Intro to OM – OM in the News

US Air Travel Disruptions: The Rule Instead of the Exception?

The airline industry has taken major hits since December 2022, and customer anxiety is on the rise over booking new reservations.

In December—during the peak of the holiday season—Southwest Airlines cancelled over 13,000 flights due to an antiquated and unreliable flight scheduling system.

In January, a nationwide ground stop imposed by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) over a computer issue forced a 90-minute halt to all U.S. departing flights, leading to over 10,000 delays in one day alone.

January’s grounding […]

By James Kirby Easterling|2023-02-15T22:07:05+00:00February 15, 2023|Tags: asset utilization, contingency planning, information systems, supply chain disruption, supply chain resiliency|

L’Oréal’s Mechanized Lipstick Applicator

For people with limited hand and arm mobility, L’Oréal’s computerized make-up applicator will allow them to steadily and precisely apply lipstick, with confidence and independence.

The applicator is in the pilot testing stage with Lancôme, part of the L’Oréal Luxury Products division. It may be a welcome invention for many of the 50 million people globally who have limited fine motor skills.

L’Oréal is among the 4% of beauty and personal care brands that design products for the physically disabled.

Video Spotlight: […]

By Anita Lee-Post, Ph.D.|2023-02-06T00:53:31+00:00February 5, 2023|Tags: automation, product design, social responsibility, sustainable sourcing|

Container Ship Congestion at California Ports

Pandemic-related shortages of goods have continued to be a problem. One of the biggest issues has been the backlog of ships waiting for the ports of Long Beach and Los Angeles.

Approximately 40% of the containers that come to the U.S. go through the San Pedro Ports (Long Beach and Los Angeles). The number of ships waiting for these ports was 101 as of the beginning of February 2022. According to the Port of L.A. Operations Report, as […]

By Ross L. Fink, Ph.D.|2022-02-21T05:11:12+00:00February 21, 2022|Tags: cargo container, logistics, ports, supply chain management, transportation|

EV Stations: A Vision to Fuel the Future

The winner of an international competition envisions electric vehicle charging stations that offer far more than traditional gas stations.

Since charging an EV can take 20 or 30 minutes, the designer of the winning station included features like exercise equipment, massage therapy, a garden, and stores in additional to traditional gas station fare. He also suggests placing the stations in interesting places, such as near a trailhead or a community site of interest, to offer customers interesting ways to pass the […]

By Lisa M. Spencer|2022-02-17T23:51:55+00:00February 17, 2022|Tags: applied research, new product development, product design, product life cycle, service design, sustainability|