Managing Supply Chains

The Great Recession that started in 2007 is “very likely over at this point” claimed Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke during his address at The Brookings Institution.  (Refer to his address to The Brookings Institution on Tuesday, September 15, 2009). When I started my previous post on the lessons I have learned from this recession, I dwelled on the fact that the recession was affecting all equally – manufacturers and retailers, and recovery was going to be a long road. The fed chairman seems to concur and as he put it – recovery may be moderate because of the depth of the recession. There are countless articles out there talking about the need for improvement in Consumer Confidence. That makes sense. As a consumer you are worried about the decline in your net worth, the stagnation in your wage growth and the rising unemployment numbers. These issues affect your spending patterns. (Refer to my previous article on “ Bull Whip Effect ” and how your spending patterns can af...

According to Wikipedia; “The US entered a recession at the end of 2007, and 2008 saw many other nations follow suit.” Many economists believe that the recession that started in late 2007 in the US was a direct consequence of (a) the Housing Market Correction and (b) the Subprime Mortgage Crisis . What followed was a very difficult operating environment for many businesses that depended on banks for credit to keep them afloat. Credit was tight and often in many instances was being revised down – not only for businesses but also for consumers. Businesses selling high ticket items started seeing a significant decline in customers who depended on “No/Low Interest Long Term Financing Options”. Businesses were now competing based on “who could save the consumer more money”. The old adage “Shop Till You Drop” was no longer valid. Consumers started pulling back on making purchases and “bargain hunting” had become commonplace. Consequently to match this decline in demand, b...