Tag: BCTIM

The Boeing Center’s annual Meir J. Rosenblatt Memorial Lecture is an opportunity for prominent academics and practitioners of supply chain and operations management to discuss emerging trends and enjoy a presentation from one of the field’s preeminent thinkers.  The distinguished guest speaker for the 12^th installment was Jan Van Mieghem, the Harold L. Stuart Professor of Managerial Economics and Professor of Operations Management, Managerial Economics & Decision Sciences at Northwestern University’s Kellogg School of Business.

Van Mieghem spoke on the topic of collaboration (simultaneous versus procedural) and multitasking in healthcare networks. Emphasis was placed on designing the processes the right way to take full advantage of collaborative practices while minimizing their potential productivity losses. He particularly outlined the productivity challenges and efficiency costs of recently advocated collaborative practices in patient care.

After developing a theoretical analysis of the maximal throughput of the process under simultaneous collaboration, Van Mieghem and his fellow researchers performed an empirical study at Northwestern Memorial Hospital. In this study they observed the actions of hospitalists, or general practitioners, as well as the digital records of several patients.  They found that a single patient’s record was touched by as many as 385 healthcare professionals, thus revealing why patient care can be such an expensive process. Inappropriate use of collaboration protocols can make such “touch intensive” processes even more inefficient and costly for all of us.

For more, check out the video highlights and photo gallery.

By Evan Dalton

The Rosenblatt Lecture series was established in 2003 to honor the memory of Meir J. Rosenblatt, who taught from 1987 to 2001 at Olin Business School as the Myron Northrop Distinguished Professor of Operations and Manufacturing Management. A leader among faculty, Rosenblatt often won the Teacher of the Year award at Olin and authored the book “Five Times and Still Kicking: A Life with Cancer,” having battled cancer multiple times throughout his life.

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Since its creation in 1997, the Boeing Center for Technology, Information & Manufacturing (BCTIM) has established itself as one of the prominent supply chain management and operational excellence research centers worldwide. The Boeing Center has been focused from the very beginning on leveraging the synergies in the junction and three-way interaction of:  (a) top research faculty at a world-class university with strong expertise in operations and supply chain management; (b) intelligent and creative students across a wide variety of programs (from undergraduate, MBA and specialized masters, and doctoral programs); and (c) engaged corporate partners and experienced executives with a strong commitment to developing operational excellence and world-class supply chain practices.

In an effort to further enhance the engagement of our corporate partners in our center’s activities, and to seek the insightful guidance of high-level operations and supply chain executives, we have assembled an Advisory Board of the Boeing Center. The Advisory Board will provide the center with advice on future initiatives and ensure that its research remains timely and relevant, its events are engaging and well-attended, and that it continues to deliver value for our member companies, our faculty, and our students. We are thankful to all the executives from our member companies who agreed to be part of our Advisory Board!

Without further ado, CLICK HERE to see the new Boeing Center Advisory Board.

For more supply chain and operations management content, check us out on social media:

Early morning sunlight bathed the stoic face of Knight Hall as action-oriented executives from diverse industries gathered at Washington University for the 7^th annual Boeing Center for Technology, Information and Manufacturing (BCTIM) Industry Conference.  The theme was Supply Chains Disrupted:  Disruptive Technologies, New Business Models, and Operational Impact.  Executives from top companies in the region delivered presentations to quench the audience’s thirst for knowledge, and highly-skilled chefs from the Knight Center served delectable cuisine to sate its hunger.

Throughout the day, the angles of the shadows outside grew shorter, and then longer again, as theoretical and practical knowledge was transmitted between supply chain practitioners.  After a warm welcome address from Prof. Panos Kouvelis, the director of BCTIM, the attendees settled in for what would be a full day.

Tom Luft from Express Scripts kicked things off with a presentation about turning pharmaceutical manufacturer monopolies into commodities. John Vu talked about Belden’s expansion into strategic markets, inventory management improvements, and governmental regulations on the logistics industry. Mark Waight from Edward Jones spoke about how organized movement enables operational excellence in the service industry. Then, Prof. Kouvelis gave a special presentation explaining how effective risk management can foster innovation resulting in business model breakthroughs.

After lunch, Jeremy Soucek and Julien Marin-Couilloud discussed how Emerson manages risk in its own supply chain. Jim Kinnett went on to tell the audience about Monsanto’s journey through the creation and implementation of a digital supply chain, while Jeff Wieringa from Boeing described some disruptive technologies in the next generation of aircraft.

Finally, Chris Pickett impressed the crowd by explaining Anheuser-Busch InBev’s complex beer supply chain and logistical considerations.  All day long, pens feverishly scratched across notebooks in an attempt to capture the wisdom that can only be acquired from long years in operations management.

By Evan Dalton

Stay tuned to our social media for photos, videos, and slides from the conference, as well as fresh new content and upcoming events.

The clatter of silverware on dishes gradually died down as attention was directed to the front of the room.  For months, anticipation had been building and now it was time for Professor Danko Turcic to present his research to leaders of St. Louis business and industry. After Senior Associate Dean Todd Milbourn’s glowing introduction, a hush fell over the audience, the projector flashed to life, and Praxis Luncheon Series No. 7 was underway.

At one of the tables, Professor Panos Kouvelis, director of BCTIM and co-author of the featured paper titled “Hedging Commodity Procurement in a Bilateral Supply Chain,” looked on with a nod of approval. Around the room, he observed brows furrowed in concentration and eyes squinting to focus on plotted lines dancing between X and Y axes like butterflies on a barbed wire fence. The research was complex and timely, thus it’s selection for the Praxis series, but the purpose of the presentation was to cover the salient points so as to give the audience some practical knowledge to carry back to the workplace.

Kouvelis, Turcic, Mahone, Milbourn (L-R)

After the presentation, the visitors departed one-by-one like vibrant autumn leaves falling from their branches. A handful remained in hopes of gleaning a few more drops of wisdom from the authors, and from Richard Mahoney, the benefactor of the Praxis series.

But soon, even they had sufficiently sated their thirst for knowledge, so they shook hands with Dorothy Kittner, the event’s organizer, and made their way out of the Knight Center and onto the pristine Washington University campus.

As the door closed behind the last to exit, the lights dimmed and the room was once again enveloped in silence.  And through the windows, the hopeful light of the midday sun cast wineglass-shaped shadows across the white tablecloths and onto the floor.

By Evan Dalton

For more, including an exclusive interview with Professor Kouvelis on hedging commodities, visit BCTIM’s social media:
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According to a report compiled by graduate students at the Boeing Center for Technology, Information & Management (BCTIM) at Olin, cyber security poses complicated threats for companies in the metals industry. The report was commissioned by the Metals Service Center Institute (MSCI).

The BCTIM report contains research on cyber security threats specifically related to the metals industry and provides recommendations for executives concerned or dealing with cyber security.

Read the news release from the Metals Service Center Institute here.

We’re rocking and rolling with our Operational Excellence Speaker Series! JoAnne Levy, VP of ROi, gave a wonderful presentation February 26, on “Building an Integrated Supply Chain in Health Care”. JoAnne shed light on challenges the health care industry is facing and walked us through ROi’s transformational journey to solve these issues.

JoAnne Levy

To view the presentation that packed a full house, click here.

Wrapping up our series for the year on April 2 is Shaker Sadasivam, President and CEO of SunEdison SEMICONDUCTOR.

Dr. Shaker Sadasivam is a product and technology development specialist with a keen talent for generating positive return on invested capital and managing product profitability. Shaker’s influence in the semiconductor industry has been significant. Since 1993, he has played a key role developing proprietary crystal growth technologies and has substantially enhanced corporate operations, grown market share, and strengthened customer relations.

Dr. Shaker Sadasivam

SunEdison Semiconductor customers have benefitted from his

industry knowledge and technological expertise, as well as his hands-on collaborative approach to critical product development. Shaker has held numerous positions within the company, including serving as Executive Vice President & President-Semiconductor Materials, Senior Vice President-Research & Development, President of Semi Japan, Director of U.S. Technology, Corporate Director for Operations Technology, and Director of Research & Development for Semiconductor Operations in Korea.

Shaker holds a Ph.D. in Chemical Engineering from Clarkson University and a M.S. degree in Chemical Engineering from the Indian Institute of Technology in Bombay, India. He earned his MBA from Olin.

To RSVP, contact Cindy Minor at 314-935-5577 or cminor@wustl.edu.

We hope you will join us for another inspiring talk and intellectual conversation!