Month: April 2021

A 401(k) for a New College Grad? Yes!

A 401(k) for a New College Grad? Yes!

Do new college grads really need to participate in a 401K Retirement Savings Plan? Yes!  I spend around 15-30 minutes on this in class because my students need it. When they get their job offers, I ask them to look over this part (they usually need help). Please watch this if you want career mobility & financial independence in your 40s & beyond. In order to achieve this, you will need to...
Should you brag about your school if you have something to brag about? Yes, if it is related to your major and you suspect that most people might not know.

Should you brag about your school if you have something to brag about? Yes, if it is related to your major and you suspect that most people might not know.

Top Universities for Supply Chain Technology Education in 2017 (WMU ranked #2, UM #7, MSU #12) I do wish more of our students understood how highly ranked our ISM program was.  I also wish students did more to promote and market the rankings.  For example, could the below be built into your E-mail signature, resume, LinkedIn profile, etc.?... "WMU Integrated Supply Management (ISM)...Nation's best undergraduate SCM program (Gartner); 2nd in...
Is your degree from an accredited college? Does it matter?

Is your degree from an accredited college? Does it matter?

The WMU Haworth College of Business is among a group of fewer than 5 percent of business schools worldwide that are accredited at both the undergraduate and graduate levels by the AACSB International—the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business AACSB is like the "ISO 9000" of business colleges globally.  AACSB accreditation is a rubber stamp on HCOB that says we have processes in place that ensures you get a quality education. ...
Female SCM students and professionals (the opportunities are endless)

Female SCM students and professionals (the opportunities are endless)

Here is a great read for female SCM students & professionals Another great read for women in the field, just click For every $1 made by a man in the state of Michigan, women earn $.76 (used to be $.66). That is around the ninth largest gap in the country (we used to be third worst).  Shame on Michigan even though progress is being made. People say it is because...
UC Berkeley’s Fastest-Growing Class Is Data Science 101 (Negotiation just passed Data Science at WMU)

UC Berkeley’s Fastest-Growing Class Is Data Science 101 (Negotiation just passed Data Science at WMU)

This is why a predictive big data analytics class should be a required class for every major... Note, we knew all this at WMU way before Berkley and MIT and we also did something about it way before them.  Yes, we did this before Berkley and MIT.  https://www.wsj.com/articles/at-berkeley-its-big-data-on-campus-1541066401?emailToken=8643daf9ec2e86b33102a27604b64ce762w30y7HQaTkKHCgbFxtN64RShXsPgaLTugBhhRUshrl+eqQiKJqxyELUO9XgDJakvdWukP9NNf5yLDQ2td5wQ%3D%3D&reflink=article_email_share UC Berkeley’s Fastest-Growing Class Is Data Science 101www.wsj.comThe university has created a division to study the science of mining the tidal wave...
This means your major is very very very important…Tomorrow’s CEOs Will Come from an Unlikely Place: The Supply Chain

This means your major is very very very important…Tomorrow’s CEOs Will Come from an Unlikely Place: The Supply Chain

The article below says..."...it’s clear that supply chain professionals are poised to become the most powerful executives in the world..."Note, this article was written before covid.  Multiply the above statement by a factor of at least two.  I think you might have picked a great major and/or career path.  http://fortune.com/2018/12/11/ceo-supply-chain/ Tomorrow's CEOs Will Come from an Unlikely Place: The Supply Chain | Fortunefortune.comWe live in a world in which customers...
Will Bitcoin be a part of your career?

Will Bitcoin be a part of your career?

Note, I wrote this about Bitcoin over 6 years ago.  I was kind of right and kind of wrong.  Note, I also never bought Tesla stock.  Come on man, a one car company with one factory that uses batteries when gas is only $2-3/gallon? Well, Tesla stock today is at $719 per share and one year ago it was $150 per share (it was $43 in Summer 2019).  People that...
The most reprinted article in the history of the Harvard Business Review (HBR): The “Core Competence” Article

The most reprinted article in the history of the Harvard Business Review (HBR): The “Core Competence” Article

https://treeofideas.files.wordpress.com/2010/01/articles-the-core-competencies-of-the-corporation.pdf This article is older, but it is the most reprinted article in the history of the Harvard Business Review (HBR).  It keeps getting reprinted because it is a classic and its premise is still very relevant.  HBR is a journal with articles written for higher level managers.  I would highly recommend becoming regular readers of 3 journals that your boss’ boss will read.  One, HBR – general strategic management...
Clarification on 3PL versus 4PL (this is a huge job market)

Clarification on 3PL versus 4PL (this is a huge job market)

It might be better to watch my lecture video first before reading: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EePQkl7Lwws&t=180s I think getting an internship at Coyote Logistics (CL) would be an excellent opportunity for ISM students in general.  Just keep in mind that non asset based 3PLs such as CL, CH Robinson, TQL, etc., recruit across all majors, especially general management, general marketing, and sales marketing.  I would prefer that students work for companies that pay...
As a buyer, you have every legal right to say you want a “cost breakdown” of the price they gave you

As a buyer, you have every legal right to say you want a “cost breakdown” of the price they gave you

When you ask a current or potential supplier to submit an RFQ (Request for Quotation), you are asking them to bid on some business.  You are basically saying to a supplier – I have some business for you, and I am requesting that you give me a quote on that business.  As a buyer, you have every legal right to say you want a “cost breakdown” of the price they...