Blog | Core Solutions

Low cost sourcing buck stops at China

13th April 2012

With rising costs and tightening capacity in traditional low cost or low wage manufacturing hot spots such as China and Vietnam, where to source is one of the biggest questions for executives in the global apparel and footwear industry. Some …

Retail Supply Chain Execs Shift Strategy

23rd March 2012

After several years of laser-like focus on cost cutting, retail supply chains are starting to return to a more balanced strategy that places equal emphasis on cost and customer service. At the same time, they’re striving to respond to the …

How Walmart, Target, Kmart and Kohls Revolutionized Shopping

19th March 2012

As some of the top US retailers celebrate their 50th anniversary, Ad Age Magazine recently posted an interesting article on these discount retailers revolutionized the way we shop. Author, Natalie Zmuda writes: “Middle-class households were booming, and suburbs, as well as the …

Strategies to Retail Profit

14th March 2012

US Retail Sales (Image via Wikipedia) You are probably fully aware of the challenges in today’s climate, where retailers are struggling to return to pre-2008 growth levels. Our discussions with customers and analysts and research into financial indicators and the performance …

Dynamic Supply Chains: Delivering Value Through People

16th February 2012

If you’re looking to expand your knowledge on supply chain strategy, you might want to check out John Gattorna’s 2010 book, Dynamic Supply Chains: Delivering Value Through People. As a follow-up to his 2006 book, Living Supply Chains, Dynamic Supply …

What’s on the mind of Chief Supply Chain Officers?

15th February 2012

Aberdeen recently completed a survey among 191 Chief Supply Chain Officers. The findings emphasize the focus on reducing costs and managing complexity in the supply chain. Improving process collaboration and supply chain visibility are top strategic actions that will be …

Retailers bet on technology to boost sales

11th February 2012

A regional on-line distribution centre is being put forward as the solution to a retail slump in New South Wales, Australia. Chambers of Commerce, councils and retailers are reporting reduced revenues and an increase in people trying products in stores but …

Are IT budgets shifting as IT’s role becomes more critical?

20th January 2012

IT will be charged with doing more with less in 2012. That’s because budgets are largely flat, increasing a mere half percent overall — and actually declining in North America and Europe. So says a global survey of CIOs by …

Supply Chain Management – Key Challenges

10th January 2012

There’s no question that supply chain management is rising in importance as case studies of companies such as Apple, Dell and Zara are recognized for their phenomenal success in some part due to their evolved supply chains. Since the economic crisis …

The Future of Global Supply Chains

5th January 2012

As we start a new year, companies are thinking about the near and long term future. For retailers and many other businesses faced with cost cutting and implementing efficiency, supply chain is one of the top agenda items. Greater collobaration …