Over the last decade lean and six sigma methods and tools have helped organizations improve to historic productivity levels with the data driven, systematic elimination of waste and improvement of flow. Today many organizations have enjoyed the benefits of Lean and Six sigma initiatives, and are looking more to sustain the gains, and aggressively drive a systematic and on-going approach to improvement and problem solving. The concept of diminishing returns applies here, when in the early stages, organizations were able to find 'low-hanging fruit' and to quickly make significant improvements. Now the easy work is done, and organizations need a simple yet systematic approach to continuing their continuous improvement efforts. Operations and supply chain leaders will benefit from this book by developing a clear understanding of why and how metric scorecards and dashboards can be used as a powerful data driven improvement tool. This book illustrates visual management, scorecards, and dashboards for a full range of organizations, and focuses on Operations and Supply Chain Management areas. By covering these tools in these environments in a story book format, organization leaders can begin to understand how these methods and tools can be applied in their organizations.

As we enter the 21st Century, we find ourselves faced by two major developments. The first is emergence of the supply chain as a critical strategic and tactical weapon. As has been pointed out by many researchers, with the emergence of the supply chain, the unit of competition has shifted from the firm to the supply chain. However, with the advent of the supply chain, it is important to recognize that we have to view strategic objectives within a context that stresses not simply the internal operations of the firm but also the elements of the supply chain - elements that include the supplier base, customers, logistics linkages, and relationships, both visible and virtual. We are now coming to realize that the supply chain is no stronger than its weakest link. The second development is that of sustainability. This is more than simply being environmentally responsible. Rather, it is overall sustainability as measured in terms of the firm's ability to reduce waste, improve profitability, generating strategic competitive advantages, and ensure that it treats its employees well. Sustainability is increasingly becoming at a minimum an expectation and a requirement for doing business (i.e., an order qualifier) and under many conditions something that differentiates firms and makes them more attractive to potential critical consumers (i.e., an order winner). These two developments, while often treated as separate entities, are interrelated. It is this interrelationship that forms the major focus and thrust of this book. This book presents the reader with an integrated, business oriented treatment of sustainable supply chain management that explores why it is no longer enough for a firm to focus on sustainability within the four walls of the firm. Rather, in today's environment, sustainability must involve the supply chain in a deliberate and integrated fashion. To succeed with sustainability, a firm must ensure that this outcome is not only present within the firm but is also present within the supply chain. As the book will show, the market and consumers will punish those firms that promise sustainability but are not able to deliver on this promise because of problems in the supply chain.

In Excellence in Procurement, we also gave our outline of a vision for procurement. Therefore, in this Procurement Strategy book, we will now take this vision forward, and show how to align an organisational corporate strategy with an organisation's procurement objectives. In doing this, we will take the view that the design and implementation of a Procurement Strategy must consider demand (and the customers), the organisation's processes and the supply (and the suppliers).

In this smart, engaging book, Lee Eisenberg, best-selling author of" The Number: A Completely Different Way to Think about the Rest of Your Life," leads us on a provocative and entertaining tour of America's love/hate affair with shopping, a pursuit that, even in hard times, remains a true national pastime.

Why do we shop and buy the way we do? In a work that will explain much about the American character, Eisenberg chronicles the dynamics of selling and buying from almost every angle. Neither a cheerleader for consumption nor an anti-consumerist scold, he explores with boundless curiosity the vast machinery aimed at inducing us to purchase everything from hair mousse to a little black dress. He leads us, with understated humor, into the broad universe of marketing, retailing, advertising, and consumer and scientific research--an arsenal of powerful forces that combine to form what he calls "The Sell Side."

Through the rest of the book, Eisenberg leads us through the "Buy Side" -- a journey directly into our own hearts and minds, asking among other questions: What are we "really" looking for when we buy? Why are we alternately excited, guilt-ridden, satisfied, disappointed, and recklessly impulsive? What are our biases, need for status, impulses to self-express, that lead us individually to buy what we buy?

Are you a classic buyer (your "head" wants to do the right thing), or a "romantic" buyer (your "heart" just wants to have fun)? How do men and women differ in their attitudes towards shopping, and does the old cliche -- "Women shop, men buy" -- apply any longer?

Of special interest are the author's findings on the subject of What Makes a Good Buy? We all purchase things that we sooner or later regret, but what are the guidelines for making purchases that we'll never regret? What, for instance, defines the perfect gift?

Brimming with wit and surprise, "Shoptimism" will be delightful and instructive reading for anyone with a credit card and a healthy curiosity about American culture, through good times and bad. For here, in one vivid journey, is a memorable, panoramic portrait of our everyday self-delusions, desires, and dreams.

Research and development (R&D) supply chains are often designed without the process discipline and rigor that typically characterize the development of products emerging from R&D programs. This book should help everyday supply chain practitioners involved in research and new product development, who are migrating their products to full commercialization. The book should also aid decision makers looking to improve the overall effectiveness and efficiency of their supply chain. When new products are developed, a significant divide typically emerges in trying to commercialize the product while attempting to meet project demands for cost, schedule, and quality. Simply put, in many cases the supply chains developed to accomplish R&D functions are usually woefully inadequate to meet the demands of large-scale commercial applications. This book recounts the real-world work efforts, rigor, and discipline used to transition from a supply chain supporting R&D functions to a world-class supply chain capable of supporting a multibillion-dollar hydrocarbon recovery project.

This booklet tries to answer a few simple questions for a new leader in a procurement function. What questions should you ask? What answers should you expect? When should you smell a rat and what should you do about it. This is especially useful to those who may not come from a procurement background and just want to cut to the chase.

In his 1985 book, Competitive Advantage, Michael Porter introduced the concept of the value chain and described it as "a systematic way of examining all activities a firm performs and how they interact, (necessary) for analyzing the sources of competitive advantage," and introduced the idea of "linkages," which was the real breakthrough in management thinking. Thinking of a firm as a series of horizontal and vertical linkages put the spotlight on the silo mentality within which firms operated and how business schools structured curriculum. The silo mentality caused business students unable to see the firm as a holistic entity, an understanding of how all of its parts fit together to develop competitive advantage. Students graduating with a silo mentality perpetuated the silo mentality in business firms. This book draws together existing knowledge to help facilitate the shift of mind necessary to effectively manage the value chain, and introduces a new conception of the value chain, one that has been copyrighted (2006) and provides a new perspective of the value chain commensurate with the demands of the 21st-century global economy.

1916. A tutorial on the art of bidding in cards. The thrills in Auction come from the opportunities afforded to out-general the adversaries in declaring. The bidding is the chief feature, which arouses our excitement and enthusiasm. To match our wits against others, of the same mental strength as ourselves, and either to do or be done by, makes an intensely stimulating contest. Contents: Auction Thrills; The Major Suits Come First; The No Trump Comes Second; The Minor Suits Come Last; Business Doubles; The Language of Auction; The Nerve to Act; Illustrative Hands; The Showdown; Original and Subsequent Leads; 1915 Laws of Auction; and Synopsis of Auction Penalties.

If you're a manager of a supply chain operation, or a student learning about supply chain management, this book will provide not only an overview of supply chain management but also a framework for subsequent, more detailed study in various aspects of supply management. This book reviews the evolution of supply chain management concepts and discusses trends in global markets and strategic competitiveness. It then focuses on the major issues involved in managing a competitive supply chain including: forecasting, inventory management, distribution, dealing with uncertainty, reverse logistics, and customer service. Coverage of the dynamic, evolving issues pertaining to supply chains that affect the global business community concludes the book. With this book in hand, you'll be better equipped to conceptualize the management of supply chains as a collection of business processes; identify primary and secondary value chain processes; distinguish between the umbrella term, "supply chain management," and its component functions; and understand the basic tools of forecasting and the need for accurate data and forecasts on which to base supply chain management decisions.

What is stealth investing? Who is Shmengey Mignone? Does a breathalyzer work for someone with only one lung? What is an ass-dentist? What is the perfect job for someone with no sense of smell? Where is the little old lady from unit #B? These secrets and others are finally revealed for the very first time anywhere in this epic tale of dreams come true and ambitions gone awry, a story so candid and so shocking, that it literally blows the lid off the apartment business. Slumlords is the story of Steve Schafer, an ambitious young man in his early thirties, who unwittingly becomes the "front-man" for a powerful group of investors from Beverly Hills.

The book can be viewed from the perspective of a medium to large firm's journey towards sustainability. A firm that wants to be sustainable considers the triple bottom line when making decisions, i.e., the firm takes into account economic (profit), environmental (planet), and social (people) impacts when making decisions. By focusing on the triple bottom line (3Ps), the firm ensures a steady supply of inputs such as raw materials and labor indefinitely. The first step towards sustainability is aimed at reducing waste in operations (mainly production), with the help of such tools as lean and six-sigma. The firm then performs a Life-Cycle Assessment (LCA) for each of its main products and processes. LCA is a methodology designed to assess the environmental impact (e.g., energy consumption) of a product or process, from raw material extraction to production (in its different stages), packaging, distribution, sales, consumer use, and end-of-life disposal. With a better understanding of the major impacts, the firm can then target actions designed to reduce the firm's environmental impact (which in most cases also improves the economic bottom line), that is, the firm aims to be eco-efficient. The final step in the journey towards sustainability, which is the ultimate goal, is to close the loop. To close the loop, the firm starts by designing products for multiple life cycles (as in design for remanufacturing), or products designed according to a "cradle-to-cradle" philosophy that ensures ease of disassembly and 100% recyclability (up-cycling as opposed to down-cycling).

The quality and effectiveness of decisions made within an organization and its supply chain depend upon the accuracy and timeliness of the information upon which they are based. Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) is a technology that can provide more accurate information in near real time and thus increase the quality and timeliness of decisions based on that information. RFID systems are currently in use in areas such as inventory management, process control, asset tracking and monitoring, and retail point of sale. Organizations which appropriately incorporate RFID into their operations and information management systems have increased their agility, effectiveness, and efficiency resulting in organizational growth and increased profitability. The appropriate utilization of RFID allows organizations to become more agile resulting in their ability to respond to customers more efficiently and effectively. Technology by itself does not result in improvements and RFID is no exception. RFID is not a solution for every problem. However, when coupled with other appropriate technologies to address an appropriate objective, RFID can offer a variety of benefits to businesses. The proper integration into the firm's competitive plans and processes, and the ability to leverage those technologies for competitive advantage results in increased performance for organizations. The intent of this book is to provide a sufficient discussion of RFID to enable readers with no prior knowledge to develop a basic understanding of the technology. The book discusses current applications and specific examples of RFID usage taken from a variety of industries. The appropriate coupling of RFID with other technologies such as GPS, ERP, and robotics is discussed as well as an overview of the RFID implementation process. This book will help readers develop an understanding of the capability of the technology to increase an organization's customer responsiveness.

"The Logistics Handbook" encompasses all of the latest advances in warehousing and distribution. It provides invaluable "how to" problem-solving tools and techniques for all the ever-increasing logistical problems managers face -- making it the most complete and authoritative handbook to date.

Special features include:

* The most in-depth coverage of a wide range of topics, including information systems, benchmarking, and environmental issues

* Contributions found nowhere else from the leading executives, consultants, and academics in the field, such as C. John Langley, James Heskett, and David Anderson

* State of the art graphics

* Information-packed appendixes of logistics publications and organizations

This all-inclusive reference will enable the next generation of managers to thoroughly integrate their logistics operations at all levels -- strategic, structural, functional, and implementation -- into a comprehensive logistics strategy.

Information is power in supply chain operations, negotiations, continuous improvement programs, and process improvement, and indeed in all aspects of managing an operation. Accurate and timely information can result in better decisions that translate into improvement of bottom line results. The development and effective use of cost modeling as a method to understand the cost of products, services, and processes can help drive improvements in the quality and timeliness of decision making. In the supply chain community an understanding of the actual cost structures of products and services, whether with new or non-partner suppliers, can facilitate fact-based discussions which are more likely to result in agreements that are competitively priced and with fair margins. Further, accurate cost models which are cooperatively developed between supply chain partners can form the basis for joint efforts to reduce non-value-added costs and provide additional focus towards operational improvement.While many organizations feel confident they have an understanding of the cost structure for products and services produced internally, cost modeling often uncovers areas where significant cost improvement can be obtained. Cost of quality is a particular type of internal cost model that analyzes the true costs associated with the production of less than perfect products and services. The development of a cost of quality model can provide insight into how products or services of higher quality can be produced at lower cost.This book provides the business student or professional a concise guide to the creation and effective use of both internal and external cost models. Development of internal cost models is discussed with illustrations showing how they can be deployed to assist in new product development, pricing decisions, make-or-buy decisions and the identification of opportunities for internal process improvement projects. The creation and use of external cost models are discussed providing insight into how their use can drive collaborative improvement efforts among supply chain partners, better prepare for price negotiations, and keep negotiations focused on facts rather than emotions - all while allowing for future discussions with preferred suppliers to focus on more strategic and operational improvement initiatives, and less on pricing. A number of detailed cost model examples are provided to educate on both how cost models are constructed, and to demonstrate how they have been effectively deployed.

Although Army aviation logistics examples are emphasized throughout, the fundamental issues and potential solutions are broadly applicable to other large-scale military and industrial supply chains as well. Following a summary of recent trends for background and context, a multi-stage conceptual model of the logistics structure is presented to segment and guide the effort. This multi-stage model is used to systematically analyze major organizational components of the supply chain, diagnose structural disorders and prescribe solutions. Integration challenges are addressed using cost-benefit perspectives which incorporate supply chain objectives of efficiency, resilience, and effectiveness. The design and evaluation section proposes an "analytical architecture" consisting of four complementary modeling approaches, collectively referred to as "dynamic strategic logistics planning", to enable a coordinated, enterprise approach for Army Logistics Transformation. An organizational construct is presented for an "engine for innovation" to accelerate and sustain continual improvement for Army logistics and supply chain management - a "Center for Innovation in Logistics Systems". Finally, strategic management challenges associated with enterprise integration and transformational change are addressed: organizational design; management information and decision support systems; strategic alignment for a learning organization; and workforce considerations including human capital investment needs. The text concludes with a relevant historical vignette and closes with a summary of expected benefits.

Owner's of Private Companies and their accountants work diligently to minimize declared income on their tax returns to avoid taxes. Determining the real earnings for a Private Company is therefore sometimes difficult, especially if it is a Cash business. This book will lead you through the process of determining a company's real earnings by employing the same methods used by the Internal Revenue Service.

Efficient planning and superior execution against clear objectives is the way companies operate best. For many companies, the planning process is carefully orchestrated, objectives are set, budgets are negotiated, resources are allocated, and then it's up to the organization to execute. But what happens when the unexpected occurs? Say, an event occurs that throws the status quo into turmoil. What if your business declines by 40% in 1 month, what do you do? Conversely, what if your demand spikes by 50% in just a few months, what then? Suppose a natural disaster happens, or a new technology creates a significant, but unplanned opportunity? The authors call these events 'stretch opportunities'. This book focuses on strategic thinking and tactical examples of how best to prepare for such events. The authors outline common themes across all such challenges, and introduce three key management concepts: Flexibility, Agility and Real Options. This book also includes a specific chapter on how to structure supply chains to capitalize on stretch opportunities and the authors provide specific tactical frameworks to build in agility, flexibility and real options into a supply chain. In conclusion, you'll find a checklist that to ensure that the right questions are asked in developing supply chains so that the ability to "surge" at profitable opportunities is nourished.

Hands-on guidance for creating competitive advantages through strategy realization

How can your supply chain create competitive advantages and help achieve business goals? Drawing from the author's abundant research and analysis, this resourceful book shows how aligning the supply chain design with business strategy helps build competitive capabilities, prioritize capital investments, and takes your firm beyond the industry best-practices to create competitive advantages, not just competitive parity. Summarizing the current literature on business and supply chain strategies, this book provides path-breaking new direction to build your own winning supply chain strategy. Real-life cases show how this strategy alignment has produced results for the most successful companies and how it can be achieved in your firm.An overview of the concepts of business strategy, the current thinking on supply chain strategy and why it is inadequate to drive competitive advantage through supply chain designProcess for establishing your own supply chain strategy to build competitive advantageThe place of technology in creating business capabilities in modern corporations and why managing technology should be a core competence and an integral part of strategy planningStep-by-step direction and examples for creating strategy alignment and designing a supply chain that goes beyond supporting your operationsCase studies including Wal-mart, Cemex, Kmart, HP, Dell, and others

Consolidating the lessons learned along with implementation guidance, "Supply Chain as Strategic Asset" is the must-read road map for designing a supply chain that will be vital in achieving your business goals.

Supply chain planning can feel daunting and confusing and so much more. How can you make decisions about how many goods to procure, make, and deliver before knowing exactly what the demand for products is going to be?Gerald Feigin, a partner at Analytics Operations Engineering, has answers. Feigin helps you and other decision makers understand the dynamic information about future demand, available production capacity, and sources of supply. This book smartly focuses on the three interlinked processes that compose effective supply chain planning: demand planning, sales and operations planning, and inventory and supply planning. When executed well, these planning processes will help a company to achieve its targeted balance between efficiency and responsiveness.Read more and learn specifics about these processes, and how they are interconnected and the practical challenges of implementing them. Feigin also explains the important ways in which analytical tools and methods can be utilized to make better supply chain planning decisions.

Intended for an audience of graduate students, executive MBA students, and mid-to upper level government and corporate managers, Design, Analysis and Optimization of Supply Chains: A System Dynamic Approach examines the complexity of the types of organizations that comprise a modern supply chain, the problems that arise as a result of this complexity, and the solutions and analytical approaches available to managers that can help resolve these real world problems and dilemmas.The modern enterprise, be it a large corporation or a government agency, has two key dimensions of complexity: static and dynamic. The static complexity refers to the remarkable number of companies and agencies that enable delivery of the product or service. A static "snapshot" of this end-to-end enterprise would reveal hundreds if not thousands of companies involved in the supply network and many additional firms involved in the distribution and delivery to customers. Planning, communication, coordination and execution of this large system network is fundamentally challenging just because of the sheer size. This large, extended network represents the static complexity. The dynamic complexity arises from the difficulty of managing the performance of this extended enterprise over time. This requires having the appropriate metrics to track performance over time, the management skills to develop strategies, the ability to collect and monitor the correct data for true visibility, and the recognition and understanding of the long lags between actions and results.Design, Analysis and Optimization of Supply Chains: A System Dynamic Approach incorporates real-world examples and cases, representing actual complex enterprise systems including firms involved and with long lead times, to illustrate the multi-faceted activities occurring within a modern supply chain and the challenges they pose to managers. Simulation and optimization techniques are introduced and used to develop strategies for improved performance.

Mystery shopping has been around for a very long time, yet it still mystifies most. This book is written to help take the mystery out of this job and get you started right away. This is a step-by-step guide to starting, performing and reporting your mystery shops. You will find a legitimate company list, companies that will not charge you to work for them. Websites, types of shops the companies perform and company expectations. You will find where to look for support as well as where to talk with other shoppers. This book is an essential guide for you to start mystery shopping and making money right away.

Whether you range in age from teenager to senior, you can be a mystery shopper. Everyone is looking for ways to increase their income, but with jobs so limited, it is very hard. This book will teach you where to go to eat, how to shop at your local grocery store, get gas and other necessities and be paid for it or at least get your money back.

""'The Essential Guide To Mystery Shopping' is the best book on mystery shopping to come along in years I couldn't put it down once I started reading After seven years as a mystery shopper, I found myself nodding my head in agreement at the suggestions. It's a must have for mystery shoppers."" Paula Kutka, Mystery Shopper, Houston, TX

This book complements the other Excellence in... titles, for example, in Procurement, in Supplier Management, in Supply Chain Management, in Inventory, in Freight Transport, Services Procurement and in Warehouse Management. The real fact today is that we do actually live "in a global village" where many countries' former self-sufficiency has now moved onto a global stage. We can now find that distance impacts from local sources can soon grow into global problems. Witness for example, the increased price of steel around 2005 and the economic recession that started in the USA in 2008, which by early 2009 had adversely affected most global trade. Managing supply, demand and consumer markets from global perspectives therefore involves dealing with constant change and increased volatility. It also requires a new understanding of culture and different ways of doing things. No longer are organisations able to assume their national values; new processes can be enforced, or are going to be automatically adapted globally. We explore, in this book, how to manage such differences practically.