Intro to OM – OM in the News

Restaurants Use Condiments To Expand Menus

As restaurants begin recovering from the pandemic, they are finding ways to add appeal to their menus.

Some have added new items to the menu, like Taco Bell with its Chicken Sandwich Taco and Cantina Crispy Melt Taco. Taco Bell is taking it a step further by looking to add chicken wings to the menu. Chicken wings have been a popular item during the pandemic, and Taco Bell wants to cash in on the popularity of chicken wings and chicken sandwiches.

Adding […]

By Ross L. Fink, Ph.D.|2021-10-25T05:03:26+00:00October 25, 2021|Tags: efficiency, fast casual restaurants, inventory management, product design, quick serve restaurants, service design|

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|

Hacks and Cracks Disrupt the Supply Chain

Since the onset of COVID-19, shortages of products have been common.

Many shortages were the result of the pandemic, including unexpected increases in demand, and facilities shutdown due to sick workers. With the re-opening of the economy, shortages have continued. Demand spikes, coupled with organizations being unable to re-staff enough workers, has led to product shortages in areas such as lumber.

However, not all disruptions in the supply chain are directly tied to the pandemic. Recently, the Colonial Pipeline was shut down […]

By Ross L. Fink, Ph.D.|2021-07-05T22:14:46+00:00July 10, 2021|Tags: cybersecurity, hacking, infrastructure, public policy, reliability, supply chain management, supply chain security|

Ford Ion Park: Vertical Integration for Batteries

Ford is launching a new battery development center called Ford Ion Park in Southeast Michigan. The center’s purpose is to conduct research on building battery cells for electric cars that are long lasting, quick to charge, and sustainable for the environment.

By preparing to make the batteries in-house, Ford will be less dependent on overseas suppliers and stay competitive with other car makers such as Tesla, Volkswagen, and General Motors.

Video Spotlight:

Ford Electric Car Battery Manufacturing (Apr […]

By Anita Lee-Post, Ph.D.|2021-06-15T22:17:27+00:00June 15, 2021|Tags: bottleneck, capacity strategies, insourcing, outsourcing, vertical integration|