Yossi Sheffi Journalist Profile

Articles

Great Expectations: The Moderating Effects of Supplier Service Model and Market Dynamics on Relational Contract Performance

Aug 19, 2024 | journals.sagepub.com | Angela Acocella |Chris Caplice |Yossi Sheffi

1. IntroductionThe buyer–supplier relationship plays a critical role in performance when contractual terms are loose and terms are not court-enforceable (Bernstein, 1992; Taylor and Plambeck, 2007). Both parties uphold informal agreements because there is value placed on expected future business (Baker et al., 2002).
New Inventory Problems Expose Old Supply Chain Weaknesses

Apr 9, 2024 | medium.com | Yossi Sheffi

Companies are trying all manner of ways to rid themselves of bloated inventories at a time when they typically build inventory for the end-of-year holiday season. How did they find themselves in such a mess? Companies are trying all manner of ways to rid themselves of bloated inventories at a time when they typically build inventory for the end-of-year holiday season. How did they find themselves in such a mess?
Supply Chain Can Teach Us Much About the Future of Professional Education

Apr 9, 2024 | medium.com | Yossi Sheffi

Labor issues command a lot of attention right now, and notably the challenge of how to find enough talent to meet current and future market demands. Central to this challenge is developing educational models that meet the changing needs of professionals and their employers. The supply chain industry is no exception in this sense.
Yellow’s Demise Underscores the Need for a New Labor Relations Narrative

Mar 7, 2024 | medium.com | Yossi Sheffi

The bankruptcy of trucking company Yellow has attracted considerable attention since the story broke early this month. But an aspect of the story that is under-reported is how the demise of a 99-year-old trucker and the loss of an estimated 30,000 jobs offers essential lessons about the transition to the workplace of the future. Old habits die hardSince Yellow’s bankruptcy was announced on August 6, 2023, the company’s management team and Teamster union officials have been at odds over the causes.
Why Humans and Machines Will Be Coworkers in the Workplace of the Future

Mar 7, 2024 | medium.com | Yossi Sheffi

Labor relations are in the spotlight with employers at Los Angeles and Long Beach ports, management teams at FedEx, and UPS engaged in critically important contract negotiations with trade union representatives. Any one of these talks has the potential to hurt the US economy should the negotiators fail to reach an agreement and protracted industrial action ensues. The talks cover a range of issues, but a key theme is flexibility.
Where Will the Next FedEx Come from in Today’s Tech-Ruled Markets?

Mar 7, 2024 | medium.com | Yossi Sheffi

When Fred Smith started FedEx in 1973, he didn’t just disrupt an industry — he created a new one. Technology played a critical role in FedEx’s early successes, and that is still the case today. During a fireside chat I had with Fred Smith on January 26, 2023, to kick off a series of events to mark the 50th anniversary of the MIT Center for Transportation & Logistics, he talked about how FedEx uses technology to drive competitiveness.
The China Dilemma: Stay or Leave?

Mar 7, 2024 | medium.com | Yossi Sheffi

In these unstable times, keeping most of your sourcing eggs in the China basket has become inadvisable, and companies appear to be putting a lot more energy and resources into finding alternatives to the world’s workshop. In these unstable times, keeping most of your sourcing eggs in the China basket has become inadvisable, and companies appear to be putting a lot more energy and resources into finding alternatives to the world’s workshop.
Supply Chain’s Next Decade of Dealing With the Unknown

Mar 7, 2024 | medium.com | Yossi Sheffi

LinkedIn published my 100th Influencer article last month. The inaugural post appeared on March 4, 2014, and was about the rising status of the supply chain profession. Reaching this milestone got me thinking about how the profession might change over the next decade. Some events and trends driving the supply chain’s standing back in 2014 remain just as influential in 2023.
Faceless AI Will Not Relegate the Social Side of Business to the Past

Mar 7, 2024 | medium.com | Yossi Sheffi

Supply chain management is a people business and will remain that way even amid the rise of AI and automation. My previous blog post explains why the flexibility of human workers will play a critically important role in the automated workplace of the future. In this post, I argue that humans will be an essential part of the external work environment in an AI-driven world.
Reasons To Be Optimistic in 2024

Dec 20, 2023 | linkedin.com | Yossi Sheffi

Since we are awash with negative news and doom-and-gloom predictions, I decided to offer hope for the coming year in this LinkedIn post. Economic wounds are healing. The Federal Reserve’s efforts to counter inflationary pressures and engineer an economic soft landing for the US economy appear to be working. Recent jobs numbers indicate a cooling of the economy, a vital part of the Fed’s strategy for restoring the country’s economic health.