sourcing – OM in the News

Tesla Makes its Own Chips during Supply Shortage

Tesla can shrug off the chip shortage. The company makes its own chips, and they are better!

Much has been said about the chip shortage plaguing US manufacturers and its effect on car prices. However, this crisis has enabled Tesla to showcase its innovativeness and resilience to supply chain disruptions. As early as 2016, the company started developing a chip with a superior design. It is now reaping the benefits of its foresight and investments.

Video Spotlight: Elon […]

By Corinne M. Karuppan, Ph.D.|2021-09-29T18:48:36+00:00October 7, 2021|Tags: bottleneck, carbon footprint, competitivness, insourcing, product design, shortage, sourcing|

Generic Pills Can Be Hard to Swallow

The drug production system is broken. Fixing it requires putting quality first.

Generic drugs are supposed to be affordable alternatives to name-brand medications. Contrary to what the F.D.A. claims, a pill is not always a pill. In the quest for ever-cheaper generic drugs, quality has sometimes – not always! – been sacrificed both in the US and abroad, and without a transparent rating system, health consumers are kept in the dark. Furthermore, the reliance on a few foreign suppliers of active […]

By Corinne M. Karuppan, Ph.D.|2021-09-29T18:49:34+00:00October 5, 2021|Tags: process capability, product quality, quality control, shortage, six sigma, sourcing|

Semiconductor Shortage Takes a Bite out of Apple

A shortage of semiconductors is affecting the production of cars and electronics.

This is another example of a bottleneck in a strained supply chain. Several factors converged to create the current situation, and it appears that consumers will have to endure the consequences of disrupted supply chains for some time. A solution to the problem is to strengthen the domestic supply chains, but it will take years to implement.

Video Spotlight: The Reasons for the Semiconductor Shortage

This […]

By CMKaruppan|2021-05-12T21:35:41+00:00May 18, 2021|Tags: bottleneck, bullwhip effect, insourcing, outsourcing, respsonsive supply chain design, shortage, sourcing, supply chain management|

Factors Affecting Supply Chain Resilience

COVID-19 has exposed many vulnerabilities in our supply chains. Of particular note are supply chains for food and personal protective equipment (PPE).

Most people take for granted that we can walk into a grocery store, and leave with a wide variety of food items. However, in Spring 2020, this was not the case. Many store shelves were bare, including some essentials such as flour and pasta. Many farmers destroyed milk, eggs, and chickens, while other crops rotted in the field.