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April 28, 2006

Light Friday: 007's Bulldozer, Rice Krispies Rocket Science, Mac Engineering Flashback...

...PSA: Murderous Lightning, Spanked and Suing, NYC Most Clogged, Mecca and Space, and more!

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April 27, 2006

Upping the Estrogen in Engineering Talent Pool

As the number of forthcoming, next-generation engineers purportedly decreases dramatically, one large demographic group and resource for closing the talent gap remains untapped: women.

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April 26, 2006

Depressed About Gas Prices? Consider the Moped. (Everyone Else Seems To Be.)

Perhaps due to skyrocketing gas prices, which are only expected to rise this summer, something weird is happening. Young-blooded cities in the U.S. are seeing a vehicular oddity once pseudo-popular in the late '70s become more widspread. The U.S. seems to be experiencing "moped madness."

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April 25, 2006

Better Buying Business So Far in 2006

Recent business data indicate that the economy accelerated in 2006's first quarter, to the point that buyers in March reported stronger business conditions, larger orders and expanding purchasing needs. As economic activity expands, so too do buyers' smiles.

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Integrate, Collaborate, Dominate: E-Procurement

In recent years, technology has played a more significant role in purchasing. Yet it remains common for procurement departments to have poorly implemented systems, limited technology or no technology whatsoever. An adequate, fully integrated e-procurement approach is needed.

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Making Global Sourcing Work in 5 Phases

Analysts agree that strategic global sourcing offers the greatest opportunity for cutting procurement costs. While the value proposition for global sourcing has never been stronger, many businesses still simply don't know how and where to start.

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Supply Chains Increasing Tech Spending...Subtly

As supply chains become more global, complex and demand driven, their underlying technologies likewise must evolve. And although businesses remain somewhat cautious, IT spending is showing subtle signs of improvement. Let's look at supply chains' current numbers and drivers in tech investments.

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Spring and Summer's Not-So-Sunny Gas Prices

Forecasts for the future note a gradual return to stability for industrial gas, which continues to recover from last year's Gulf Coast hurricanes. Meanwhile, this year's spring and summer seasons are not looking as flowery for the consumer gas market.

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Congratulations, Robot Mother! It's a Healthy Robot Baby!

It's a boy! No, it's a girl! No, wait, it's a … robot? So is the new "mother." A full-size robotic mannequin is seeing increased use for childbirth training, as it simulates the pertinent vital signs of a woman in labor and delivery — without risk of harming an actual woman in childbirth. Even its robotic offspring is lifelike.

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Enthusing Employees without Pom-Poms

Management wants motivated and enthused workers. But how do companies maintain an excited workforce? Most companies have it all wrong, according to Harvard Business School. Companies don't have to motivate their employees: "They have to stop demotivating them."

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Burning Question

What is your stance on procurement outsourcing?

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Recommended Reading

Written for buyers, managers and executives, The Sourcing Solution offers a clear overview of the many new tools of sourcing success. This guide not only serves those directly involved in purchasing, but also relates specific tools to broader procurement and general business issues.

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Recommended Reading Supplement

While industrial buyers are turning to the Internet nearly twice as often as the offline information sources they've long relied on, many industrial suppliers have yet to catch up by making sure potential customers can find their sites and providing the kind of information buyers are seeking, according to a recent, comprehensive ThomasNet/Google study.

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April 24, 2006

Struggling With Supply Chain Security

Since the recent Dubai Ports dispute, supply chain security has been under tight scrutiny. What should we be doing to get a solid security plan in place? And should we first be mindful not to disrupt the global economy? Eh, let's see what AMR Resarch says.

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April 21, 2006

Light Friday: Egg-Laying Cow, Killer Hiccups, Bring Back Bandoliers...

...In-Car Navigation System of 1909, World's Longest Bra Chain, and surprise!: Men and Women Really Are Emotionally Different!

Plus some other cool stuff...

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April 20, 2006

Collaboration: Key to Successful Innovation?

In an effort to close the communications gap between decisions and actions, more and more companies are emphasizing the importance of communication and collaboration across their business.

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April 19, 2006

RFID Growing Pains

Although RFID technology has been utilized for years, many still are having a tough time of it. Despite widespread promise, many technical issues remain unsolved. Now comes word that Gen 2 tags are ready, which begs the question: Why go through the trouble of implementing Gen 1?

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April 18, 2006

Of Hurricanes' Aftermath, N'Orleans' Levees, Engineers' Efforts

The 2006 hurricane season offically begins in about a month and a half. And the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, after many hindrances, hopes to repair and strengthen the New Orleans-area levee and floodwall system damaged by Hurricanes Katrina and Rita...by June 1. How close is the Corps to reaching its self-set goal?

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April 17, 2006

The Lingering Effects of Auto Industry Restructure

Where is the motivation to work hard and dream up innovative car designs? It appears that there isn't any ... a direct reflection of an industry in turmoil and the reason why top talent is migrating to other industries.

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April 14, 2006

Light Friday: Mostly-Movies Edition...

In this Mostly-Movies edition of "Light Friday," there are news items on Tarzan's Chimp, Conflicted Cowboys, Pirates, Pooh, Ninjas ... and more?!?! What a FANTASTIC week this has been in totally-unrelated-to-this-blog news!

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Overheard on IMT: 4/10/06-4/14/06

In this week's roundup of blog-reader comments, you had a bit to say about trash and waste...when you weren't laughing and joke-cracking, that is.

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April 13, 2006

Proposed Nuclear-Waste Site Remains Progress-Impaired

Progress toward opening the Yucca Mountain nuclear waste dump remains hindered by questions regarding the quality of scientific and engineering work. And the Energy Department's reorganization of the project has yet to put the problems to rest — and may even create new issues.

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April 12, 2006

Heating Up Controversy With Power Plant Emissions

One of the main culprits responsible for heating up the greenhouse effect is power-plant emissions. So one (of the many) question(s) asked is: Are we doing a lousy job at curbing power plant emissions?

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April 11, 2006

7+ Sins of Muda

When you prevent unnecessary waste in manufacturing, you tackle inefficiency, and therefore, costs. Here we look at resources that organizations' everyday work activities often spend fruitlessly — collectively called "the Seven Wastes" — plus an eighth additional value killer.

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Efficient E-Waste Effacement Assessment

As assembly lines kick out cheaper products at a blistering pace, a pile of used electronics is growing quickly. And because the U.S. currently has no way to deal with such hazardous tech trash, more and more states are passing e-waste laws.

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Humanity's Existence: A Truly Trashy History

And you shall know us by our trash. Humans have a long history of being careless with our trash. See our timeline vividly illustrating the evolution of waste across civilizations — from the world's first municipal dump to the New Testament to Earth Day and on.

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New Interest In Purchasing 'Old' Products

Most businesses want to engage in practices that make proper business sense and protect the environment. You may not be aware that buying products with recycled content offers numerous benefits for your company, community and environment.

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Burning Question

Does your workplace lack laughter, and does it matter?

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Wasted Energy Is Lost Opportunity

With the manufacturing sector consuming one-third of all energy used in the U.S. each year, a modest improvement in energy efficiency can have a big impact on national demand. And renewable energy continues to show consumption-reduction promise.

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Biker Boots, Leather Gloves, Chrome Helmet…Airbag Jacket?

Motorcyclists long have been the most vulnerable road users because they do not have an effective barrier between themselves and other objects in an accident. Whereas an airbag on the motorcycle itself really wouldn't work, an airbag-equipped jacket just might.

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All Work, No Play Makes Job a Dull Bore

Milton Berle once said, "Laughter is an instant vacation." Know that "making work a vacation" can help reduce stress, strengthen morale, build camaraderie, stimulate creative thinking, prevent burnout, generate loyalty and increase productivity. But be careful with office humor when looking for laughs.

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Recommended Reading

American industrial facilities generate and dispose of approximately 7.6 billion tons of industrial solid waste each year. This book recaptures a hidden part of our social history, freshly explicating that what we throw away defines us as much as what we keep.

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April 10, 2006

Does Pay-for-Performance Equal Employee Retention?

When performance management and compensation are linked and strategically aligned, then Pay-for-Performance programs can improve revenue and profit per employee while enhancing retention of a company's MVPs, says a new study.

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April 7, 2006

Light Friday: Of Donkeys, Wives & Politicians, Jerry Garcia's Missing Toilet, a Bob Ross Video Game...

...Not-Yet-Built Navy Ship Survives 9/11 and Hurricane Katrina, the eXtra-Super-Damn-Tiny microphone, some Drug PSAs, the 7 Most Endangered Wonders of the World...and, as usual, so much more!

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April 6, 2006

Troubled Automaker Aware of Fuel Cell Nib

General Motors' head of research and planning says the automaker absolutely must push its fuel-cell vehicles to full development in as early as 18 months. Competition looms, you see. Surely a difficult task for the already-troubled automaker...

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April 5, 2006

March Manufacturing Cooled as Prices Increased

The Institute for Supply Management (ISM) recently released its March report, noting that U.S. factory activity grew at a "surprisingly" cooler pace in March. The production index provided silver lining in the report, however.

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April 4, 2006

RFID Tags to Track Airborne Bags

Airlines around the world mishandled about 1 percent of the 3 billion bags checked last year. That is 30 million bags missing. Many experts have called out for using Radio Frequency Identification tags to track all travel items. But who will pay for the tags?

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April 3, 2006

GM Sells an Arm for Short-Term Fix

General Motors has agreed to sell a majority stake in its financial arm, GMAC, to a group of investors for $14 billion over time to raise cash and let its profitable finance subsidiary shed its junk bond status. Meanwhile, promises are kept to employees and may be bankrupting the company.

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