Bitcoin really is a brilliant idea. It is essentially a peer-to-peer currency system that allows people to transfer money to each other without the middle men of banks. Plus, there are no transaction fees , the currency can be used anywhere in the world, and anonymity is allowed. However, bitcoin has had a rough year…
On March 6, 2015, the U.S. Department of Commerce announced that the trade deficit for goods and services has reached $41.8 billion. That’s the highest it has ever been. And, that number is expected to grow because of weak economic growth overseas and a strong dollar. This says a lot about the health of the…
Most of the clothing, electronics, and agricultural goods you buy are not made in the U.S. They are imported from developing countries, such as China. The Obama administration is pushing for the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) to create fair competition in the Asia-Pacific region. Their goal is to create an environment where “Made in America” goods…
Several companies are investigating 3D printing because it could revolutionize the supply chain industry. Instead of having items made in a third-world country and then shipped around the world, 3D printing opens up the possibility of making products anywhere and minimizing shipping needs. This means 3D printing could save companies millions of dollars each year…
Most customers don’t realize the time, energy, and resources that go into making a super supply chain like Wal-Mart’s. Wal-Mart has 11,000 stores around the world and serves more than 130 million customers per week. They are able to dominate in the market because of their focus on technology, vendor partnerships, integrations, and cross docking…
President Dilma Rousseff recently created diesel fuel taxes to help the government in Brazil shore up their fiscal accounts. This has caused fuel prices to skyrocket where most places around the world are actually experiencing lower than normal fuel. The diesel tax took effect on February 1, making a gallon of gas reach $4.15. Brazilian…
China’s economy has been booming for the past 15 years, but things are really slowing down. The auto industry is feeling the slowdown, too. New-vehicle sales in China are only half of what they were a year ago. Surprisingly, automakers are not slowing down production to match demand, and dealers in China are speaking out…
Have you ever ordered groceries online? It’s very convenient and easy to do. You pick out everything you want from a website, pay online, and then wait for your groceries to come to your door. Now, Wal-Mart is getting in on that action. They are piloting an online grocery ordering program at three East Valley…
Hundreds of companies had problems fulfilling their supply chain needs because of the labor disputes at west coast ports. One major company affected by the delays was McDonalds. For instance, some Japanese stores went without French fries for a time. However, McDonald’s was able to quickly overcome the problem by turning to local suppliers. They…
Google, General Motors, and Tesla are all working on self-driving cars. Now, there are rumors that Apple will enter the race. The Wall Street Journal reported that several Apple employees are working on project “Titan,” which is an electric vehicle in the minivan class. However, those rumors were not confirmed by Apple.