Logistics strategy for your market. An interesting question was recently asked of Sir Terry Leahy, the retired chief of British retailer Tesco. The question related to the penetration of private label items as a percentage of total sales. His response was that in the UK, private label had acquired a reputation with consumers, through the policy of retailer Marks and … Read More
Are your problems the fault of customers
Improve your supply chains and logistics. In June 2011, the CEO of a multi-national food company described the Australian food market as the ‘worst in the world’. The main reason, he said, was the dominant position of the two major grocery retailers. He noted that the two companies were in strong price competition and replacing some branded products with their … Read More
Delivery transport in cities
A bigger job with fewer trucks. Reading the United Nations development program (UNDP) report Asia Pacific Human Development 2012, I was alerted to the important role that logisticians can play in making cities of the region livable. By 2026, more than half the Asia Pacific region’s population will live in a city; and half the world’s mega cities will be … Read More
How will you respond to carbon pricing?
Improve or pass on the cost. This is a question asked by CEOs of the larger companies in Australia. The carbon tax regime will commence in July 2012 and initially target the largest emiters. In addition to Australia, similar decisions and plans about implementing a carbon tax or carbon trading are happening around the Pacific Rim; in New Zealand, Thailand, … Read More
How do you explain logistics?
Things said on television. I have been watching the TV series Planet Word, hosted by the British entertainment personality, Stephen Fry. In the most recent episode he was discussing an advertisement for a job in which the word logistics was used. The speaker asked Stephen Fry if he knew what the term meant; to which Stephen responded “it has to … Read More