In a recently published article, my co-author and I focus on the issue of contracting by US federal agencies in response to disasters. Specifically, we investigate the choice of procurement contract type (cost reimbursement vs. fixed price) by US federal... Continue reading

In a recently published article my co-authors and I examine two effects of the quality penalties on an important determinant of health-care quality, namely, continuity of care for ailments targeted (intra-ailment effects) and ailments not targeted (spillover effects) by the... Continue reading

Cybersecurity is an essential element of supply chain risk management because of the increasing interconnectedness and digitalization of supply chains. As supply chains become more reliant on digital technologies, they also become more vulnerable to cyber threats. The following factors... Continue reading

Reinforcement learning (RL), a branch of machine learning, is increasingly being applied in operations and supply chain management to optimize decision-making, enhance efficiency, and improve performance. In Inventory Management applications, RL algorithms enable dynamic pricing, optimizing pricing strategies based on... Continue reading

Robotic Process Automation (RPA) is revolutionizing sourcing operations by automating repetitive tasks, streamlining procurement processes, and improving efficiency. RPA bots are used to collect vendor information from various sources (such as emails, forms, and websites) are collected. The bots then... Continue reading

Digital twins, virtual replicas of physical assets, processes, or systems, are transforming the manufacturing industry by providing real-time insights, optimizing operations, and enabling predictive maintenance. For predictive maintenance, manufacturing companies create digital twins of machinery and equipment, integrating sensors to... Continue reading

Capacity planning involves ensuring that a business has the resources it needs to meet current and future demand. Emerging technologies are transforming capacity planning by providing more accurate forecasts, optimizing resource allocation, and enhancing operational efficiency. Artificial Intelligence (AI) and... Continue reading

Long Short-Term Memory (LSTM) networks are a type of recurrent neural network (RNN) designed to effectively learn and remember long-term dependencies in sequential data. LSTMs address the limitations of traditional RNNs, which struggle with long-term dependencies due to issues like... Continue reading

AI-driven supply chain planning leverages complex algorithms to enhance efficiency, accuracy, and responsiveness across various supply chain functions. Organizations need to not only follow systematic steps to achieve performance outcomes, but also be cognizant of factors that present challenges in... Continue reading

Supply chain planning has become increasingly sophisticated with the advent of new technologies. There are several technologies that are being used to improve planning. Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Machine Learning (ML) are at the forefront of modern supply chain planning.... Continue reading

In a recently published article, we present the findings of our research that suggests that successfully combating counterfeits requires the attention of a broad collection of organizational functions. It works best with a multilayered strategy encompassing diverse methods and engaging the entire organization and its partners. We recommend that organizations tackle counterfeiting with a cohesive plan for identifying, containing, and preventing it. This comprehensive process means routinely keeping tabs on contract manufacturers and charting how products move through the supply chain. It includes scoping out what is for sale in consumer markets, deploying covert markings, reviewing warranty claims, educating customers, and partnering with key agencies and competitors. Continue reading

In a recently published article, my co-author and I argue that low-income markets have unique constraints that trigger the co-evolution of innovation and disruption in such markets. When disruptions occur in global supply chains, and in particular, in low-income markets, they spur innovations that may be necessary to address both existing and potential future disruptions. However, such innovations in turn create disruptions to existing supply chains, and they may also create new supply chains. We highlight the unique opportunities and constraints that exist in the low-income market contexts that result in interesting and unique dynamics between innovation and disruption. Further, we identify the mechanisms through which innovation-disruption mutual causality occurs—as well as the boundary conditions for these mechanisms. Continue reading

According to the 2022 Gartner Supply Chain Technology User Wants and Needs Survey, supply chain organizations are prioritizing (i) increasing productivity and efficiency, (ii) improving resiliency, continuity, risk and security, and (iii) fostering innovation around new operating models and processes. The report presents the following framework for broader strategic supply chain technology themes for 2023. Continue reading

Source: Kaczorowski, Mikolaj. 2023. A year of innovation in coffee, 2023. Mintel Report. Continue reading

2022 Gartner’s Annual CFO Survey reports that profitable growth, inflation, and balance sheet health are the top three pressing issues faced by CFOs. These concerns mirror that of the Board of Directors. Cost concerns were primarily related to total labor,... Continue reading

The Telecommunication and Information Technology Industry has seen a major growth during the six-year period from 2017 to 2022. The industry has grown from $697,958 million to $1,136,645 million. The key technology segments of this industry include: Fiber Optic (Fiber... Continue reading

The robotics value chain comprises of hardware components, software components, robot manufacturing and robotics as a service. Leaders and challengers in the space of hardware components, software components, robot manufacturing and robotics as a service are as follows: Source: Robotics... Continue reading

Business deals can mainly take eight distinct forms – Venture Financing, Acquisition, Equity Offering, Debt Offering, Asset Transaction, Private Equity, Partnership, and Merger. Between 2019 and 2022, in terms of volume, venture financing is the dominant form of business deal followed by acquisition, equity offering, debt offering, asset transaction and private equity. Continue reading

Source: Ask, J.A. and Laseter, T. M. Cost Modeling – A Foundation Purchasing Skill. Continue reading

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Source: https://spendmatters.com/2020/04/06/coronavirus-response-supply-risk-mitigating-and-recovering-from-the-grey-swan-of-covid-19/ Continue reading

The COVID-19 pandemic’s impacts have been devastating for the global economy, and particularly for manufacturing companies. Many firms were unprepared for a crisis of this magnitude and adapted their operations in an ad-hoc manner. Some of these adaptations were facilitated... Continue reading

In a recently accepted article, my co-authors and I investigate the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic and their proactive mediation by adaptive operational decisions in different network design structures in anticipation of and during the pandemic. In generalized terms, we... Continue reading

I am thankful to the Eli Broad Endowment Fund, my mentors, research collaborators, students, and well-wishers...🙏 Continue reading

Last month (July 2022) I spent time in an Indian village working with an organization that connects rural communities to solar, water, education, professions and advocacy to help communities and individuals take control of their lives and the well being... Continue reading