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June 30, 2008

Weekly Industry Crib Sheet: The Fed Holds Steady. . .

... while Oil and Inflation Rise and Consumer Confidence and Small-Biz Mood Drop.

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June 27, 2008

Light Friday: Annoying Coworkers, Not-So-Friendly Skies...

... NYC Waterfalls and MORE.

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June 26, 2008

Laying Out China's Automotive Future on the Global Stage

The impressive progress of Chinese automakers in recent years is driving the country's domestic OEMs to set ambitious global goals. Yet significant shortcomings could hinder the industry's realization of those goals, according to new analysis.

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June 25, 2008

Deconstructing a Manufacturing Misconception

Many folks still have no clue what manufacturing today really comprises, deeming the industry a "dark and dirty" place for a career. Here are just a few recent examples we can use to help shatter this myth.

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June 24, 2008

8 Things We Want from Work

Pay and perks remain important to workers, of course. Yet when it comes to what employees want most from their employer today, certain intangible priorities are center stage.

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How to Make Your Ideas Heard

We don't all have the skills of a salesperson, but it's precisely those qualities that are required to make your idea heard. Here are six factors to consider for getting someone to truly hear you.

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From the Playground to the Boardroom: Workplace Bullies

Apprehensive about going to work? Filled with anxiety once you're there? You may simply be stressed out from your workload. Or these signs could be indicative of something far more insidious.

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Kill the Cube (for the Company's Sake)

While cubicles may make economical sense, they may not be in the best interest of the company as a whole. At least, not in terms of collaboration and innovation.

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We Need to Talk About Your Flair

Although "casual Friday" has become "casual Everyday" for many organizations, there are still some wardrobe guidelines. A few are especially relevant today.

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Did Life's Earliest Material Come from the Stars?

The origin of humankind is a controversial subject that crosses a multitude of theological and scientific theories. Ready for another one?

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What Your Car Color May Say About You

Ever wondered if your choice of car color reflects your personality? A recent study suggests a link between car color and personality.

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Medical Laser Basics

The intersection of technical innovation and consumer needs has changed in medical laser technology. IMT contributor Ilya Leybovich asks how this will affect the future for manufacturers and users alike.

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Recommended Reading

Why do some ideas thrive while others die? And how do we improve the chances of worthy ideas? Made to Stick tackles these vexing questions head-on.

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June 23, 2008

Weekly Industry Crib Sheet: President Calls for Offshore Drilling and China Hikes Up Fuel Prices...

...State of Logistics, FedEx Fails to Deliver, Boeing Gets Second Chance at Air Force Contract and MORE.

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June 20, 2008

Light Friday: A Wheelbarrow Brainteaser

But first: Gas Prices are Making Us Crazy for Vehicles with Two Wheels Instead of Four, plus a Puzzle Mansion in Manhattan!

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June 19, 2008

N. American Manufacturers Reassess their Competitiveness Outlook

Tumultuous conditions brought on by today's flatter world have taken such a toll on domestic manufacturers that many of them are wondering if globalization will ultimately compromise their productivity, competitiveness and profitability, according to a new Deloitte report.

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June 18, 2008

2008 Growth Opportunities in Government Procurement

Unlike the bleak conditions facing the business and consumer markets, government spending activity at all levels is expected to grow throughout 2008, according to a recent panel of more than 1,400 local, state and educational purchasing officials.

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June 17, 2008

The Bottom-Line Costs of a "Perfect Storm"

Over the next few years, manufacturers of varied sizes could lose millions of dollars from their bottom lines due to looming retirements, according to a new report. Filling the talent void will be expensive, but failing to have an adequate replacement pool will be financially catastrophic.

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June 16, 2008

Weekly Industry Crib Sheet: GM Sends Big Oil a "Dear John" Letter while Detroit 3 Slash Sales to Fleets. . .

...U.S. Consumer Sentiment Drops as Consumer Prices and Unemployment Jump, China's Trade Surplus and Inflation Drop while its Producer Prices and Educational Investment Rise — All this and More Came to Light Last Week.

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June 13, 2008

Road Warrior Friday: A Business Travel Guide

While returning from Managing Automation's Progressive Manufacturing Summit early this morning, this IMT blogger was ruminating on how much business travel today has become such an ordeal. Hopefully, the tricks and trends compiled herewith will help our road-warrior readers.

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June 12, 2008

Workforce Disconnects in Las Vegas

Managing Automation's fourth Progressive Manufacturing Summit continues. Disconnects both between workers' skills and companies' needs and between IT and automation teams are among some highlights and insights so far today. But first, one more thing about yesterday's agenda...

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June 11, 2008

Manufacturing Contradictions in Las Vegas

Innovation was a key theme at last year's Progressive Manufacturing Summit. So far this week, at Managing Automation's fourth annual summit (in Las Vegas, where I'm writing from), it is the contradiction of innovation investment during an economic downturn that is playing arguably a larger role.

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June 10, 2008

Building Up in a Down Economy

Construction was one of the nation's largest industries in 2006. These days, though, homebuilders are suffering. What's in store for the fields and professions associated with construction?

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Construction Materials Costs Outlook

Like virtually everything today, construction input costs seem to be permanently cemented at an extraordinarily high level.

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9 Bizarre Buildings

From very cool to totally weird, here is a collection of nine unusual houses and bizarre buildings from all around the world.

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Bright Ideas for Facility Efficiency

Surging energy costs have facility engineers, managers and maintenance supervisors looking for ways to make plants more efficient. One logical place to start is lighting.

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Meeting the Triple Bottom Line: Profit, People, Planet

It has become obvious that many aspects of future operations, including facilities, will have green components. Here is one company's thinking for transforming entirely to green and lean.

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Mystery Solved? Stonehenge a Burial Site

The mystery of why Stonehenge was built has kept people guessing for millennia. New radiocarbon dating indicates one certainty: the monument stood as giant tombstones to the dead for centuries.

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Green Paint's Promise

In 2007, a mountainside in China was mysteriously covered in green paint. But the kind of green paint we're talking about is a bit more eco-friendly than that.

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Pay Raise on the Agenda?

For those on the fence about approaching bosses for a raise, fret not. It looks like there is a lot of positive momentum already in your favor.

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Recommended Reading

The recently published Wonders of the World presents a selection of humanity's most remarkable works in the immense and marvelous field of design and construction.

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June 9, 2008

Weekly Industry Crib Sheet: Primary Season Ends, Unemployment Stunner, Exports Keep Us Afloat...

... A Car Quality Surprise, Thousands More European Truckers Protest and King Kong Fights T. Rex.

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June 6, 2008

Friday Car-Quality Question: Who's Moving?

Question marks in the headline can mean only one thing: it's time for you to weigh in! In lieu of Light Friday today, and based on some new findings, we're considering anew the better-car-quality question: Asian or American?

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June 5, 2008

Government Agency Finds Fatal Flaws in Seaport Security

Despite the introduction of new inspection and security procedures, U.S. ports are still vulnerable to terrorist attacks, a recent government report says.

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June 4, 2008

Fuel Prices Putting Globalization in Reverse?

The world seems to be becoming less flat. Shipping costs between Asia have risen so much that they have eclipsed tariffs as a barrier to global trade, according to a new report that calls the cost of moving goods "the largest barrier to global trade today."

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June 3, 2008

Corporate Marriages Heat Up in Industrial Manufacturing

Deal making in the global industrial manufacturing industry looks set to remain at high levels in the near- and longer-term future, according to a new PricewaterhouseCoopers report. Both deal numbers and values of mergers and acquisitions are increasing, but does all this M&A activity pay?

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June 2, 2008

Weekly Industry Crib Sheet: Another Tragic Crane Collapse in NYC...

...Revisiting the Farm Bill, China Quake Danger was Well-Known, 7 percent of GM's Global Workforce Take Buyouts and MORE.

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