operations strategy

Labor Shortage Solution: Japan Airlines Tries Robots

Japan Airlines is rolling out an experiment to have humanoid robots work alongside humans for ground handling operations at airports.

The goal is to have robots operate equipment around aircraft, load and unload bags, and handle cargo within the existing airport infrastructure, without major modifications to facilities or aircraft.

Video Spotlight:

JAL Group to begin demonstration experiment using humanoid robots in airport ground operations (Apr 27, 2026, ANNnewsCH)

This post is based on the AeroTime article,

By Anita Lee-Post, Ph.D.|2026-06-01T10:09:10+00:00June 10, 2026|Tags: automation, operations strategy, organization strategy, strategic alignment, supply chain strategy, technology|

Buffalo Wild Wings Lawsuit Shows Interconnectedness

Buffalo Wild Wings is a U.S.-based series of casual dining restaurants, part of Inspire Brands, which also includes Arby’s and Sonic.

In 2023, a customer filed a lawsuit against Buffalo Wild Wings claiming that the company was deceptive in using the term “boneless wings,” because the wings were made not from deboned wing meat but from breast meat.

In February 2026, Judge John Tharp Jr. of the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois handed down a victory for Buffalo […]

By Anita Lee-Post, Ph.D.|2026-03-25T06:52:24+00:00March 25, 2026|Tags: fast casual restaurants, goals, operations, operations interfaces, operations strategy|

Minute Maid Discontinues Frozen Orange Juice Concentrate

Frozen orange juice concentrate traces its origins back to WWII, when soldiers needed vitamin C.

Initially, lemon crystals were produced, but they were unpopular. As a result, the Army turned to frozen orange juice concentrate and ordered 500,000 pounds from Florida Food Corporation.

The war ended before the product was shipped.

The Florida Food Corporation became the Vacuum Food Corporation and introduced Minute Maid frozen orange juice in 1946.

Sales didn’t take off until Bing Crosby started promoting it in 1949. From 1949 to […]

By Ross L. Fink, Ph.D.|2026-03-18T05:03:16+00:00March 18, 2026|Tags: capacity, operations strategy, product design, product life cycle, product lifecycle|

Samsung’s Bespoke Refrigerator Blends Product and Service Design

Samsung Electronics has unveiled a refrigerator called Bespoke AI that integrates Google’s Gemini with its AI Vision technology.

The built-in technology supports features such as a Food Manager and a Wine Manager. The Food Manager is capable of food recognition, ingredient tracking, recipe recommendations, and shopping suggestions. The Wine Manager allows the appliance to recognize wine bottles by their name, vintage, and storage location for inventory updates in real time.

Video Spotlight:

Samsung Home Appliance “Firsts” In […]

By Anita Lee-Post, Ph.D.|2026-02-04T08:45:41+00:00February 4, 2026|Tags: competitiveness, innovation, operations strategy, product design, service design|