the Texas Storm

I interviewed some individuals who work in the Houston area and learned more about what happened.  One supply chain executive shared with me some of the challenges they experienced during… 

Feb 1, 2021

Thinking About a Recovery…Building Flexibility Into Your Supply Chain in 2021

In the thick of a crisis, it is difficult for many executives to think about a recovery. However, we all need to think about preparedness for emergencies, and ensuring a… 

Mar 2, 2020

Steps for industry and government to prepare for the Coronavirus

As I noted in an earlier blog, the issue of global epidemics is something that we have seen in the past with the SARS epidemic.  People sometimes think these come… 

Nov 2, 2019

Pierre Mitchell of Spend Matters: Delivering Value in the Face of VUCA

Variability, Uncertainty, Complexity, and Ambiguity (VUCA) – these are the conditions of the “new normal” set of operating conditions faced by most firms today in their value chains.  When one… 

Jul 28, 2019

Global Sourcing and Human Rights Go Hand in Hand

Low-cost country (LCC) sourcing is now a commonplace strategy for shrinking bottom line labor and material costs in most consumer products industries, including apparel, footwear, toys, and other manufactured products.… 

Dec 30, 2018

Siemens BT: Every analytical transformation requires a “Jonah Hill”

One of our newest SCRC partners, Siemens Building Technologies, recently shared their insights on creating an analytics strategy.  This effort was led by the Chief Procurement Officer for Siemens BT,… 

Sep 26, 2018

Changing Executive Mindsets on Global Product Integrity: The Fight Against Counterfeiting Is Here to Stay

I recently interviewed the Director of Brand Protection at a large pharmaceutical company, who shared with me the timeline around how his company gradually shifted and changed its views on… 

Jun 6, 2018

Fake News, Trusting Data, and the President’s Tweets: Around the World with Reuters

As noted in my previous blog, I had the pleasure of attending the Thomson Reuters Government Conference, and sat on a panel with Andy Russell, Lead Director, Department of Defense…