The Top Import Partner of Every U.S. State: https://lnkd.in/eKT767J9. Check out Michigan...Top impo
My students in Silicon Valley say making $200K+/yr feels like making $90K/yr in Metro Detroit. Some pay close to $6K/month for rent (so they need roommates). Owning a home will be tough. Kind of related…Ranked: Worst Companies for Employee Retention:
My students in Silicon Valley say making $200K+/yr feels like making $90K/yr in Metro Detroit. Some
Will AI really kill the tools we teach like Excel? From 2020, notice where AI was on the list. We are still holding firm on Predictive Data Analytics, ranked #2! Every WMU SCM major now has to take this class (Excel on steroids). Our Business Analytics minor teaches Big Data w/ skill sets such as:
Will AI really kill the tools we teach like Excel? From 2020, notice where AI was on the list. We a
My SCM students often ask: What earnings can I expect in my career if it goes well? Elon Musk says: “You get paid in direct proportion to the difficulty of the problems you solve”. Another lesser known manager told my students: “The critical factor for this salary gap is that if you reach 35-ish years old and have never led a team, then it’s *extremely* difficult to move up to the next level.” Tons of data out there to be had and make sense of…
Winter NACE 2024 Salary Survey: https://lnkd.in/eJJCfx5c. My students love salary data…The 10 Highe
TRUE OR FALSE? MOST FIRMS WILL CONTINUE TO REDUCE THE TOTAL NUMBER OF SUPPLIERS THEY MAINTAIN, AND THE REDUCTION WILL CONTINUE TO BE AS DRAMATIC AS THEY HAVE BEEN IN THE LAST 8 TO 10 YEARS.
TRUE OR FALSE? MOST FIRMS WILL CONTINUE TO REDUCE THE TOTAL NUMBER OF SUPPLIERS THEY MAINTAIN
Students (see the crazy import data below, AI is 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.
Students (see the crazy import data below, AI is coming soon in a very big way):Supply chain manage
Many students keep asking me, why don’t these OEMs just use dual sources of supply to mitigate risk? Well, it is very complicated. Almost all questions in business (and life) can be somewhat answered with this word – MONEY. For example,…
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jjziSDoeOcU
One of our WMU SCM alumni put the video above toge
I recently had a student ask me this question – Would you recommend using Vendor Managed Inventory (VMI) or Consignment Inventory (CI)? I feel like VMI means that you have to regulate the Suppliers more than Consignment would. Consignment allows you to have your inventory costs in the hands of the supplier so the inventory cost is lower for you. In other words, Consignment means we will buy the stuff from suppliers, but we will not pay the supplier until we actually use it.
These stats came out from ISM Supply Chain Weekly (you get this if you join ISMWorld.org - $35 for
Supply Chain Trends, Reverse SCM, and SCM Finance
Pasted below is a lecture videos (Supply Chain Trends, Reverse SCM, and SCM Finance) that I have se
SCM 101
Pasted below are the 3 lecture videos that I have sent in previous emails just in case you missed c
“Those who invested in career certifications found themselves earning higher salaries. The report found that supply chain professionals who hold at least one credential reported a median salary that is 16% higher than those without. People with two or more certifications earn 34% more.”
Most of you are SCM majors and will eventually pursue careers in supply management related fields (
Apple’s Core Competency is SCM? I thought it was technology/innovation?
Apple's Core Competency is SCM? I thought it was technology/innovation? Students:Apple's
ESI = early supplier involvement & CE = concurrent engineering (everyone does this for their “core” material needs) ESI = early supplier involvement and CE = concurrent engineering, and they mean the same thing. Before companies go into production with new products, they have to design those products, it is called the new product development process (NPD).
Three Sample Exam Questions: If you try answering the questions, I will reply back with the an
Problem-solving at work requires that you measure the stuff that is important to your organization (i.e., quality, costs, service, etc.). For example, can a company be good at anything if it does not measure it in excruciating and accurate detail? No, they will be terrible at all things that they do not measure (i.e., customer satisfaction). However, measurement also implies that you have to make sense of very large amounts of data (and hence the desire for super advanced excel spreadsheet data analytics skill sets). And, further, the need to use technology to make the right decisions using data visualization tools like Power BI and Tableau (think dashboards and graphs and pie charts – old people like me prefer pictures that tell a story rather than looking at giant color coded spreadsheets to make decisions).
Which of the following are two data visualization tools taught in CIS 3640 of the Business Analytic
One of the most reprinted articles in the history of the Harvard Business Review (HBR). The HBR “Core Competence” Article…
One of the most reprinted articles in the history of the Harvard Business Review (HBR). Students:T
How do companies outsource strategically? Some companies (both large and small) are going beyond just outsourcing commodities to also outsourcing core/strategic parts. It makes sense for smaller firms with scarce resources to outsource commodities. A commodity by definition is something that several suppliers exist for and as a result of competition, someone else can do it better, faster, and cheaper.
Here are the same video lectures from the last email (tons of exam questions from these, treat thes
What is MRO? It is a type of indirect cost.
What is MRO? It is a type of indirect cost.
Students:
I would watch this firs
Feedback from former student on consulting jobs after graduation…just in case you see some at the career fairs. There will be several at the MSU career fairs. Consulting is simply “problem-solving” for a client/customer. Does consulting appeal to you? “You get paid in direct proportion to the difficulty of the problems you solve” – Elon Musk
Feedback from former student on consulting jobs after graduation...just in case you see some at the
Spending on diverse suppliers averages 3.6% of total spend (96.4% is with non-diverse suppliers – we will discuss this in class eventually) – finding and using a minority owned supplier might be a part of your future job. Your employer might expect you to have around 5-10% of your total spend with diversity suppliers, and it will not be easy. Why? There are not many and they tend to be small (and smaller suppliers tend to struggle with being price competitive).
Spending on diverse suppliers averages 3.6% of total spend (96.4% is with non-diverse suppliers - w
Feedback from Broncos who have GREAT gov jobs (no one spends more money and buys more stuff than the government – that’s SCM – buying stuff and spending money, but doing so well). MSU and WMU have a career fair for just these kinds of jobs. Note, there might currently be a hiring freeze on these jobs (we have new leadership in Washington and Elon is leading that charge). …and if you think government jobs do not pay well, here is a state of Michigan procurement job that pays $93,681.00 – $134,751.00
Feedback from Broncos who have GREAT gov jobs (no one spends more money and buys more stuff than th
Feedback from Alumni, Delaying graduation, Emails (I was not expecting this one), Drugs & if you have a criminal record…
Feedback from Alumni, Delaying graduation, Emails (I was not expecting this one), Drugs &
Typically, buying organizations will use several rounds of the competitive bidding process to pick a low cost supplier. Buying organizations will send out RFQs to get bids from suppliers. RFQ stands for a Request for Quotation. In other words, please give us a quote for this business. Unfortunately, several iterations of the competitive bidding process can be very resource intensive, especially for smaller companies.
Here are the video lectures to accompany the next few emails (tons of exam questions from these, tr
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
Clarification on “3PL versus 4PL” & “asset based” vs. “non-asset based” (huge job market, they will be at all career fairs). Please make sure you understand this before the career fairs as I do not want you to waste your time with companies that might not be a good fit (i.e., sales).
Clarification on "3PL versus 4PL" & "asset based" vs. "non-asset based" (huge job market, they
What does a Supply Chain Manager do (and how much do they make – salary data)? The U.S. supply chain accounts for 37% of all domestic jobs and many people in those jobs do not even realize it.
What does a Supply Chain Manager do (and how much do they make - salary data)? The U.S.
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 (which can be automated)? Students (how about creating a professional email signature to impress employers?):
Rounding up GPAs, post script on your phones for email replies, resume keywords, & email s
What do SCM/business internships pay (and they all pay, never work for free)? The going rate is $20-30 per hour. For goodness sake, ALDI is paying people in the front of the store $17/hr and people in the back/warehouses $23/hr.
What do SCM/business internships pay (and they all pay, never work for free)? The going rate is $2
The STAR method is a structured manner of responding to a behavioral-based interview question by discussing the specific situation, task, action, and result of the situation you are describing.
The STAR method is a structured manner of responding to a behavioral-based interview
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. “You get paid in direct proportion to the difficulty of the problems you solve” – ElonMusk Students (see the end of this for feedback from my former students):
Business Analytics Minor and AI (I think this minor keeps you from ever being a victim of technolog
We should be teaching students AI “prompt engineering” tailored to their major because it is becoming a key skill in many careers. Prompt engineering is the process of designing clear, effective prompts to maximize the accuracy and usefulness of AI tools like ChatGPT. However, it’s not just about asking the right questions—it’s also about understanding how these systems work, recognizing when the information provided makes sense, and critically evaluating its accuracy.
We should be teaching students AI “prompt engineering” tailored to their major because it is becomi
Speaking of negotiation, 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. Note: my students go into “buyer” roles VERY early on in their careers (it often gets built into their job rotations). 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! Hint, use data.
Speaking of negotiation, here is my slide deck on Negotiation from the 1990s: https://lnkd.in/ebFG4
Our new “apprenticeship” program: We concluded a co-op pilot program with a F500 company that was highly successful and has started its second iteration in. So, what makes this Co-op program different…
Our new "apprenticeship" program: We concluded a co-op pilot program with a F500 company that was h
Should college grads negotiate a job offer (i.e., a higher starting salary)? Yes, but only if you know how to negotiate. I do have students that get offers in the $60K-$70K range & many successfully negotiate up to $65K-$80K. That is a 10-30% bump before you even start! Many people have to work a few years to get that bump.
Students:These links will take you to salary data at MSU and Indiana. As you can see, your starting
My SCM students often ask: What earnings can I expect in my career if it goes well? Elon Musk says: “You get paid in direct proportion to the difficulty of the problems you solve”. Another lesser known manager told my students: “The critical factor for this salary gap is that if you reach 35-ish years old and have never led a team, then it’s *extremely* difficult to move up to the next level.” Tons of data out there to be had and make sense of…
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