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February 28, 2006

Database of Our Lives: Gov't System Sweeps for Security

Amid the furor over the NSA's electronic eavesdropping, the U.S. government is developing a little-known, massive computer system that can collect huge amounts of data and search for patterns of terrorist activity. This use of broad data-collection and powerful analysis also raises concerns of government intrusion into citizens' privacy.

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How Vulnerable Are U.S. Power Plants?

An attack or takeover of a power plant has been a long-held fear for this country, a fear particularly focused on nuclear plants. Exactly how secure or how vulnerable are our power plants?

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Eliminating Workplace Boo-Boos

The workplace can be a dangerous place, and employers should ensure their employees are always safe on the job. Here are some safety issues and concerns that both employers and employees should address.

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Prevent Computer Attacks at Home

Your home computer is a powerful machine when connected to the Internet. But it also can disclose many of your secrets if you are not properly prepared and informed. How security-savvy are you? Many users simply aren't.

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Burning Question

Is security worth the sacrifice of privacy?

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Protect Your Customers' Data, Thus Protect Your Biz.

Despite last year's spate of breached personal data records, many businesses continue to inadequately protect such treasure. Here are some basic self-defense rules for businesses maintaining people's personal information.

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Recommended Reading

One of the world's leading information security experts brings common sense back to security — and drives away much of the fear. Bruce Schneir starts with five questions to ask about any security system, whether it's designed to protect data, humans or both.

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Pssst. Your Boss Probably Knows You're Reading This.

No, it isn't paranoia. According to a workplace privacy poll conducted last year, 72 percent of all organizations occasionally or frequently monitor employee Internet use, and 70 percent occasionally or frequently monitor computer use.

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Visual Lies After the Lens

For years, people have said photos do not lie. And for years, people have been wrong. Among the digital age's many temptations, photo manipulation has been particularly troublesome for science…which is now responding.

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February 27, 2006

IT Outsourcing: Great for the Little Guys

On the surface, it never makes sense to U.S. workers why more jobs are migrating overseas and elsewhere. But perhaps if we consider giving this outsourcing idea some time to pan out, some amazing benefits could emerge -- particularly for small businesses.

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February 24, 2006

Light Friday: Belated V-Day Cards, "Dirtbag" Definition, Gladiators Sans Savagery...

...Toilet Seat Abduction, Mutant Chicken w/ Alligator Teeth, Perfect-Pint-Pouring Robot, the More We Work/the Less We Accomplish, and more.

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February 23, 2006

Does Data Synchronization Work?

If you do data synch right, you'll gain significant efficiency; nevermind the fact that you'll look like a rock star to your customers. Data sync is also a necessary primer step before jumping into a Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) project. If you don't do data sync before RFID, essentially you're sending bad data around faster.

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February 22, 2006

Risky Business

Just when I thought the manufacturing community was moving in the right direction by focusing on product innovation (or at least talking about it), along comes news of yet another IT category that is sure to keep CIOs distracted while draining their tech budgets. Is it worth your while? You betcha.

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February 21, 2006

Purchasers Pleased with Chosen Career

Despite purchasing professionals' ongoing changes and challenges these days, a recent report suggests that, if given the chance, the majority of buyers are pleased enough with their career that they would not change it.

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February 17, 2006

Overheard on IMT: 2/13/06-2/17/06

...Because we'd rather not put words in your mouth...

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Light Friday: Valentine's Day Infidelity, Robot Uprising...

...the Incredible Hulk has a badge, more robot stuff, Fabio's continued butter disbelief and so much more.

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February 16, 2006

Closing the Trade Promotions Gap

How would you feel after winning the lottery? Pretty darn good, right? Now imagine being forced to flush your winnings straight down the toilet. That's precisely what the trade promotions process is like for many of today's manufacturers. Here's why...

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February 15, 2006

Brands Will Be Shed

It seems as though product innovation in 2006 is going to take a backseat to the latest trend du jour: brand shedding. This year likely will see the shedding of more brands, including some of the world's most beloved products and some of the newer corporate culprits.

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February 14, 2006

The State of U.S. Innovation

President Bush's newly announced "American Competitiveness Initiative," as well as two new industry reports, shows that American innovation and competitiveness, once having had great promise, appear to be languishing. Here we provide telling information on the current state of U.S. virtuosity.

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Mass Customization: A Leading Paradigm In Future Manufacturing

"It seems counterintuitive: successful manufacturers that mass-produce and, at the same time, individually customize their products for consumers," a recent article in The Manufacturer said. "But many manufacturers have found a way to make it work, using innovative management techniques and technology."

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Cultivate Corporate Creativity

All blockbuster products and services first are born of creative ideas. In order to stay ahead of the curve in an increasingly rivaling global market, businesses first must formally cultivate environments of creativity. Here are some suggestions for fostering ingenuity.

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Transform Fresh Ideas Into Groundbreaking Products

No one said turning good ideas into commercially viable products and services is easy. It's hard. It also is absolutely necessary if American companies hope to edge out worldwide competition. Here are some steps to keeping innovation alive.

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Burning Question

What more can be done to improve the state of U.S. innovation?

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Managers? OK. Leaders? Better.

Ask anyone and they'll tell you. There's a difference between managers and leaders: Management is a career, leadership is a calling. But experts say leadership skills can be developed and mastered. Here we provide ways in which to improve such skills and the importance of doing so.

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Recommended Reading

Making Innovation Work provides practical suggestions for promoting systematic, repeatable, and managed innovation within all organization levels. Three senior consultants draw upon a wealth of professional experiences and a review of relevant research to present a variety of proven innovation-fostering strategies.

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Pro Footballers Pay with Pain, OSHA Pays Pain Little Mind.

Is "NFL football player" an unsafe occupation? As we consider this a blog for professionals, we hesitate to use the phrase, "Duh." But where does the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) stand on the topic?

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Rockets In the Sky, With Drivers

Rocket-powered airplanes. Check. Drivers. Uh-huh. Checkered flags. Probably. A five-thousand-foot-high racetrack. Oh yeah. Billed as the 21st century's newest and greatest innovation in sports, The Rocket Racing League is kind of like NASCAR or the Grand Prix — in the clouds. Let's go to the races!

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February 13, 2006

LEGO My Ego

"The Blizzard of 2006" couldn't keep the world's favorite construction toy maker from trumpeting its latest product offerings at this year's American International Toyfair.

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February 10, 2006

Light Friday: Slyders of Love, Super Bowl Fireworks...

...Ken doll gets a makeover, sticky GPS darts and more!

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February 9, 2006

'Made in China' Labels Not Telling the Whole Story

An article in today's New York Times sort of explains why many products labeled "Made in China" aren't actually, you know, made in China.

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February 8, 2006

WTO Condemns E.U. Over GMO Moratorium

In a move hailed by most American biotechnology, food and agriculture groups, the World Trade Organization ruled yesterday that the European Union and six member states had broken trade rules by barring entry to genetically modified crops and foods.

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February 7, 2006

RIP, Aibo: Sony Puts Robot Dog to Sleep

Like so many things Sony has made over the years, Aibo — the world's first mass-marketed robot — is a niche product. And as Sony is pulling the plug on robot production as part of a major restructuring, so goes the toy poodle-sized Aibo...and Sony as an innovator?

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February 3, 2006

Light Friday: Blogging Birds, Inebriated Birds, the Thing About Turnips...

...Defense Dept. vehicle brings 3x "the Hurt" at once, our eBay Find of the Week, a Web site untouched for a decade, and car nudity as a valid legal defense?

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Overheard on IMT: 1/30/06-2/3/06

In your own words...

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February 2, 2006

Engineering Iraq's Reconstruction

Currently, there are well over a thousand engineers in Iraq working on reconstruction, several thousand if you include military and Iraqi engineers. Between enemy fire and frightful geopolitics, it is hard to find any other circumstance wherein engineers are asked to do so much. Despite day after life-threatening day, they've made visible progress.

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February 1, 2006

State of the Union 2006, on Industry

Well, our TV time was again interrupted for another State of the Union Address last night. Here are just a few key points directly impacting manufacturing workers, about which President Bush addressed, as well as some responses from the National Association of Manufacturers (NAM).

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