With manufacturing put into the hands of small firms and even consumers, traditional value chains may no longer be as advantageous. More »
Like other advanced industrial nations, the United States needs to get serious about incubating manufacturing innovation. That should start with a basic appreciation of today’s manufacturing economy. More »
Wind power has transformed the heart of fossil-fuel country. Can the rest of the United States follow suit? More »
The tiny state of Rhode Island is at a crossroad, facing major decisions on investing in fossil fuel infrastructure or turning sharply to renewable energy. More »
Most corporate strategists focus on finding ways to win in the market — that is, they look for sources of competitive advantage based on the customers they serve, the products they sell, the suppliers they use, and so on. But they tend to overlook their nonmarket strategy. Nonmarket strategy means using and shaping the rules of global commerce, such as trade agreements, through legal and political means. More »
Five states—California, Massachusetts, Michigan, Texas, and Washington—accounted for half of the research and development paid for and performed by companies in the United States in 2013, according to estimates from the 2013 Business R&D and Innovation Survey (BRDIS) from the National Science Foundation’s National Center for Science and Engineering Statistics. More »
Meeting those customer-service expectations while also conserving resources has been the task of a team led by Sebastian Hauptmann, who until earlier this year headed Sky Deutschland’s supply chain and procurement and now serves as the company’s executive vice president of operations. Over the past three years, Sky Deutschland’s productivity increased by more than 20 percent, contributing to an almost 40 percent reduction in warehousing costs—and the company is still finding room to improve.
To describe the changes and what they mean for the company, Hauptmann spoke with McKinsey’s Knut Alicke and Christian Johnson from his office outside Munich. More »
This revolution is Smart Automation, which focuses on the employment of “networked production” to further streamline the manufacturing process. Advancements in technology, new productivity levers, and changing workforce needs will drive manufacturing siting requirements as well. More »
As the recovery from the Great Recession kicks into gear, North Carolina has been adding jobs at a pace of about 7,000 a month over the past few years. Unemployment is down and wages are up. More »
Hosted by PwC and Manufacturing Institute, and moderated by industry leader, Gary Mintchell, the Twitter chat, timed to National Manufacturing Day discussed how digital manufacturing has opened doors for new talent. More »
Detroit’s commercial property sectors are rebounding, albeit slowly and steadily. The automotive industry’s resurgence and new attention paid to the city by technology companies should continue to bolster markets there, and hopefully fade memories of the bleak state of things after 2008. More »
London, Singapore, Toronto and Paris top the 2016 benchmark (our 7th edition) of the broad urban qualities that make 30 global business, finance and culture capitals successful. Beneath the headline results of who finishes first, however, findings show the heart of the city revolves around balanced social and economic strengths. More »
Manufacturers face several challenges with water supply and loss, including aging and leaking pipes. More »
Food sector leads way as small firms leverage local talent and growth; pricey space a problem. More »
