The SupplyChainBrain Podcast

Supply-chain professionals, assuming they sought out the position in the first place, have typically learned the ropes by doing the job. Not anymore. Today, training has become an essential part of the profession. The reason? Supply chain, which used to function largely as a cost center for the organization, has become a key component of corporate profitability. It makes eminent sense that supply-chain managers be equipped with all of the tools needed to do their jobs. On this episode, we get an up-to-date perspective on supply-chain training from Jim Barnes, managing director for ISM Services at the Institute for Supply Management. He talks about the full range of training resources and techniques, including ''boot camps,'' continuing education, virtual learning, mentoring and professional certifications. We'll learn what it takes to be a supply-chain professional today, and what the job might look like in the future.

''It is difficult to make predictions, especially about the future.'' So said a Danish wit nearly 80 years ago. But when it comes to divining the direction of the economy, why try? Economists and money managers stake their reputations on the ability to foresee economic trends, even if they're frequently wrong. Perhaps a more honest approach would be to admit ignorance, then prepare for any eventuality. That's the strategy of portfolio manager Vitaliy Katsenelson, chief investment officer with Investment Management Associates, Inc., a value investment firm based in Denver, Col. On this episode, Katsenelson explains how he chooses stocks while avoiding the kind of commitments that can blow up when things don't pan out as expected. He also lays out two possible scenarios for the U.S. economy in the coming year: one if interest rates rise, the other if they remain low. The trick, Katsenelson says, is planning for an ''I Don't Know World.''

Whistleblowers play an essential role in uncovering corporate and government fraud. But they often pay a heavy price for their actions. Michael G. Winston was the executive at Countrywide Financial, the giant provider of single-family mortgages, who called out the company on its fraudulent practices in the early 2000s. The subsequent collapse of Countrywide was a major factor in the crash of the mortgage market and the Great Recession of 2007-08. Winston, who was punished by Countrywide management for speaking out, turned down a $10-million-plus settlement of his lawsuit against the company and its subsequent owner, Bank of America, because it would have allowed the perpetrators to evade culpability in the scandal. He then suffered a shocking loss in appellate court, and was blackballed by the financial industry. On this episode, Winston, dubbed by Salon ''Wall Street's greatest enemy,'' recalls his ordeal, and offers his view as to what should be done to reform the banking, mortgage and financial industries to prevent future fraudulent behavior. For now, however, the latest economic disaster remains what this veteran Fortune 50 executive calls ''the greatest unpunished crime in recorded history.''

The new era of retail isn't just about the internet. Welcome to the world of the pop-up store. Turns out that highlighting products on a website isn't always the most effective way to get your brand in front of the consumer. Buyers want to see, touch and smell the merchandise. And retailers want to promote the notion of constant innovation. Hence the growing popularity of the pop-up, a phenomenon that began with Halloween and Christmas merchandise but has since expanded to include any number of fashion-oriented items. A pop-up might not even be selling anything outright, it could be there to highlight a new product, test new geographies, build brand awareness or mine valuable intelligence about the consumer. On this episode, we examine the evolution of the pop-up with retail strategist Melissa Gonzalez, founder of the Lion'esque Group, a firm of pop-up architects. She traces the history, current state and future of pop-ups. And she addresses a key question about the state of retail today: Is nothing permanent anymore?

The U.K. is making a clean split from the European Union. How will its economy and trading relationships fare in a post-Brexit world? All signs point to a ''hard Brexit,'' a complete severing of ties with the European single market. Opponents of the move say it will lead to economic disaster for the U.K. It all depends, of course, on how one views the situation. Is the U.K. leaving the E.U., or joining the rest of the world? Has the E.U. been a help or hindrance to the country's economic state? On this episode, we hear a relatively positive view of Brexit from John Manners-Bell, founder and chief executive of Transport Intelligence. He suggests that the U.K.'s imminent economic independence could open up access to new markets and opportunities, while freeing the nation of the E.U.'s stultifying bureaucracy. But will Brexit trigger additional defections from the troubled E.U.? And might Scotland, which voted to remain in the single market, make another try at breaking free from the U.K.?

Forget about trade friction between the U.S. and China. Now it's a global trade war. As more and more aggrieved countries jump into the game, we find ourselves in a world of retributive duties and other government actions against the ''dumping'' of goods in export markets. It's not just the U.S. fighting with China. South Africa, India, Malaysia and Taiwan have also filed grievances. And China is responding in kind. On this episode, we welcome back attorney William Perry, now with the international law firm of Harris Moure, who explains how the policies of nominal trading ''partners'' have escalated tensions and undermined global commerce. Protectionism can have serious unintended consequences on the economy, Harris argues. Action against a single imported item can end up threatening thousands of jobs in another sector, and possibly entire domestic industries. Perry also offers his view on whether the World Trade Organization is still effective and relevant.

You can't optimize your logistics network if you don't know how much you're spending on it. That was the challenge confronting Blount International, Inc., a global maker and marketer of equipment and replacement parts for the forestry, lawn and garden, farm, ranch and concrete-cutting industries. On this episode, we speak with Alfredo Camacho, Blount's director of global logistics. He explains how the company tackled the problem of inadequate visibility of its army of logistics providers. What began as an effort to better manage freight payment and auditing became an initiative that allowed Blount to restructure its carrier base, achieve greater visibility of spend, negotiate better contracts with logistics partners, and streamline the entire settlement process.

It takes a big port to handle a big ship. Can East Coast ports meet the challenge of handling the new generation of mega-container vessels? Container lines are engaged in a frantic race to build ever-larger ships, which promise to have a ripple effect throughout the global transportation network. For their part, ports must invest billions of dollars in new and expanded facilities in order to accommodate the big ships. They need deeper water, longer berths, taller cranes, bigger container yards and improved connections to trucks and trains. Such projects also have the potential to alter the competitive landscape. On this episode, we speak with Andy Saporito, deputy director of the port department of the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, and Capt. Eric Wiberg, marketing manager with McAllister Towing and Transportation Co. They talk about how U.S. East Coast ports are taking advantage of the big-ship trend, as well as the impact of the recent widening of the Panama Canal.

The U.S. Department of Transportation is applying a surprisingly light hand to the regulation of driverless vehicles. Not that DOT intends to cede its authority to oversee the new technology. On the contrary. But a new proposed policy, replacing one from three years ago, allows automakers and designers some wiggle room in how they meet the agency's strict safety standards. For example, DOT has laid out a 15-point safety assessment that's entirely voluntary in nature – as long as the end result satisfies the agency's requirements. On this episode, we speak with Katie Thomson, partner in the law firm of Morrison Foerster. She is a former senior counsel at both DOT and the Federal Aviation Administration, with extensive experience in parsing the legal and regulatory ramifications of driverless vehicles. Thomson also weighs in on certain key questions yet to be resolved, such as the proper balance of regulatory authority between states and the federal government, and legal liability for accidents involving driverless cars.

The Trans-Pacific Partnership agreement, and free trade generally, are political poison these days. But what's the cost of rejecting the 12-nation treaty? In the presidential election season, the TPP has come under fire from both major political parties, a state of affairs that threatens to reverse years of progress toward free trade. The Office of the U.S. Trade Representative is pushing the agreement as a means of ''leveling the playing field for American workers and American businesses.'' Other supporters say the TPP is essential to countering the growing influence of China in Asia and the world at large. But opponents blame trade agreements for the steady erosion of U.S. manufacturing jobs over the past several decades. On this episode, we hear a spirited defense of TPP and the doctrine of free trade, from Sue Welch, chief executive officer of Bamboo Rose, a provider of software for business-to-business digital marketplaces. She describes the multiple consequences of a failure by the U.S. Congress to ratify TPP, and offers a realistic appraisal of the agreement’s chances.