Negotiation is on my mind a lot lately as I finish The Vested Outsourcing Manual with three colleagues and friends. It also apparently is much on the mind of Tim Cummins in his excellent “Commitment Matters” blog, where he writes about the “economics of negotiation” and the “purpose of negotiation.” It’s on my mind because […]
collaboration
Santa Claus: As an Outsourcer, He’s the Top Dog
As the song goes, UPS loves logistics. And this time of year, UPSers have to really love their job. So many packages; they work extended hours seven days a week to make it happen. Warehouses add seasonal workers. Stores open early and close late. Moms are frazzled just trying to manage. Hey, it’s Christmas! And […]
Lawyers: Can’t Live with Them, Can’t Live without Them?
I’ve been thinking about the global economy, outsourcing, lawyers and trust lately, and no, that is not as crazy-making or schizophrenic as it may sound. I often talk about the mindset changes that Vested Outsourcing brings to the forefront in the world of business and outsourcing. For many companies the Five Rules require huge changes […]
Don’t Blame Outsourcing for Lack of Jobs (Part 2)
Last time I talked about how blaming outsourcing for the ugly U.S. jobs situation is misguided and just plain wrong. I promised to share a letter I prepared to President Obama in response to Monster’s Keep America Working Project, so here it is: Mr. President, I feel your pain. The American people have spoken. About […]
Bridging the Gap with Incentives
An old saying goes, “Money talks, nobody walks.” In the case of the St. Anthony Falls Bridge rebuild project in Minneapolis, the saying could go something like, “Incentives drive performance, everybody soon resumes driving.” The Minnesota bridge project case is a powerful example showing that a collaborative, innovative—and incentivized!—approach to solving difficult problems will most […]
Outsourcing’s Wrong and Right (Part 2)
Last time I talked about how Armstrong’s outsourcing of transportation functions to a 3PL in 2007 was probably the wrong decision at the time and one that was destined to fail mainly because it was based on non-vested premises. Eventually Armstrong brought back that function—something it historically was very competent at—in-house and then went on […]
Outsourcing’s Wrong and Right (Part 1)
As with most everything else in life there’s a right and a wrong. It’s no different in outsourcing. Unfortunately the lines of demarcation can get a little blurry, as when doing what seems to be the right thing in the beginning fails miserably and then you win an award for it. Let me explain. […]
Logistics Quarterly, Nov 2010
In their article “Playing to Win“, Kate Vitasek and Mike Ledyard outline what it takes to build stronger relationships and gain greater value from your outsourcing relationships. In a nutshell, Kate and Mike explain how best companies WIN at the game of outsourcing their supply chain.
Journal of Commerce, Nov 2010
Lead Vested Outsourcing researcher Kate Vitasek was interviewed by David Biederman for his article “Warehousing Emerges From Deep Freeze” that appeared in the November 2010 issue of Journal of Commerce. David Biederman highlights the reasons companies choose the vested outsourcing model for future agreements.
Umair Haque: Value Through Thick and Thin
The economist Umair Haque, who writes prolifically and provocatively on economic and business issues in his Edge Economy blog for the Harvard Business Review and in his own blog, Bubblegeneration, thinks that many companies just don’t get it when it comes to creating sustainable profitability and value. With the near collapse of the financial system […]
