Ops & Supply Chain Strategy

Surging Productivity: A Potential Silver Lining to the Pandemic

The quick adoption of new technologies during the pandemic has boosted productivity.

This boost could trigger economic growth and benefit everyone for several years as government investment in infrastructure provides further impetus to accelerate the pace of innovation in the workplace. The pandemic had already forced companies to do more with less; the changes in work methods and processes are here to stay. A surge in productivity could alleviate concerns about inflation and ensure a higher standard of living in the […]

By Corinne M. Karuppan, Ph.D.|2021-09-08T15:42:49+00:00September 9, 2021|Tags: automation, competitivness, productivity, robots|

Pandora Closes the Box on Mined Diamonds

The popular jewelry company, Pandora, will no longer source real diamonds and will exclusively use lab grown diamonds instead.

A combination of low cost and sustainability strategies are driving this change to make beautiful jewelry that is more affordable, accessible, and sustainable. Pandora’s decision follows a larger market trend that has seen the production of lab-grown diamonds increase to approximately six or seven million carats in 2020, while mined diamonds saw demand drop.

Video Spotlight:

Lab-made diamonds are […]

By Lisa M. Spencer|2021-07-05T21:21:41+00:00July 7, 2021|Tags: ethics, operations strategy, product design, sustainability|

Nike and Direct-to-Consumer: Just Doing It

Nike continues its march towards more direct-to-consumer (DTC) sales, notifying seven more distributors that they will no longer be selling its products.

The last shipments to DSW, Macy’s, Urban Outfitters, Big Five, and several others are likely to go out in October 2021. The move follows Nike’s cut of nine wholesalers last fall, and continues a push towards more digital sales.

Its DTC model that began about a decade ago has been accelerated and positively affected by the pandemic.

Video Spotlight:

By Lisa M. Spencer|2021-05-06T03:28:57+00:00May 5, 2021|Tags: channels, distribution, external environment, logistics, strategy|

Black-Owned Distilleries Capture their Share of the Kentucky Bourbon Market

The American distilling world is becoming more diversified.

Distilleries owned and operated by African Americans are reshaping bourbon’s 200-year history in Kentucky. This is an important turning point for a beverage that was initially made by enslaved labor. The new entrepreneurs are making a difference by updating bourbon’s image and providing new economic opportunities. The competition is already intensifying as small, modest startups must fend off powerful, multimillion-dollar enterprises, and as access to capital remains problematic. Nevertheless, there are several indications […]

By CMKaruppan|2021-04-04T20:19:01+00:00April 13, 2021|Tags: location, process selection, strategy|