Earth Day is right around the corner, serving as a timely reminder of the importance of sustainability and circularity in supply chains. While ASCM advocates for a year-round commitment to these essential goals, this moment is a valuable opportunity for industry professionals to reevaluate their company’s environmental impact and strategize for long-term positive outcomes. According to a KPMG survey of 100 CEOs, 55% anticipate significant returns from their sustainability investments within three-to-five years. Better yet, 19% expect similar results in less than three years. Plus, corporate le ..read more

AI continues to be a hot topic, and it’s becoming increasingly valuable in supply chain management. In fact, AI earned the number-three spot on ASCM’s Top 10 Supply Chain Trends in 2024, spotlighting advances happening at an unprecedented rate and offering many immediate benefits. To simplify what you need to know to use AI successfully, here’s an ASCM Insights Blog roundup of seven key takeaways for supply chain professionals. 1. There’s no need to fear: AI has been around — and we’ve been using it — for a long time. The concept of AI has been around for more than 70 years, since Alan Tu ..read more

Editor’s note: A recent article in ASCM’s Journal of Operations Management identifies the combinations of supply chain integration and big data analytics capabilities that help enable supply chains resilience. The paper explores how organizations can better coordinate their supply chains and use data effectively to become stronger and more adaptable in the face of disruptions. The following is a summary of the original research. The globalized nature of modern supply chains exposes companies to a wide range of risks, from natural disasters and political instability to pandemics and labor crise ..read more

When the Dali cargo ship lost power and struck the Francis Scott Key bridge, it was ruled an avoidable accident — one that tragically claimed the lives of six construction workers. It will be several months before the reason for the incident is found. Currently, one safety board is examining data from the ship’s electrical system, while others are exploring the possibility of adulterated fuel. Although maritime collisions are extremely rare, power loss and engine failure from fuel impurities occur more frequently. The Wall Street Journal reports that contamination has been the cause of several ..read more

Logistics professionals are in high demand. A survey of 1,000 supply chain and logistics decision-makers found that 76% of respondents are facing notable labor shortages. More than half indicated that positions for logistics knowledge workers — such as planners and analysts — were the most difficult to fill, followed by logistics managers. According to the ASCM Supply Chain Dictionary, logistics is the subset of supply chain management that controls the forward and reverse movement, handling, and storage of goods between origin and distribution points. Logistics managers handle the inbound and ..read more

In another tragic event this week, Taiwan was hit with a 7.4 magnitude earthquake, killing at least 10 people and injuring more than 1,000. Harrowing images and video footage posted by news outlets show entire buildings leaning precariously and landslides tumbling down mountainsides. According to the New York Times, 71 people were trapped in two mining areas in the epicenter of the quake, 14,000 households were without water and another 1,000 lost power. Aftershocks of the original earthquake continued all day, totaling over 100 by late afternoon. Experts warned that more aftershocks could lea ..read more

Editor’s note: A recent article in ASCM’s Journal of Operations Management identifies the combinations of supply chain integration and big data analytics capabilities that help enable supply chains resilience. The paper explores how organizations can better coordinate their supply chains and use data effectively to become stronger and more adaptable in the face of disruptions. The following is a summary of the original research. The globalized nature of modern supply chains exposes companies to a wide range of risks, from natural disasters and political instability to pandemics and labor crise ..read more

Bob Trebilcock: Welcome to The Rebound, where we'll explore the issues facing supply chain managers as our industry gets back up and running in a post-COVID world. This podcast is hosted by Abe Eshkenazi, CEO of the Association for Supply Chain Management, and Bob Trebilcock, Editorial Director of Supply Chain Management Review. Remember that Abe and Bob welcome your comments. Now to today's episode. Hello and welcome to today's episode of The Rebound, how Pitney Bowes is innovating with autonomous vehicles. I'm Bob Trebilcock. Abe Eshkenazi: I'm Abe Eshkenazi. Bob: Joining us today is S ..read more

In a heartbreaking maritime incident this week, Baltimore's iconic Francis Scott Key Bridge fell victim to a collision with a large cargo vessel. The resulting collapse is presumed to have claimed the lives of six construction workers who were on the bridge at the time. The toll could have been much worse, had police officers not moved so swiftly to block bridge entrances after receiving a mayday from the ship. The immediate impact of the collapse Tuesday was “viscerally clear,” according to a report from The New York Times: “Rescue workers and salvage crews worked tirelessly to recover bodies ..read more

Easter comes early this year (March 31), so you know what that means: Time to break out the marshmallow chicks, malted eggs and — most importantly — the enormous chocolate bunnies. Unlike Christmas (with tons of gift-buying) and Halloween (with the imperative costumes and candy), you might not think of Easter as a major retail holiday. But it’s actually an important one. In fact, Nielsen IQ reports that Easter is the number-one U.S. holiday for milk chocolate sales. Unfortunately, we all might need to control our sweet tooths this year. Cocoa prices have more than doubled after three years of ..read more