Category: Customer Content

Another college rankings list (this one has cool pics though). Note, Secretary Miguel A. Cardona called college rankings “a joke,” & took aim at selective colleges’ obsession w/them...https://lnkd.in/gv_vZ4k9. I have been talking to high schoolers & the parents also appear to be too focused on rankings. Pay attention to what matters most- not rankings!...especially at the undergrad level. (Yes, I still wish my school was ranked higher than #285). UM...

“So far, reductions in staffing have not kept pace with declines in enrollment. A few schools ended the last decade with more administrators despite the fact that they had fewer students.” https://www.mlive.com/business/2022/10/michigans-public-universities-have-lost-45000-students-since-2011-its-about-to-get-worse.html “Many observers already see the tuition increases at the state’s public universities — which outpaced inflation by nearly 15 percent on average between 2011 and 2021 — as unsustainable.” “The state’s flagship universities might not feel the impact...

“With the number of students enrolled in Michigan’s public universities down by more than 45,000 students and the annual number of new high school graduates in Michigan expected to drop still further over the coming decade, at least some university leaders have talked about bringing in more international students to fill the gaps.” Hmm. https://www.mlive.com/business/2022/10/with-enrollments-downs-universities-shouldnt-bank-on-international-students-to-bail-them-out.html I have so many world class international students that are very hungry for American professional...

OK, American representation looks strong & technology is the common thread. However, where is Europe? I asked my students which country has the largest economy in the world? The majority guessed NOT America (one thought Europe was a country). Ugghh (see picture below). America: 4% of the global population accounts for 25% of earth’s economic output (GDP)? How is that even possible (they must work hard, & a lot)? Note,...

Reading List: A great book read for CFO types that want to understand SCM types (or the other way around?): "Supply Chain Metrics that Matter" by Cecere - The book links corporate financials to supply chain maturity, & what metrics matter most. https://supplychainmanagement.utk.edu/blog/careers-cfo-in-supply-chain-management/ “Over time, more companies are choosing to draw from their SCM team when they are looking to fill the CFO role. Therefore, a background in SCM is the perfect...

I was glad to see Cost Mgmt on this list (but I thought it would rank higher). Has Price Analysis become a lost art? Aside from the precious metals, every other commodity managed double-digit increases. https://lnkd.in/g-Np6BnA. U.S. suppliers’ price increases picked up (11.3%!) in June & remained near historic highs. Producer-level inflation showed an 11.3% annual rate, 7th straight month of double-digit gains. https://lnkd.in/g_pFJ_QH What happened to Strategic Cost Management? (I need...

I have been talking to high schoolers & the parents appear to be too focused on rankings. Pay attention to what matters most- not rankings!...especially at the undergraduate level. "Students who are able to build strong relationships with professors are far more likely to find engaging work after graduation." https://lnkd.in/gSuzhcjP -those who believe a professor cared about them as a person, made them excited about learning, & encouraged them to pursue their...

The digital transformation journey begins by recognizing the importance of data. Supply chain expert Adrian Gonzalez asserts data is the supply chain’s most profitable 4-letter word. He adds, “The lynchpin for any technology is data.” Yossi Sheffi, Director of the MIT Center for Transportation & Logistics, goes even further. He writes, “The well-worn adage that a company’s most valuable asset is its people needs an update. Today, it’s not people...

China tops the list for mine production & reserves of rare earth elements, w/ 44 million tons (>20x the U.S.) in reserves (38% of global total) & 140,000 tons of annual mine production (3x the U.S.). I was not expecting the U.S. to rank the 2nd highest in mine production w/ only 1.3% of total reserves (hmm). Further, while Vietnam & Brazil have the 2nd & 3rd most reserves, their...

For a great read on the 3PL/4PL industry: https://lnkd.in/grJG-AEq. My take: the industry is making more cash than ever, and/but margins are holding steady (their costs are also going up). See chart below: Did you know that 80% of the global goods trade is transported over sea? FYI: COSCO Shipping (#4 on list) is China’s state-owned shipping company. For context, Chinese state-owned enterprises have ownership stakes in terminals at five U.S....