« March 2008 | Main | May 2008 »

April 30, 2008

There May be a Problem, but is There Really a War?

Manpower Inc. just announced that engineering is the No. 1 most difficult position for U.S. employers to fill in 2008. Last year, engineers weren't even on the list. Let's put this in perspective with what we've been hearing about the "war for talent."

Read more... | Comments (2) | TrackBack

April 29, 2008

6 Approaches to Better Procurement

The pressure to reduce cost puts tremendous stress on procurement officers. But procurement isn't simply about getting more for less. Consider these six points to improve your purchasing team's competitiveness.

Read more... | Comments (1) | TrackBack

Does Federal Red Tape Deter Small Business?

Current thinking by some, including the former federal procurement administrator, is that the complexity of government contracting is simply too discouraging to small businesses.

Read more... | Comments (6) | TrackBack

Tracking Down Obsolete Parts

The challenge of parts obsolescence has tested purchasers and engineers for years. And the dilemma won't end anytime soon. Here we address how to find the right parts, which may seem impossible to track down.

Read more... | Comments (4) | TrackBack

4 Trends in China Sourcing

China's role in the global supply chain is changing faster than ever. Companies that procure goods from China must keep up with the country's evolving challenges to take full advantage of the opportunities.

Read more... | Comments (1) | TrackBack

How to Shorten the Order-to-Cash Cycle

Most consumers expect the turnaround time between order and delivery to be quick. Companies that focus on shortening the order-to-invoice period are better positioned to provide that nearly instant gratification.

Read more... | Comments (2) | TrackBack

Less Paper in a Few Easy Steps

You don't have to be a pack rat with overstuffed file cabinets to realize the benefits of a paperless office. The paperless office may be a pipe dream, but minimizing paper in the office is easily achievable.

Read more... | Comments (1) | TrackBack

Odds Are High for Big Calif. Quakes

A first-of-its-kind model shows statewide probabilities of earthquakes in California. For the first time, consensus of the scientific community allows for meaningful comparisons of the hazards in L.A. and San Francisco.

Read more... | Comments (0) | TrackBack

Innovate Through the Downturn

Even in prosperous times, focus on innovation can get bogged down in bureaucracy and resistance to change. Yet recent thinking is that recessionary times provide ripe opportunities for product innovation.

Read more... | Comments (1) | TrackBack

Recommended Reading

In The China Price: The True Cost of Chinese Competitive Advantage, acclaimed Financial Times correspondent Alexandra Harney explores the hidden price tag for China's economic juggernaut.

Read more... | Comments (0) | TrackBack

April 28, 2008

Weekly Industry Crib Sheet: A Longer but Less Severe Downturn...

...Oil Prices Today and Tomorrow, Engineers Wanted, Boeing Boom and MORE.

Read more... | Comments (0) | TrackBack

April 25, 2008

Light Friday: Are You Changing Your Vacation Plans Because of Gas Prices?

Plus 5 Things to Do When Your Flight is Canceled, This Week in Invention History, Hubble Turns 18, This Week in Invention Disputes and MORE.

Read more... | Comments (1) | TrackBack

April 24, 2008

Best Practices and Bad Practices: Reviewing the Supply Chain

A lean supply chain demands continuously seeking ways to eliminate waste and become more efficient. While not all professionals agree on universal best practices, many concur that there are "bad practices" to avoid.

Read more... | Comments (1) | TrackBack

April 23, 2008

China Already Surpassed U.S. as World's Top Polluter

China's carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions are growing much faster than anticipated and are on pace to double during this decade. In fact, according to a recent report, China has already overtaken the United States as the world's largest carbon polluter.

Read more... | Comments (5) | TrackBack

April 22, 2008

How Green Now Pleases Hippies and Suits

Earth Day is no longer simply about feeling good about Mother Earth, as the "holiday" has taken on a more practical meaning. Why shouldn't companies take advantage of the green buzz as a means to improve business operations and reduce supply chain costs?

Read more... | Comments (1) | TrackBack

April 21, 2008

Weekly Industry Crib Sheet: Bulldozer Sales Up Overseas, China Cracks Down on IP Infringers...

...Chrysler and Nissan to Co-manufacture, HR Pros Support Family Leave Act and MORE.

Read more... | Comments (2) | TrackBack

April 18, 2008

Light Friday: The Smallest Jet Plane, Barcode Art, Wealth Through Testosterone...

...and MORE.

Read more... | Comments (1) | TrackBack

April 17, 2008

This Country Is Falling Apart. Literally

While many of the booming industrial countries today are investing unprecedented amounts of money into building new structures and restoring old ones, much of this nation's brittle framework seems to be failing. Where do we even begin?

Read more... | Comments (4) | TrackBack

April 16, 2008

Unexpected Growth in U.S. Trade Deficit

You might think that with U.S. consumers buying less, the deficit would fall. Yet the trade gap in U.S. unexpectedly widened for the month of February, according to the latest numbers from the Commerce Department.

Read more... | Comments (1) | TrackBack

April 15, 2008

8 Mistakes Start-ups Make

As the global economy expands, there is reason to believe that small businesses may have some competitive advantage. That is, if entrepreneurs don't fall prey to these common start-up pitfalls.

Read more... | Comments (7) | TrackBack

How to Find Good Money

Finding any funding for a new business is hard enough for any entrepreneur. Finding funding that is best for his or her company's specific needs is even harder.

Read more... | Comments (1) | TrackBack

Small Biz: By the Numbers

Do you know the average survival rate of start-ups? Or how much money has been loaned to U.S. veterans interested in starting or expanding a business? Some of the figures herein may surprise you.

Read more... | Comments (2) | TrackBack

Making the Right Hire

Employees can make or break a small business. Unfortunately, a common problem business owners have is finding and hiring the right employee — not just the best one.

Read more... | Comments (0) | TrackBack

Get the Most Out of Health Care

Getting the most out of an investment in health care enables employers to attract top talent to gain a competitive edge. Bring the many facets together with a methodical approach.

Read more... | Comments (0) | TrackBack

Not Enough Hours in the Day?

Finding more time in the day may be impossible, but managing what we do during that time may be easier than moving the heavens. So here are five tips to help you better self-manage.

Read more... | Comments (0) | TrackBack

What Your Workspace Says About You

Treachery's afoot. You may not know it, but your workspace could be betraying you. Here we address the psychology of what your workspace says about your personality.

Read more... | Comments (4) | TrackBack

Cubicle Personalization: Dos and Don'ts

When it comes to projecting a positive image through your personal space, some areas are more easily managed than others. Here are a few Dos and Don'ts to consider when it comes to the presentation of your workspace.

Read more... | Comments (0) | TrackBack

Recommended Reading

The Starfish and the Spider is a thoughtful and imaginative guide for the next wave of entrepreneurs - and current ones who don't want to be left behind - as business becomes increasingly decentralized.

Read more... | Comments (0) | TrackBack

April 14, 2008

Weekly Industry Crib Sheet: Unfriendly Skies Triumvirate, Corporate Cash, Quiet Former Fed Chief Speaks...

... Detroit's Big 3 Look to Boost Exports, NSF Focuses on Current and Future Workforce, and the State of the American Middle Class.

Read more... | Comments (1) | TrackBack

April 11, 2008

Light Friday: The Doom & Gloom Edition

Blogging kills? Fired for doing the right thing? Electric cars lethally quiet? Scientists on stimulants? Hey, it's not all bad: We now know how to make a hamburger in just 156 not-so-easy steps!

Read more... | Comments (0) | TrackBack

April 10, 2008

Keep Your Feet Dry

When floodwaters cover roads, storage areas and manufacturing plants, the damage can trickle all the way through the supply chain. Incoming raw materials get delayed. Outgoing product falls behind schedule. And dangerous cleanup operations sap productivity and profit. However, a few precautions can help keep your business out of harm's way during a flood.

Read more... | Comments (0) | TrackBack

April 9, 2008

CFOs React to Pessimistic Recession Concerns

CFOs have a deep knowledge of their company's economic condition. Convinced a recession is here or near, finance chiefs recently reported they're delaying capital spending projects and mulling over the future of their manpower.

Read more... | Comments (2) | TrackBack

April 8, 2008

Engaged Employees = Whistleblowers?

A costly scandal at a French bank recently has observers wondering why workers didn't report suspicious activity. Some are saying the scandal highlights one of the most important challenges employers face today: poor employee engagement.

Read more... | Comments (6) | TrackBack

April 7, 2008

Weekly Industry Crib Sheet: Fed Gets Pessimistic, Increasing Deep-Water-Drilled Oil, Acting to Raise H1-B Visa Cap...

... Unemployment Rises, Manufacturing Contracts, Automotive Sales Tank, Consumers Still Wary and Chrysler's Online Suggestion Box.

Read more... | Comments (1) | TrackBack

April 4, 2008

Light Friday: The Buck Stops with Willie, Zany Inventions in Geneva, Rubber Bands for Cancer...

... Additional Desktop Shenanigans and MORE.

Read more... | Comments (2) | TrackBack

April 3, 2008

U.S. Automotive Sales Race to the Bottom

Economic uncertainties kept U.S. buyers away from car lots in the first quarter as U.S. sales last month plummeted 12 percent for both domestics and imports from a year ago, posting the worst Q1 sales in years.

Read more... | Comments (0) | TrackBack

April 2, 2008

Plenty of Challenges for Manufacturers in March

Supplies are getting tighter and prices are getting higher as manufacturing continued its downward trend in March. These challenges continue to test the mettle of even the most entrepreneurial manufacturing leaders.

Read more... | Comments (1) | TrackBack

April 1, 2008

5 Reasons Not to Take This Issue Too Seriously

We took a brief respite from researching and writing serious things for this IMT. We hope you enjoy the fruits of our distraction.

Read more... | Comments (3) | TrackBack

Hello, This is Joe Herrick of Gutterman Research

We have all been made a fool at one time or another. Here are five recent and historical hoaxes in business, automotive, science/math, manufacturing and engineering.

Read more... | Comments (0) | TrackBack

Climate Change: Believe It or Not*

All but one of the 11 recent developments and discoveries herein are real (or at least based in science). Which is the fake?

Read more... | Comments (12) | TrackBack

Burning Question

What is the dumbest thing you've heard on the job?

Read more... | Comments (11) | TrackBack

The Lighter Side of Engineering

Nonsense seems to have become the official language of business. Here is a sampling of Dilbertisms and how conversations between engineers and their coworkers are often lost in translation.

Read more... | Comments (8) | TrackBack

Who Were the Founding Foolers?

Not all countries observe April Fools' Day in the same way. In some places, it is one of the most light-hearted days of the year; in others, the day is not a joking matter.

Read more... | Comments (0) | TrackBack

Inside Plans for the Space Station Dubbed 'Death Star'

Some claim this controversial aerospace project will beget an unspeakably horrific weapon. Others call it an unprecedented feat of engineering and logistics -- a kind of new hope.

Read more... | Comments (5) | TrackBack

Solution to National Debt Surprisingly Simple

The U.S. dollar has become so worthless, that the government has decided to eliminate it completely and create an entirely new monetary system, made up entirely of 76-cent coins.

Read more... | Comments (0) | TrackBack

How to Outsource the Government

As everyone else's jobs seem to be getting outsourced offshore, why shouldn't the government share in the people’s burden -- by outsourcing itself.

Read more... | Comments (1) | TrackBack

Recommended Reading

In his acclaimed bestseller A Short History of Nearly Everything , author Bill Bryson tackles biology, earth science, chemistry, physics and astronomy in a way that makes science comprehensible and fun. Along the way, we meet some fascinating and eccentric scientists

Read more... | Comments (2) | TrackBack