Companies are constantly looking for new and better ways to gain efficiencies and improve effectiveness, all while lowering costs. It’s the ‘holy trinity’ of business. And in the race to find this mystical balance, many have turned to outsourcing even core functions of their business to low-cost countries. However, the reality is that the perfect [...]

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At Ariba LIVE in Las Vegas two weeks ago, I was a panelist in the Retail/CPG breakout session. Although we had every intention of discussing the results of a recent Retail/CPG survey, the session quickly evolved into a very interesting discussion involving everyone - from panelists to audience members - in the room. Although the [...]

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You didn’t have to look very hard last week to find evidence that times are changing in Detroit. Ford lowered expectations for ‘09 and is (finally) moving towards a smaller, more fuel efficient lineup. And although it didn’t gain a great deal of national attention, the dissolving of Plastech signals a major shift in the [...]

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ISM just released the 2008 edition of its salary survey (which, is a misnomer considering it’s based on 2007 salaries and benefits). And there’s good news and bad news.
The good news: according to the survey, the average salary for a supply management professional climbed 4.3% last year, continuing its upward climb. In addition, about two-thirds [...]

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Even if they use a euphemism like “market adjustment”, the recent steel surcharges announced by ArcelorMittal, US Steel, WCI Steel and other mills feel like a price hike to buyers. Many companies were taken aback by the unprecedented move, which jacked up prices they thought were contractually locked in place. But in this market - [...]

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