In this episode, Ron and Joseph discuss the supply chain and logistical challenges that are supposedly global in nature. But are they really? And to what extent?

Joseph starts by sharing that none of the reported stresses in supply chain and logistics are being reported in Europe. The dozens of ships parked off the shores of Rotterdam, Hamburg, and other ports awaiting their turn to offload or onload as they do off Los Angeles and Newark simply do not exist.

Certainly, the news reports coming from the United States and as witnessed from producer to consumer indicate there is severe strain. There are images of bare shelves in the grocery stores and retailers concerned about not being able to get stock for the holiday shopping season.

But the news coming from other parts of the world and accompanying experiences tell quite a different story. In fact, there hardly seems to be much concern at all in Europe. Perhaps some of it has to do with there being much less emphasis on holiday gift shopping in Europe than in the States, so the supply-side isn't under unusual (or noticable) strain.

Obviously, if there is a supplier-side challenge (such as with computer chips from Taiwan, China, and so on) it affects the entire world similarly. But there is no talk of "Christmas being ruined" and no pain being felt by consumers anywhere but in the States. So what gives?

Ron and Joseph offer their insights into what's happening at the ports around the world, the availability of truck-drivers, chassis, and warehousing; what differences there are between the States and Europe, and how the challenges can be overcome (or endured).

Recorded: April 24, 2021

In this episode, Ron and Joseph call into question the body of knowledge that is the basis of the discipline of supply chain as it exists today.

Keeping in mind that the modern supply chain has existed for roughly 30 years, with the fall of the Berlin Wall, the ascent of China, the building of super-sized container ships, it could be argued that the basis of our knowledge is in need of being challenged and updating with the experiences gained; especially from recent events.

And perhaps supply chain and logistics experts (and academia) need to make sure they have experience where the action happens; on the docks, at the ports, in the trucks (going to the gemba, in Lean parlance). This will contextualize the reality of what is going on and bring to life what is being seen on screens.

Sometimes, you have to go backwards to go forward.

Recorded: March 20, 2021

In this episode, Ron and Joseph discuss supply chains and digitalization.  Certainly, recent events and the disruptions that have gone with them have illuminated the need and benefits of digitalization.  And it’s no longer just about digital documents required for moving products from one point to another, but to use digitalization – in all of its incarnations – to add stability, even predictability, in supply chain operations.

For instance, could a shortage of chips (especially those used in automotive) been predicted in advance of it the challenges actually manifesting themselves?  In an interconnected world – and keeping in mind that an event does not have to directly effect our first-level suppliers, but can have an impact further upstream – could the political upheaval in places like Myanmar been anticipated and counter-measures put in place?

But it’s one thing to be able to predict the future, it’s quite another to act on the information.  At the end of the day, the information is only as good as the human interpreting it.

Give a listen to the conversation.