Students: I had someone ask me: What earnings can I expect in my career if it goes well? My narro
From a colleague (this is gold): “Ideas for Using AI in Class Planning As educators, we’re constantly thinking about how we can keep our students engaged with interesting and relevant assignments. But crafting really engaging ones that also mimic the complex, real-world problems students will face as professionals can be laborious. In this article, Harvard Publishing shares how generative AI can help you create assignments that are more relevant and powerful for your students—and more efficient to produce.
From a colleague (this is gold): "Ideas for Using AI in Class Planning As educators, we’re constan
Students (see the crazy import data below, AI might be coming soon in a very big way): Supply chain management (SCM) presents unique challenges largely due to the lack of real-time visibility and the unpredictable nature of lead times. In an ideal world, companies would have full visibility into every stage of the supply chain—from sourcing raw materials to delivering the final product. If we knew exactly where every component was at any given moment, and if lead times were always consistent and predictable, the supply chain would be much easier to manage. In other words, SCM would be a piece of cake if we knew where everything was all the time from beginning to end. You can make a trillion dollars if you invent a technology that does that.
Supply chain management (SCM) presents unique challenges largely due to the lack of real-time visib
Do you know what your brand is? Become the Nike swoosh of your life! Most students put little effort into developing and promoting their brand (and networking in general). Do a SWOT analysis for yourself by identifying 5-10 traits for each category.
Subject: Do you know what your brand is? Become the Nike swoosh of your life! Most students pu
How should companies use competitive bidding (think long-term)?
Subject: Read: How should companies use competitive bidding (think long-term)? Students (
People that read a lot make way more money (2.3 times more?!!!!). Here is an astounding fact – readers make more money – a lot more! It’s true. According to a number of studies*, business people who read at least 7 business books a year earn over 2.3 times more than people who read only 1 book per year. Why exactly do readers earn so much more money? Answer: Because they become better problem-solvers.
Subject: Read: People that read a lot make way more money (2.3 times more?!!!!) Students:
Let’s say you just started working for this company and you are a problem-solver that is obsessed with finding ways to do every part of your job better, faster, and cheaper. Over a six-month period, you work very aggressively to reduce your organization’s direct material purchases/costs by 5%.
See the attached one-page financial statement on ROI (same one from a previous email and handed out
I keep telling my students if they can widen margins and/or increase ATR, then ROI will go up. So, if you can reduce your total assets without changing sales and/or increasing sales, then ATR goes up. For example, reduce your inventory and your ATR will go up and ROI will go up. If you can do more with less, then your ATR will go up. No other major/function (SCM) has a greater impact on what goes into the ROI calculation. That is why SCM graduates will likely be immediately bonus eligible and their highest ranking functional area (SCM) leader will have a VP in front of their name (VP of SCM). Note, that also likely applies to all of your majors since you are majoring in a business discipline.
The handout for this 3-part video is attached and here are the video links (start from the begin
Rounding up GPAs, post script on your phones for email replies, resume keywords, & email signatures. How about replying to this email with your version of an email signature? Students (how about creating a professional email signature to impress employers?):
Subject: Read (more mentor advice): Rounding up GPAs, post script on your phones for email rep
Note: my students go into “buyer” roles very early on in their careers. However, the supplier sales rep on the other side of the table is not early in their career (they often have > 10-20 years, if not more, work experience). So, LEARN to negotiate!
Subject: Read: An interview I did w/ students from the University of South Florida - does it s
What does a Supply Chain Manager do? The U.S. supply chain accounts for 37% of all domestic jobs and many people in those jobs do not even realize it.
Subject: Read: What does a Supply Chain Manager do? The U.S. supply chain accounts
I met with several managers at a career fair and I made the following observations. Note, the most common question now that I get from managers regarding feedback on students is: “How is their attention to detail?”. I think the reason for that is because many business professionals are working online/remote/hybrid and they are getting buried with data and communication (i.e., emails). So, how well do they manage all that detail? Personally, I think a lot of mistakes are being made that is creating supply chain chaos because people are not staying on top of all the details.
I met with several managers at a career fair and I made the following observations. Note, the
Business Analytics Minor and AI (I think this minor keeps you from ever being a victim of technology). This is just my hard and fast sell on these skills sets. Please know that I do this simply to help you and it is never about judgement. Making sense out of large amounts of data is very important in problem-solving.
Subject: Read: Business Analytics Minor and AI (I think this minor keeps you from ever being a
We make our students learn A3 through a project w/ a local company…Several of our students also complete their internships with an A3 presentation & report. Also, problem-solving is the #1 sought after skill set by employers…Hopefully, we are training our supply chain students to become consultants…to their own organization. We try to develop strategic skill sets (rather than tactical) combined w/ softer skills (i.e., problem solving, leadership, negotiation, project mgmt, etc.).
We make our students learn A3 through a project w/ a local company...Several of our students also c
Our new promo video (not bad at all). Yes, the WMU Haworth College of Business is one of the best in the world. AACSB accredited (that means top 6% globally) & most programs are nationally/globally ranked. Why? My answer: faculty are obsessed w/ student success.
Our new promo video (not bad at all). Yes, the WMU Haworth College of Business is one of the best i
Students with exploding job offers…The most recent is $85K base, 7% bonus eligible,15 days paid vacation, 12 US holidays, & a $7K signing bonus for being a previous intern (1 month to decide). Based on my observations: Employers that interview very selectively for internships & pay market value, tend to convert exceptional talent into full-time employees. In fact, they pay their interns a salary that is very close to what their full-time offers are. For example, from a student:
Students with exploding job offers...The most recent is $85K base, 7% bonus eligible,15 days paid v
Combined with a MFG recession (maybe flat best case), it might be time for price risk sharing in these buyer-supplier relationships. Also, get ready for another supply chain disruptor: no succession planning…Do not forget where most of the supply chain is: Small Businesses.
Combined with a MFG recession (maybe flat best case), it might be time for price risk sharing in th
I would say this is the #1 reason my students change jobs (it’s their boss). Money becomes a factor when they can make > 20-40% elsewhere (which has been happening since covid). Assessing whether a potential future boss is a good fit for you is a crucial step during the interview process. It might be a little aggressive, but I encourage my students to ask: “How would you describe your leadership style?” The answer might help you gain insights into their leadership style, expectations, and compatibility with your own work preferences and career goals.
I would say this is the #1 reason my students change jobs (it's their boss). Money becomes a factor
Demonstrating self-awareness during an interview is huge. I tell my students to always answer the “what is your weakness” question in the context of having a strategy to fix it (explain what you have done about it, actual RESULTS). For example, from the article:
Demonstrating self-awareness during an interview is huge. I tell my students to always answer the “
One example: Managing inflationary price risks in supplier-buyer contracts through indexing: Operational challenges and solutions…Work smart and be effective. How? Some Practices that Can Make Your Commodity Related Supply Chain Job More Fun and Rewarding ($$$ – think automation):
Very consistent with feedback from former students (they spend a lot of time manually updating spre
The top 15 supply chain management certifications:
The top 15 supply chain management certifications: https://lnkd.in/eVAeun_Y. Top Supply Chain Certi
HEY College Students: Do not begin an email message with “Hey” & always finish it with “Thank you.” Most college students do the bulk of their electronic communication via text messaging. Standards for emailing are different, especially in professional settings. Students’ emails WILL 100% influence the way others (potential employers) view them.
Since classes have started (and so have the emails)...“
https://www.forbes.com/sites/tracybrower
Is Python a must-have skill in the supply chain? How much Python do I need? Our CIS 2650 is not just a Python class, but instead a Python class for analytics. I had a SCM professional ask: “I don’t even know basic python yet . I want to get to the more advanced items but I am not ready yet . I’ve done research into different courses but there are so many basic courses, I’m not sure which one is actually useful for someone looking to do supply chain analysis.”
Is Python a must-have skill in the supply chain? https://lnkd.in/dcEJuZJX. How much Python do I nee
FYI, for my international students: International Student Job Exploration and Career Prep Event: https://lnkd.in/e4tQtTrV. Student info: https://lnkd.in/edzrUG5j.
FYI, for my international students: International Student Job Exploration and Career Prep Event: ht
ASCM/APICS now has a Supply Chain Technology Certificate, $495, 20 hrs of online training (hmm). Topics covered: Blockchain, Adv Analytics & Automation, Internet of Things, Cybersecurity, Demand Planning Technologies, & Additive Mfg (3D Printing). This covers a LOT of ground in 20 hrs.
ASCM/APICS now has a Supply Chain Technology Certificate, $495, 20 hrs of online training (hmm). To
Common theme: BIG DATA is not going away, BUT one must understand why/when certain data formats create more value. Many of our supply chain students get a minor in Business Analytics & we actually teach a variant of Wide/Small data called Association Analysis (our Business Data Mining class).
Common theme: BIG DATA is not going away, BUT one must understand why/when certain data formats cre
“The disconnect between procurement budgets and efficiency:” Very consistent with feedback from former students (they spend a lot of time manually updating spreadsheets): “Even as more organizations recognize the value of automating processes in controlling spend, many are not investing the necessary resources to do so…40% of procurement teams said manual and inefficient processes are holding them back from fully addressing C-suite’s critical business priorities.”
Here’s a Bronco (and former student) telling it like it is (notice the discussion on manually updat
“Nationwide, small businesses employed 46% of the American workforce in 2022, totaling nearly 62 million people.” Smaller suppliers’ finances have deteriorated since pre-pandemic: Large buyers have been pressuring suppliers, dragging down smaller, private firms’ operational efficiency, according to RapidRatings analysis.
“Nationwide, small businesses employed 46% of the American workforce in 2022, totaling nearly 62 mi
Michigan at #29 and Michigan State at #90. Undergrads…pay attention to what matters most (MAYBE not rankings). “Students who are able to build strong relationships w/ professors are far more likely to find engaging work after graduation, according to Gallup-Purdue polls.”
Michigan at #29 and Michigan State at #90. Undergrads…pay attention to what matters most (MAYBE not
Visualizing the Decline of U.S. Manufacturing, by Sector (2002-2022): Manufacturing Matters. The ISM MFG PMI Index has contracted for the 19th time in the last 20 months. Yes, that is a MFG recession, but does this predict and/or is a precursor to an overall recession? Maybe.
Visualizing the Decline of U.S. Manufacturing, by Sector (2002-2022): https://lnkd.in/eKstjmX5. Man
FYI: Record number of non-asset based 3PLs at our career fairs. These freight brokerage firms have numerous jobs. Note, they tend to be SALES related, so it is all about fit. 3PLs Need Data Analytics to Save Money. Solution? Hire WMU students that minor in Business Data Analytics (w/ these skills):
FYI: Record number of non-asset based 3PLs at our career fairs.
https://www.globaltrademag.com
Our next class case study/lecture…Vertical Integration, are we coming full circle? I spent the last 3 decades showing students how aggressive outsourcing strategies have been a hallmark of industry, driven by the pursuit of cost reductions, wider margins, higher asset turnover rate, and better ROI.
Our next class case study/lecture…Vertical Integration, are we coming full circle? I spent the last
A 401(k) for a New College Grad? Yes! A great read…My thoughts if you want career mobility & financial independence in your 40s. In order to achieve this, you will need to invest heavily in your 20s. Picking a college major:
401Ks: I spent some time on this w/ a student & her full-time job offer. Students need help und
A great weekend read, should SCM students learn this?…”the importance of including location analytics in the standard business school curriculum—especially in the field of supply chain management.” Are Supply Chain professionals using ArcGIS Pro technology?
A great weekend read, should SCM students learn this?…”the importance of including location analyti
A nice career guide from Harvard to help with resumes, interviewing, getting offers, etc. For more help, pasted below are links from Yale, MIT, & WMU. Should college grads negotiate a job offer (i.e., a higher starting salary)? Yes, but only if you know how to negotiate. My thoughts:
A nice career guide from Harvard to help with resumes, interviewing, getting offers, etc. For more
Students often ask: Shouldn’t I major in Finance or Accounting if I want to become a CEO? I said: Well, being able to talk CFO talk is critical to long term success, but you might want to give this supply chain thing some thought…CEOs Will Come from an Unlikely Place: The Supply Chain…
Students often ask: Shouldn’t I major in Finance or Accounting if I want to become a CEO? I said: W
Manufacturing Matters. The ISM MFG PMI Index has contracted for the 19th time in the last 20 months. Yes, that is a MFG recession, but does this predict and/or is a precursor to an overall recession? Maybe.
Manufacturing Matters. The ISM MFG PMI Index has contracted for the 19th time in the last 20 months
Great read (see our new apprenticeship program below): From article…“In some ways, it’s odd supply chain & procurement hadn’t come to the forefront sooner….Managing complex processes on paper or w/ spreadsheets is impossible…All told, the supply chain may comprise as much as 37% of all jobs – 44M jobs…64% of companies are experiencing a supply chain talent gap…Colleges aren’t providing any coursework or training on Salesforce, Workday, or SAP. And if they’re not doing that, they’re highly unlikely to introduce specialized procurement and supply chain platform curriculum.”
Great read (see our new apprenticeship program below): From article…“In some ways, it’s odd supply
2024 Gartner Top SCM Graduate School Rankings. Another rather random ranking, Top 10 SCM Schools (MIT is on this one): Yes, tough to argue with these lists, just pay attention to ROI.
2024 Gartner Top SCM Graduate School Rankings, pg. 4: https://lnkd.in/gMQAx4U9. Another rather rand
FYI, designed for Students. “The Associate Professional in Supply Management (APSM) certification allows active ISM student members to take control of their career development.” Supply Chain Certifications To Advance Your Career…and many more at:
FYI, designed for Students. "The Associate Professional in Supply Management (APSM) certification a
I used to pack Contract Management into one class during the 1990s. Now, our supply chain students can take a customized legal & adv contract mgmt course. They take LAW 4860 so that they can learn the terms & conditions associated w/ buyer-supplier contracts. The instructors are actual lawyers & they customize the class for SCM students. Today, over 70% of current supplier contracts have price increase provisions. Here are some Practices that Can Make Your Commodity Related Supply Chain Job More Rewarding:
I used to pack Contract Management into one class during the 1990s. Now, our supply chain students
FYI: here is some of my old school teaching material. Yes, I have copies on overhead transparencies from the 90s. Warning, most of it is still VERY relevant today. Feel free to use as you wish…teaching material on the complex, yet essential topic of “Factors Influencing the Make/Buy Decision”.
FYI: here is some of my old school teaching material. Yes, I have copies on overhead transparencies
FYI: more of my old school teaching material. My overhead transparencies from the 90s are NOT available upon request (they are lost). Yes, most of this is still VERY relevant today. Even “AI” agrees. See last 3 pages for list of chat prompts that could facilitate research on supplier selection.
FYI: more of my old school teaching material. My overhead transparencies from the 90s are NOT avail
Here is my slide deck on Negotiation from the 1990s. I used to pack this into one class. Now, every WMU Supply Chain major has to take an entire course on Global Negotiation. Why? Industry asked us to. It is our fastest growing class.
Here is my slide deck on Negotiation from the 1990s.
https://www.linkedin.com/posts/sime-curkov
Prepping for Fall classes already…Should we be teaching Linear Programming to SCM students? Great read: Supply Chains Can’t Find Talent With The Right Skill Sets…Notice the reference to “optimization”…
Prepping for Fall classes already…Should we be teaching Linear Programming to SCM students? My slid
Tough to argue with this list though, just pay attention to ROI. Should You Give Up Your Salary and Go to Grad School? Well, that darn MBA degree still has a great ROI…“Over their lifetime, an MBA grad can expect to earn $3M more than someone w/ only a bachelor’s.”
Tough to argue with this list though, just pay attention to ROI. Should You Give Up Your Salary and
WMU Business college begins pilot study of AI for student interview preparation…KALAMAZOO, Mich.—”AI is unlikely to replace you any time soon, but those people who know AI will.” This is an adage used by Dr. Kuanchin (KC) Chen, Western Michigan University professor of computer information systems and a 30-year veteran of researching and teaching artificial intelligence.
WMU Business college begins pilot study of AI for student interview preparation...KALAMAZOO, Mich.—
Great read…Note, we cover this in our CIS 4640 Business Data Mining class which is the capstone class in our Business Analytics minor. The forecast-driven idea is something that our CIS faculty have been selling to SCM students in this course. In fact, more than 70% of the class is about forecasting and predicting.
Great read…Note, we cover this in our CIS 4640 Business Data Mining class which is the capstone cla
This map shows how much income “single” adults need to live comfortably in each U.S. state. Another map shows the income a “family” needs to live comfortably in every U.S. state, see:
This map shows how much income “single” adults need to live comfortably in each U.S. state. Another
Full Global Report 2024 (U.S., Canada, Europe, India): “The annual report found that supply chain professionals continue to benefit from a solid job market, reflected in another year of significant salary increases. Building on the momentum from 2023, respondents saw their average salaries increase by 8% this year.”
Full Global Report 2024 (U.S., Canada, Europe, India): “The annual report found that supply chain p