March 2010

Taking Lean Beyond the Shop Floor

Fokker Aerotron has seen benefits from applying lean to it business processes, but it's where it was applied that may surprise manufacturers focused on their production floor
Bill Peterson, faculty member, the University of Tennessee

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January 2010

Shopper Marketing is a Supply Chain Partner's Next Marketing Frontier

Seventy-three percent of consumer product goods manufacturers and 86% of retailers rank shopper marketing as the number one activity that delivers meaningful return on investment.
Marcel M. Zondag Ph.D. Candidate, Department of Marketing and Logistic, The University of Tennessee; Dan Flint, Ph.D., Proffitt’s Associate Professor in Marketing, Department of Marketing and Logistics, The University of Tennessee

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December 2009

Keep the Bean Counters Satisfied

Most supply chains are focusing on cutting costs at the expense of customer service.
Article written from study co-authored by Karl Manrodt, Georgia Southern University, and Mary Holcomb, Associate Professor of Logistics,  the University of Tennessee.
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December 2009

Deriving Value from Supply Chain Innovation in Troubled Economic Times

To succeed in the future, supply chain managers will need additional skills such as IT, international business, financial, cross-functional, interpersonal, and cross-cultural.
Ted Stank, Ph.D., Associate Dean and Dove Professor in Logistics and Transportation, Department of Marketing and Logistics, The University of Tennessee; John (Tom) Mentzer, Ph.D., Chancellor’s Professor and Bruce Chair of Excellence, Department of Marketing and Logistics, The University of Tennessee.
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August 2009

Supply Chain Risk Management and Mitigation Techniques in Health and Personal Care

Disruptions in HPC supply chains can have serious implications for personal and public health.
Monique Ueltschy, doctoral student in logistics, Department of Marketing and Logistics, The University of Tennessee; Ted Stank, Ph.D., Associate Dean and Dove Professor in Logistics and Transportation, Department of Marketing and Logistics, The University of Tennessee; John (Tom) Mentzer, Ph.D., Chancellor’s Professor and Bruce Chair of Excellence, Department of Marketing and Logistics, The University of Tennessee.
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June 2009

Can You Have a Lean-Green-Global Supply Chain?

Companies that have large, extended supply chains can capitalize on cost savings and improved profitability by looking at the synergies involved in being green while operating in a manner that continues to stress leanness.
Diane A. Mollenkopf, Ph.D., Associate Professor of Logistics, Department of Marketing and Logistics, The University of Tennessee; Wendy L. Tate, Ph.D., Assistant Professor of Logistics, Department of Marketing and Logistics, The University of Tennessee; David Ecklund, Global Supply Chain Executive MBA program director, The University of Tennessee.
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June 2009

What’s On the Minds of Supply Chain Professionals Today

Now is the time for careful surgical cuts that don’t cripple a firm for the future.
J. Paul Dittmann, Ph.D., Director of Corporate Partnerships, The University of Tennessee College of Business Administration.
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April 2009

Pursuing Green Supply Chain Initiatives in Tough Economic Times

Initiatives in green supply chain projects do not necessarily require significant capital or human resource investments.
Jon Kirchoff, Ph.D. Candidate, Department of Marketing and Logistics; The University of Tennessee
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March 2009

Value Stream Mapping: Making it Work

VSM activities should guide improvement efforts, not simply document processes.
Cheryl Hild, Center for Executive Education, University of Tennessee
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March 2009

The Outsourcing Paradox

And other ailments that result in suboptimal outsourced manufacturing
Mike Ledyard, Supply Chain Visions; Kate Vitasek, Center for Executive Education, University of Tennessee
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February 2009

Manufacturing in Developing Countries Experience IT Disaster Recovery Planning Challenges

Power outages and climate conditions present difficulties in disaster recovery planning.
Scott Rader, Ph.D. Candidate, Department of Marketing and Logistics; The University of Tennessee
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January 2009

Application of Lean As Applied to Equipment Reliability

Tools such as 5S, quick changeover, standard work, and visual management can improve and streamline equipment maintenance.
Chuck Parke, Center for Executive Education, The University of Tennessee
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December 2008

It's Time to Rethink Your Customer Returns

In difficult economic times, the more you can control both the revenue and cost implications of customer returns the better off your company will be.
Diane A. Mollenkopf, Ph.D.; Associate Professor of Logistics, Department of Marketing and Logistics; The University of Tennessee
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October 2008

Supply Chain Coordination Through Schedule Integration

Tighter integration of information and physical flows in supply chains can save from 2.3 percent to 48 percent in system cost reductions.
Funda Sahin, Ph.D.; Associate Professor of Logistics, Department of Marketing and Logistics; The University of Tennessee
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October 2008

Sharing Your Global Supply Chain Knowledge – The Right Way

Knowledge sharing between supply chain partners has more upsides than downsides, provided that the right kind of knowledge goes back and forth.
Matthew B. Myers, Ph.D., Director, Global Business Institute, The University of Tennessee College of Business Administration; Mee-Shew Cheung, Ph.D., Xavier University.
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September 2008

Leadership Challenges for Today's Manufacturing Site Leaders

The global economy has resulted in tremendous cost pressure, which has resulted in less autonomy and less training for plant managers.
Chuck Parke, Lead Faculty, Leadership Success for Manufacturing Site Leaders, The University of Tennessee College of Business Administration.
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Global Supply Chain Educational Partnership

With the increase in global competition, both businesses and universities will look for partnerships to better understand and forecast supply chain problems.
Matthew B. Myers, Ph.D.; Director, Global Business Institute, The University of Tennessee College of Business Administration.
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How Does Your Supply Chain Stack Up?

Companies across many diverse industries are leveraging their supply chain to drive financial breakthroughs.
J. Paul Dittmann, Ph.D., Director of Corporate Partnerships, The University of Tennessee College of Business Administration.
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March 2008

Services Supply Chain Management: An Untapped Opportunity

Because service purchasing has not been managed as closely, it now presents a greater opportunity for potential cost savings than does the purchase of materials and components.
Wendy  L. Tate, Ph.D., Assistant Professor of Logistics, The University of Tennessee College of Business Administration;  Lisa M. Ellram, Allen Professor of Business and Chair of the Department of Management, Colorado State University; Corey Billington, Professor of Operations Management and Procurement at IMD.
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February 2008

The Blind Following the Blind: The IT Investment Conundrum

Ten things to consider before making an IT Investment.
Randy V. Bradley, Ph.D., Assistant Professor of Information Systems, Department of Accounting and Information Management; The University of Tennessee College of Business Administration.
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December 2007

What are the Critical Skills of Supply Chain Leaders?

Supply chain leaders embody five critical skills: hiring the best and brightest, being driven by metrics, having a performance-reward orientation, being technology savvy, and resisting the urge to surge.
John ("Tom") Mentzer, Ph.D., Bruce Chair of Excellence and Executive Director, Demand and Supply Integration Forums, The University of Tennessee College of Business Administration.
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Demand and Supply Integration: A Key to Improved Firm Performance

A look at how Dell achieves demand and supply integration.
Theodore P. Stank, Ph.D., Dove Professor in Logistics and Transportation,and John ("Tom") Mentzer, Ph.D., Bruce Chair of Excellence and Executive Director, Demand and Supply Integration Forum, The University of Tennessee College of Business Administration.
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Becoming a World-Class Manufacturer Through Work/Life Strategies

A healthy and well-balanced workforce will most likely contribute to a healthy bottom line.
Michael Lane Morris, Ph.D., Associate Professor and Program Director of Human Resource Development, Department of Management, The University of Tennessee College of Business Administration.
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September 2007

The Goal of the Lean Supply Chain

Seven steps to building a lean supply chain.
Mandyam M. Srinivasan, Ph.D.  ("Srini"), The Ball Corporation Distinguished Professor of Business and author of the book, Streamlined: 14 Principles for Building and Managing the Lean Supply Chain, The University of Tennessee College of Business Administration.
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July 2007

Supply Chain Innovation

Differentiating on processes is more sustainable than differentiating on products.
Daniel J. Flint, Ph.D., Proffitt's, Inc., Professor of Marketing and Director of the Marketing Ph.D. Program, The University of TennesseeCollege of Business Administration.
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June 2007

Understanding Demand: A Critical Enabler of Supply Chain Excellence

An accurate demand forecast is of no value to the firm unless it is part of a formal, disciplined process for decision-making.
Mark A. Moon, Ph.D., Associate Professor of Marketing, The University of Tennessee College of Business Administration.
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People: The Key to Successful Supply Chain Collaboration

It is ultimately people, not organizations, who collaborate.
Terry Esper, Ph.D., Assistant Professor of Logistics, The University of Tennessee College of Business Administration.
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Is Your Company A Supply Chain Leader?

A dominant supply chain leader may use its position of power to force change to occur across the supply chain.
Clifford Defee, The University of TennesseeCollege of Business Administration.
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Global Transportation Management Trends

Key issues today are capacity constraints and increased security issues.
Theodore P. Stank, Ph.D., Dove Professor in Logistics and Transportation, The University of Tennessee College of Business Administration; Thomas J. Goldsby, Ph.D., University of Kentucky; Michael R. Crum, Ph.D., Iowa State University; and Joel Sutherland, Ph.D. Lehigh University.
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February 2007

Are Your Supply Chain Strategies and Reward Structures Aligned?

Develop metrics that assess your progress toward long term supply chain goals that drive competitive advantage.
John ("Tom") Mentzer, Ph.D., Bruce Chair of Excellence and Executive Director, Demand and Supply Integration Forums, The University of Tennessee College of Business Administration.
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What are the Critical Skills of Supply Chain Leaders?

Supply chain leaders embody five critical skills: hiring the best and brightest, being driven by metrics, having a performance-reward orientation, being technology savvy, and resisting the urge to surge.
John ("Tom") Mentzer, Ph.D., Bruce Chair of Excellence and Executive Director, Demand and Supply Integration Forums, The University of TennesseeCollege of Business Administration.
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Achieving Competitive Advantage Through Supply Chain Management

Not all customers, vendors or products are created equal.
John ("Tom") Mentzer, Ph.D., Bruce Chair of Excellence and Executive Director, Demand and Supply Integration Forums, The University of Tennessee College of Business Administration.
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January 2007

Achieving Competitive Advantage Through Supply Chain Management

Stick to your core competencies.
John (Tom). Mentzer, Ph.D., Bruce Chair of Excellence and Executive Director, Demand and Supply Integration Forums; The University of TennesseeCollege of Business Administration.
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