The SupplyChainBrain Podcast

So the major driver behind all those lost American jobs is free trade? Not so fast. Trade has indeed caused many manufacturers to shift their operations offshore. And there's no denying that a hefty portion of the U.S. manufacturing base has been decimated over the past couple of decades. But is the first trend really to blame for the second? On this episode, we hear a nuanced perspective on why domestic production jobs have disappeared. Michael Hicks, professor of economics and director of the Center for Business and Economic Research at Ball State University, says the real reason behind most job losses is higher worker productivity, not trade. And that's primarily a result of advances in automation, coupled with more efficient supply chains. Hicks also points out that U.S. manufacturing output today is higher than it's ever been. But what do we tell those workers who have lost lucrative plant jobs?

Going up against the behemoth that is Amazon.com, does the smaller e-commerce provider have a chance? The answer is yes, provided that the small or medium-sized e-tailer can find a way to match Amazon's level of service, as well as differentiate its product in the marketplace. On this episode, we get some tips on how that daunting task might be achieved, in our conversation with Dan Coll. He is senior manager of e-commerce fulfillment with FedEx Supply Chain. Coll discusses how smaller entities can carve out market niches by focusing on what he calls ''the unboxing experience.'' It's all about giving customers what they want, in selection, convenience and product quality. Or maybe what they didn't even realize they could have. Long live the little guy!

Somebody out there is talking about your product. And you had better be listening. Social media can be the bane of a brand's existence. Justified or not, a complaint can quickly go viral on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and the like, causing irreparable damage to a company's reputation. But there's a positive side to the explosion of social media. Through the techniques of social listening and social sensing, companies can get a better understanding of how buyers are reacting to their products, and what the marketplace really looks like. On this episode, we speak with Juan Camilo Dorado, director of advanced analytics with ToolsGroup. He discusses how social media, the cloud, machine learning and artificial intelligence are combining to furnish companies with an unprecedented wealth of information about buyers and markets. He also addresses the challenge of translating that raw data into quantifiable metrics that allow merchandisers to understand true demand patterns, now and in the future.

Companies today need to cut costs, speed up fulfillment processes and manage growth. All the while providing ''the perfect order.'' It's a tough set of challenges to meet. Scrambling to keep pace with rising customer demands, supply-chain managers are unable to step back, take a breath and review the most basic processes. And there's little room for error. A few bad data entries can result in a late or incorrect order, costing the supplier millions of dollars in product-replacement and expediting fees. On this episode, we talk solutions with two executives from Esker, a provider of document process automation: sales director Dan Reeve, and business development manager Jeremy Deuchars. They offer guidance on how companies can embark on the road to automation, who should oversee the initiative, and who holds the purse strings. In the process, we learn why so many companies continue to fall short of the goal of ''the perfect order.''

American manufacturing is in need of a reboot. Steven L. Blue calls it ''Manufacturing 2.0.'' That's the title of his new book, in which he imparts guidance on how to create a competitive yet humane manufacturing environment. His experience in the matter is more than academic; Blue is chief executive officer of Miller Ingenuity, a global producer of locomotive and freight-car parts. He takes a dim view of the concept of ''Smart Manufacturing,'' at least to the extent that it overlooks the human element in crafting an optimal work environment. Blue also talks about why many American CEOs have become ''fat, dumb and happy,'' and why companies should strive to build cultures ''by design, not default.'' Maybe there's hope for a resurgence of American manufacturing after all.

It's tough enough stopping the use of conflict minerals from the Democratic Republic of the Congo. How about attacking the larger issue of human trafficking throughout the supply chain? On one hand, the Securities & Exchange Commission's disclosure rule on conflict minerals in manufactured goods can serve as a guide for broadening the fight against human trafficking on a global scale. But expanding that limited rule to incorporate all sources and products won't be easy. Many companies are sitting on the sidelines, instead of undertaking a bold effort to wipe out modern-day slavery the world over. But they can't sit forever. Regulators in the U.S. and elsewhere are toughening up on companies that rely, even inadvertently, on forced labor to make their products. On this episode, we discuss the problem with Kristen Sullivan, sustainability services leader for the Americas with Deloitte. She offers guidance on how companies can approach the issue through the adoption of established standards and frameworks. In the process, they'll reap the benefits of becoming socially conscious, while improving visibility throughout their supply chains.

Big data is threatening to swamp small companies. The good news is that there's more data than ever before with which to manage global supply chains effectively. The bad news is that the cost of that effort can be punishingly high. That's not a problem for big multinationals, but how is a smaller entity supposed to keep up? Storage costs alone can be prohibitive. At least until now: new technologies, along with the declining cost of deploying them, are helping smaller competitors to level the playing field. On this episode, we speak with Don Baptiste, chief executive officer of Trax Technologies, who offers guidance on how companies of all sizes can thrive in the age of Big Data without becoming overwhelmed. We learn how they can get started on initiatives to access, cleanse and analyze the rich trove of data that's being generated both within the organization and by a multitude of supply-chain partners.

Cyber thieves, hackers and terrorists are targeting the Internet of Things. Every device that's connected to the internet is vulnerable. Witness last fall's massive distributed denial of service (DDOS) attack on the internet infrastructure provider Dyn. The incident took down some of the net's most heavily trafficked websites. It was a distressing demonstration of the inadequate security that has been put into place to guard against breaches. And it's not just about stolen credit-card data anymore. The growth of the Internet of Things has made critical systems more open to attack than ever before. Everything from home appliances to automobiles, aircraft and the nation's power grid is susceptible. On this episode, we learn of the scope of the problem from attorney Creighton Magid, partner and head of the D.C. office of Dorsey & Whitney. He explains what manufacturers must do in order to protect their connected devices from intrusion. They need to examine ''the entire ecosystem'' of their products, he says.

At some point, every organization must change in order to survive. How do we combat the natural human tendency to resist it? The ability to manage organizational change lies at the very heart of executive leadership skills. Change is disruptive, to be sure, but it's also essential to the health of a business, educational institution, or any group that has come together with a common purpose. So how can members of an organization be persuaded to go along with change? How can their fears be allayed? How do we tear down functional silos? On this episode, we speak with Dr. Dwayne Hart, vice president of administration and chief financial officer at Grande Prairie Regional College in Alberta, Canada. He offers valuable advice on getting past the barriers that people erect to change. Assisting in the conversation are co-hosts PJ Shelton, deputy sector navigator for global trade and logistics with the Peralta Community College District, and Stacey Heiligenthaler, special education administrator with the Norwalk Public Schools in Norwalk, Conn.

Without effective freight-cost management, you're leaving millions of dollars a year on the table. The age of big data, coupled with the global nature of most supply chains, has made the job of managing freight spend tougher than ever. It's no longer sufficient just to be able to pay one's bills (as if that task were easy). Companies today need to incorporate sophisticated analytics into their freight management. On this episode, we speak with Henry Trujillo, logistics manager with Hewlett Packard Enterprise, about the challenge of freight-cost management in the 21st century. He reveals how HPE is adopting cutting-edge techniques to identify anomalies and excess cost in its global freight spend. Proper cost management, he says, can optimize one's carrier base, while racking up significant savings in the process.