Gender Neutral Mr. Potato Head

Gender Neutral Mr. Potato Head

April 8, 2021
Lisa M. Spencer

Hasbro’s iconic “Mr. Potato Head” is being rebranded as simply “Potato Head.”

According to a company spokesperson, this allows children as young as its target audience of two- and three-year-olds to create whatever gender potatoes and families they wish.  A “family-pack” will include two large potatoes and one small one with over forty pieces for children to use to create the families of their choice.

While some welcome the change in the name of inclusiveness, others are raising an eyebrow to this level of “political correctness” in a toy targeted towards small children.

Video Spotlight: 

This post is based on the Fast Company article, The iconic Mr. Potato Head gets a 21st century rebrand, by Dr. Elizabeth Segran,  February 25, 2021, and the YouTube video in the Spotlight. Image source: D. Hurst/Alamy

Discussion Questions:

1. What is the product life cycle and where are Mr. and Mrs. Potato Head, soon to be known simply as “Potato Head,” in that cycle?

Guidance: The product life cycle depicts the various stages in the life of a product, beginning with the introductory phase, Continue reading →

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Big Ship Creates Big Backlog

Big Ship Creates Big Backlog

April 6, 2021
Corinne M. Karuppan, Ph.D.

When the Ever Given got stuck in the Suez Canal, its gigantic size became a gigantic problem.

To support an ever-expanding global trade, ship size has been increasing for decades. Today, the largest ships can carry between 18,000 and 24,000 containers.  A larger cargo makes perfect economic sense because the cost of shipping one container decreases as cargo capacity increases. However, when things go wrong, big ships mean big disruptions in an already strained global supply chain. It is estimated that the stranded ship held up 12% of global trade at an estimated cost of $9.6 billion a day. This financial and logistic threat, along with more elusive cost savings in the future, may signal the need for fresh ideas in global shipping.

 

Video Spotlight: The Ripple Effects of the Backlog

This post is based on The New York Times article, Why the World’s Container Ships Grew So Big, by N. Chokshi, March 30, 2021, and the YouTube video, Cargo Ship Freed from Suez Canal, but Shipping Backlog Could Last, by CBC News: The National, March 29, 2021. Image source: (c) Glow Images/SuperStock.

Discussion Questions:

1. Will the short-lived blockage have a major Continue reading →

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UPS and FedEx Manage Capacity for Peak Vaccine Shipping

UPS and FedEx Manage Capacity for Peak Vaccine Shipping

April 4, 2021
Lisa M. Spencer

UPS and FedEx are planning to increase vaccine delivery capacity threefold by May.

As of February 2021, the two companies were delivering about 14 million doses per week.  UPS in particular believes it can still prioritize timely vaccine delivery when increased production by multiple manufacturers allows triple the volume in May 2021.

Video Spotlight: 

This post is based on the Bloomberg article, UPS expects 40% jump in vaccine doses next week, peak in May, by Thomas Black,  February 25, 2021, and the YouTube video in the Spotlight. Image source: FG Trade/Getty Images

Discussion Questions:

1. How have distribution points grown since the start of 2021?

Guidance: Distribution points are becoming increasingly varied as local and state governments open up stadiums, arenas, amusement parks, and other large-scale venues in addition to smaller outlets like pharmacy and grocery chains.  Whereas there were about 14,000 distribution points in the vaccine supply chain when UPS and FedEx began deliveries, there were 100,000 as of late February 2021, with that number increasing rapidly.  As distribution points open up, more delivery capacity is needed Continue reading →

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