Dial P for Procurement

After spending years reviewing business books, Kelly Barner knows how to recognize authors who truly move the needle–and Kate Vitasek is one of them. Her latest work, Preventing the Dispute Before It Begins: Proven Mechanisms for Fostering Better Business Relationships, co-authored with James Groton, Ellen Waldman, and Allen Waxman, takes on a surprisingly neglected topic: dispute prevention. While this topic can be applied to procurement, it's also very human, looking at business relationships from their most troubled moments and aspiring to lay out a plan as well as offering up resources to help teams and individuals stay away from the trouble.  In this episode of the Art of Supply podcast, Kelly Barner takes on her first audio book review and covers: The difference between handling conflict and proactively preventing issues in the first place How certain language, particularly within contracts, can lay the foundation for disputes even before they happen Who peacekeepers are and the role they have in strategically averting crises Links: Kate Vitasek on LinkedIn Preventing the Dispute Before It Begins: Proven Mechanisms for Fostering Better Business Relationships Kelly Barner on LinkedIn Art of Supply LinkedIn newsletter  Art of Supply on AOP Subscribe to This Week in Procurement  

“In this climate of being a trade professional in Washington, expect to be in an Uber for about half of the day and then the other half of it sitting in rooms making cases of why people either should be not paying tariffs or how other people should be paying tariffs.” - Samir Kapadia, Managing Principal at Vogel Group and Founder and CEO at India Index Supply chain professionals have always had to keep a close eye on trade–both the policies and the geopolitical happenings that affect it. But with tariffs launching trade-related topics to the top of the news cycle repeatedly since January, all of us - supply chain professionals and otherwise - have learned something new.  One person who spends a majority of his time right in the thick of it all is Samir Kapadia, Managing Principal at Vogel Group and Founder and CEO at India Index.  Samir and Kelly Barner have discussed global sourcing and tariffs in the past, but in this interview they take a broader approach, exploring how trade policies and lobbying intersect and what they really mean in today's volatile geopolitical environment. In this episode of the Art of Supply podcast, Samir shares his expertise about the: Nuances of trade relationships between companies and governments Factors that influence trade agreements and tariffs Types of lobbying methods that influence and shape trade practices Links: Samir Kapadia on LinkedIn India Index The Dawn of a New Era in U.S. Trade Policy Evaluating India as a Viable Alternative to China Kelly Barner on LinkedIn Art of Supply LinkedIn newsletter  Art of Supply on AOP Subscribe to This Week in Procurement  

“We need to be able to tolerate this uncertainty and the fluctuations that we're undergoing right now and keep our eye on the long term goal of strengthening American manufacturing.” -Hollie Noveletsky, Owner and CEO of Novel Iron Works While many consumers and business owners feel uneasy about the Trump Administration's use of tariffs, there is at least one group that views them as essential: steel fabricators.  Hollie Noveletsky, Owner and CEO of Novel Iron Works, and Stephen Capone, President of Capone Iron, have personally felt the negative impact that foreign competition and a lack of fair trade have had not only on their own businesses but on their overall communities. As Section 232 tariffs help incentivize domestic steel fabrication, they feel a sense of hope in protecting the security of American jobs and infrastructure. In this episode of the Art of Supply podcast, Hollie and Stephen share their perspectives on: The importance of maintaining, growing, and preserving domestic steel fabrication capabilities Competition–and the factors that impact it–between between fabricators in New England and internationally Advice Hollie and Stephen have for decisionmakers who feel wary about impending tariffs and what this really means for the country Links: Hollie Noveletsky on LinkedIn Stephen Capone on LinkedIn Noveletsky: I'm in the steel biz, Trump's right about steel tariffs Art of Supply LinkedIn newsletter  Art of Supply on AOP Subscribe to This Week in Procurement Stephen Capone on LinkedIn  

“Even though the world's advanced economies are largely considered post-industrial, chipmaking is an area where domestic manufacturing is now being treated as a high priority for economic and national security reasons.” Jon Martin, Writing for the ‘More than Moore' substack The CHIPS and Science Act, which took effect in August of 2022, is an ambitious Federal program that will inject $52.7 Billion into U.S. semiconductor manufacturing, research and development, and workforce training. As we look back nearly 3 years later, there has been more talk than action, but no one party or entity bears all of the blame. Forming productive partnerships between the public and private sectors is always complicated - even when everyone's interests seem to be aligned, and a change of Administration has also brought changes in how the program will be run. In this episode of the Art of Supply podcast, Kelly Barner reviews the law as an example of joint public-private reshoring: Reviewing the commitments that have been made to date Unpacking the roadblocks to progress that we've seen so far Considering what the Trump administration is doing to facilitate the process of rebuilding semiconductor manufacturing capabilities in the United States Links: Does the CHIPS Act provide the Helpful Incentives the U.S. needs? Kelly Barner on LinkedIn Art of Supply LinkedIn newsletter  Art of Supply on AOP Subscribe to This Week in Procurement  

Global supply chain leaders and consumers alike have watched for months as the U.S. tariff rollercoaster starts and stops, impacting imported goods. While these policy changes are expected to directly impact supply chains, what about their impact on the cost and availability of freight? As companies hold their breath and wait to see if and/or when their imports will be subjected to tariffs, many have been doing their best to plan as far ahead as possible and get stock in well before seasonal demand hits. Even so, concerns still exist over tariff timelines and the availability and cost of domestic goods. Most preparation comes down to data–which is where this episode's guest comes in. Judah Levine, Head of Research at Freightos, recently joined Kelly Barner to offer his insight into what he and his team are seeing in the ocean and air shipping market. In this episode of Art of Supply podcast, Kelly and Judah cover: The strategy shippers are taking in response to tariffs The extended impact these trade wars will have on global shipping The challenges brought on by the pausing of de minimis exceptions Links: Judah Levine on LinkedIn Trump's April Tariffs - Rundown, Implications, and Freight Impact Kelly Barner on LinkedIn Art of Supply LinkedIn newsletter  Art of Supply on AOP Subscribe to This Week in Procurement  

In recent years, a lot of work has been done to raise awareness about the massive problem of human trafficking as well as to start to attack that problem. In this week's episode of Art of Supply, Kelly Barner interviews two women engaged in an important part of that fight through an organization called Gift of Freedom: Sharon Siar and Nicole Glenn.  Sharon Siar is the Founder and President Gift of Freedom, and she is also the Vice President and CFO at Talon Freight Services Nicole Glenn, is a Board Member for Gift of Freedom, the Founder and CEO of Candor Logistics Management, and a host of the Ladies Leadership Coalition Podcast. Unlike organizations focused on raising public awareness, or rescuing victims of trafficking, Gift of Freedom is focused on aftercare. They provide the funding for counseling, a need that can extend years or even decades after a rescue is complete. Even though this is a hard topic to hear about, it is a challenging reality for far too many people - children especially - in the United States and around the world. In this episode of the Art of Supply podcast, Sharon and Nicole share their perspectives on: Why aftercare counseling has been overlooked as an area of need in the past The connection between human trafficking and supply chains Why social statistics fail to capture or represent the scope of this problem Links: Sharon Siar on LinkedIn Nicole Glenn on LinkedIn Gift of Freedom Kelly Barner on LinkedIn Art of Supply LinkedIn newsletter  Art of Supply on AOP Subscribe to This Week in Procurement

“Between 2008 and 2013, China's fledgling solar-electric panel industry dropped world prices by 80 percent, a stunning achievement in a fiercely competitive high-tech market.” - John Fialka, Scientific American In March, Corning, Suniva, and Heliene announced a partnership that will allow them to build a U.S. supply chain for solar panels, from polysilicon to wafers to cells to panels. In a global solar industry worth $100 Billion, the opportunity is massive, but so is the risk. The path to the present moment is littered with companies who failed operationally or found themselves tangled up in controversy because they were trying to compete with China on cost. With a history of tariffs, concerns about forced labor, and imbalances between supply and demand, the solar supply chain offers many lessons for other manufacturers looking to reshore. In this episode of Art of Supply, Kelly Barner examines: Unique challenges facing the solar supply chain and how they ironically created an additional incentive for this partnership Why it is essential that more than just final assembly take place in the United States The role of government incentives and regulations in making this possible  Links: Kelly Barner on LinkedIn Art of Supply LinkedIn newsletter  Art of Supply on AOP Subscribe to This Week in Procurement  

Economic commentators often look at consumer spending as a barometer for confidence and outlook - how good or bad financially do individuals and families think the broader economy is, and how profitable it will be for them? The same can perhaps be said for companies and hiring managers. How confident are they that they will be able to keep people employed in uncertain times, and what skills are they most eager to invest their scarce dollars in? In this week's Art of Supply interview, Kelly Barner speaks with Christine Corson, Managing Director of Supply Chain, Manufacturing, and Engineering Recruitment at DSJ Global. She is focused on manufacturing labor at the management level in a way that allows her to form her own opinion of industry outlook, confidence, and planning horizon. In this episode of the Art of Supply podcast, Kelly and Christine discuss: The current supply of - and demand for - manufacturing labor Whether hiring is being impacted by the uncertainty around tariffs Her advice for the candidates hoping to secure mid- to high-level positions in manufacturing companies Links: Christine Corson on LinkedIn USA Supply Chain Talent Report 2025: Hiring, Careers & Compensation Kelly Barner on LinkedIn Art of Supply LinkedIn newsletter  Art of Supply on AOP Subscribe to This Week in Procurement

In October of 2024, McDonald's sued four of the world's largest meat producers – Tyson, JBS, Cargill, and National Beef Packing – for allegedly conspiring to inflate the price of beef by creating artificial scarcity in the market. This is not the first time McDonald's has sued these meat producers, and it is not the first time these meat producers have been sued. Over 200 cases have been brought by restaurants, retailers, wholesalers, and ranchers. Some are still pending and others have been settled - with high payouts but no admission of wrongdoing. In this week's episode of Art of Supply, Kelly Barner reviews the case McDonald's is making against the Big 4: The price setting power associated with controlling 80 percent of the U.S. beef market The complexity associated with trying to track cost and price data in a highly concentrated market Why being the largest beef buyer in the world isn't enough to tip the scales in McDonald's favor Links: Kelly Barner on LinkedIn Art of Supply LinkedIn newsletter  Art of Supply on AOP Subscribe to This Week in Procurement  

Everything runs in trends, supply chains included. What was once considered a critical strategy can be cancelled in a heartbeat if conditions change - only to be rediscovered and reapplied to great advantage a couple of years later. In this week's Art of Supply interview, Kelly Barner welcomes back Professor Thomas Goldsby. Tom is the Dee and Jimmy Haslam Chair of Logistics at the Haslam College of Business at the University of Tennessee-Knoxville. He is also the Co-Executive Director of their Global Supply Chain Institute.  Tom rejoins the show to make a case in support of lean thinking and just-in-time inventory management.  With reshoring becoming an increasing part of the supply chain conversation, the timing may just be right for lean thinking to rebound and once again occupy its rightful place in the supply chain strategy toolkit. In this episode of the Art of Supply podcast, Kelly and Tom discuss: How we need to understand lean thinking before we can apply it successfully Whether companies are starting to apply lean thinking again, or just discussing it How our supply chains would change if we optimized them to create customer value Links: Thomas Goldsby on LinkedIn Supply Chains as Business in Action Tennessee on Supply Chain Management Kelly Barner on LinkedIn Art of Supply LinkedIn newsletter  Art of Supply on AOP Subscribe to This Week in Procurement

On May 8th, at Ford Motor Company's annual shareholder meeting, they will face a proposal focused on how they report their efforts to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions on their way to being carbon neutral by 2050. The proposal was made by Green Century Capital Management, a sustainability-focused activist fund that regularly challenges recognizable companies about their emissions reduction efforts, using the threat (or promise?) to mount a shareholder vote if necessary. Companies like Procter & Gamble, PepsiCo, Coca-Cola, and McDonald's have faced similar challenges, all intended to change how they manage their Scope 3 emissions. The Ford Board of Directors has advocated for shareholders to reject the proposal, saying it is unnecessary and expensive to create another report in addition to their Integrated Sustainability and Finance report. In this episode of the Art of Supply podcast, Kelly Barner covers: The unique requests Green Century has made of these publicly traded companies in pursuit of lower Scope 3 emissions How these companies have responded to Green Century's ‘asks' and proposals The idea of reporting as a weapon in addition to being a tool for tracking and accountability Links: Ford asks investors to vote down supply chain emissions proposal Kelly Barner on LinkedIn Art of Supply LinkedIn newsletter  Art of Supply on AOP Subscribe to This Week in Procurement  

A few weeks ago, rumors started to swirl that Amazon might be standing up their own for-hire less-than-truckload (LTL) operation to compete with the likes of FedEx Freight, Old Dominion, XPO, and Saia. So what are these rumors based on, and how likely are they to be true? More importantly, what would such a move mean for other national LTL carriers? In this episode of Art of Supply, Kelly Barners digs into the details of this buzzworthy supply chain news story: Where the rumors started and how Amazon might take the first steps to move into the LTL space The current LTL business landscape and why Amazon making that move would be such a big deal How likely they are to be successful should they move ahead by either building or buying an LTL operation Links: Will FedEx Freight hit the open road? Kelly Barner on LinkedIn Art of Supply LinkedIn newsletter  Art of Supply on AOP Subscribe to This Week in Procurement  

The Panama Canal is a 51 mile long waterway that allows ships to cut about 8,000 miles off of a trip from New York to San Francisco around the route around Cape Horn. The country of Panama owns the canal, which is operated by the Panama Canal Authority, an agency of the Panamanian government, but who owns the ports located on either side of the canal? Until now, it has been CK Hutchison, a Hong Kong based firm - raising concerns about China's interest and influence in the supply chain critical Panama canal. On March 4th, it was announced that CK Hutchison had decided to sell two of the largest Panama Canal adjacent ports to BlackRock.  In this episode of Art of Supply, Kelly Barner looks at this story up close: The critical role that the Panama Canal plays in global supply chains The details of the deal that will transfer ownership of the ports: Balboa (on the Pacific side) and Cristóbal (on the Atlantic side)  The diplomatic policy shift this represents with regard to China's presence in the area and relationship with the country of Panama Links: Kelly Barner on LinkedIn Art of Supply LinkedIn newsletter  Art of Supply on AOP Subscribe to This Week in Procurement  

The Department of Government Efficiency, better known as DOGE, was created by executive order on President Trump's first day back in office. It immediately became one of the most controversial parts of the administration's first couple of months. Love it or hate it, if you work in procurement, you have to watch what DOGE is doing. And if you can't bring yourself to review their objectives, strategies, and tactics, you at least have to watch the DOGE savings calculator. Public-facing and deliberately bare-bones, the DOGE savings calculator provides information on savings, payments, spend, Federal workforce, and regulations. In this episode of Art of Supply, Kelly Barner takes a step back and then a close look at the DOGE savings calculator from a procurement perspective:  Describing the website in detail, both for the information it contains and for what it may reveal about DOGE's approach to driving change Comparing DOGE's approach to savings reporting to what is used in a typical corporate procurement setting Looking for lessons and ideas that can be pulled from the public sector to the private Links: Department of Government Efficiency Consolidating the USPS Final Mile Kelly Barner on LinkedIn Art of Supply LinkedIn newsletter  Art of Supply on AOP Subscribe to This Week in Procurement

“Everyone at the plant has a duty to protect the products that we're sending out to the customer. Ultimately, you really have to think about it as sort of a ‘circle of life.' What's my responsibility with what I'm doing in this part of the process, and what's going to happen when this product reaches the consumer?” - Nathan Walts, CEO, WorkForge The food supply chain is uniquely complex and critical, because when something goes wrong lives are at stake. Regulations and standards play an important role, but only if people follow them. It takes a lot of hiring, training, and retention efforts to manage the workforce, adding significantly to the cost of running a business.  Nathan Walts is the CEO of WorkForge, a learning and development solution provider focused on the food manufacturing industry. In this episode, he joins Kelly Barner to talk about the food safety objectives producers are trying to achieve, the challenges they face, and the learning and development programs that aim to address both. Listen in as Nathan and Kelly discuss: The current state of labor in food manufacturing Education for safety, quality, and empowerment Going beyond regulatory compliance to achieve continuous improvement Links: Nathan Walts on LinkedIn Liverwurst, Listeria, and Liability: Food Safety at Boar's Head Kelly Barner on LinkedIn Art of Supply LinkedIn newsletter  Art of Supply on AOP Subscribe to This Week in Procurement  

Back in October, when the East and Gulf coast port strike ended after 3 days, we knew there would be a part 2. Short though it was, the strike is estimated to have cost the U.S. economy $3.8 - 5 Billion per day, but that wasn't seen as the greatest ‘cost' at the time. With the Presidential campaign in full swing, all eyes were on the impact it might have on the candidates' relative popularity. Now that the members of the International Longshoremen's Association (ILA) have ratified the deal negotiated with the United States Maritime Alliance (USMX), we can look at that deal and the impact it will have on port operations through 2030. In this episode of the Art of Supply podcast, Kelly Barner covers the major factors at play in this collective bargaining agreement and how each played out: Automation: the issue that received the most press coverage by far Interesting comments on labor showup rates and how they relate to the ILA's leverage in the future Changed provisions for container royalties that further tie operational efficiency to demand for labor Links: East and Gulf Coast Port Strike - Part 1 Kelly Barner on LinkedIn Art of Supply LinkedIn newsletter  Art of Supply on AOP Subscribe to This Week in Procurement  

Since President Trump took office on January 20th, speculation about tariffs has been omnipresent in supply chain planning conversations. But we do have a guide to the administration's philosophy, A User's Guide to Restructuring the Global Trading System, written by Stephen Miran and published by Hudson Bay Capital in November of 2024. Miran is Trump's pick to lead his Council of Economic Advisers, and will be appearing before the Senate Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs the day this episode first airs.  In his User's Guide, Miran makes the case that it is possible to use tariffs to achieve desired outcomes without causing undue harm. At the same time, he refers to the plan as a “narrow path.” In this week's episode of Art of Supply, Kelly Barner shares her reading of the guide: Why Miran - and therefore the Trump administration - believe tariffs can be used without adding to the costs paid by U.S. consumers The difference between theoretical and actual economic scenarios, and how it makes planning a challenge The high level of interconnectedness at play in this approach, and what will need to happen for it to work as intended  Links: A User's Guide to Restructuring the Global Trading System Kelly Barner on LinkedIn Art of Supply LinkedIn newsletter  Art of Supply on AOP Subscribe to This Week in Procurement  

“I talk to people and I record it. That's it.” - Joe Rogan People often say that we all need to learn to communicate better, and that is true. But we need to invest more effort on the listening side than the talking side.  Joe Rogan and Charlamagne tha God are standout media personalities and cultural icons. They are also fantastic listeners and exceptional conversationalists. Their ability to prepare for and host interviews has earned them millions of subscribers and billions of downloads, making it easier to get their choice of guests. What can all professionals learn from their approach to listening and conversation? In this episode of the Art of Supply podcast, Kelly Barner dissects what makes Joe Rogan and Charlamagne tha God so effective: How they developed their unique interviewing and conversational styles The atmosphere they create for guests and the information/perspective that results An unwavering sense of authenticity and respect for their audience Links: Charlamagne tha God on the importance of replacing small talk with big conversations Kelly Barner on LinkedIn Art of Supply LinkedIn newsletter  Art of Supply on AOP Subscribe to This Week in Procurement  

Who will decide when EV trucking goes from being an option available to anyone to an enforceable mandate that everyone must comply with? That question is at the heart of this week's interview.  Kelly Barner had the opportunity to speak with Nebraska Attorney General Michael Hilgers. His state is on the front lines of a legal effort to ensure that if regulations end up driving the EV transition, that those regulations are properly established - undertaken by elected officials with a vested interest in the people of Nebraska and the dozens of states who have stepped up to support their challenges.  The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the state of California, and heavy duty truck manufacturers are trying to usher in changes that will have wide-reaching impact. Will that impact be for the better or the worse, and do they have the right to proceed? Listen in for a highly engaging discussion at the intersection of the law and the supply chain: Why it is important to address the proprietary of regulations before they take effect Uncertainty caused by the current state of enforceable regulations in California The role that competition should play in a market where companies make independent decisions Links: AG Michael Hilgers on LinkedIn Kelly Barner on LinkedIn Art of Supply LinkedIn newsletter  Art of Supply on AOP Subscribe to This Week in Procurement  

“If anyone thinks that they know it all, they're in the wrong place.” - Dylan Admire The series of relationships that make the freight industry work is like a supply chain in and of itself. Under the freight agent model, agents help shippers find capacity through brokers who hold carrier contracts, facilitate financing and payments, and carry the MC number under which the agent operates. When this model works well, everyone wins–but when it doesn't work as all of the parties expect, the fallout can be substantial. In this week's Art of Supply interview, Kelly Barner speaks with Dylan Admire, CEO and Owner of Freight Essentials. His company has brought two RICO lawsuits against connected brokerages, claiming multi-party intent to defraud customers and business partners through anticompetitive tactics. Listen to this episode to hear: How the freight agent model is supposed to work–and what can happen if it doesn't work as everyone expects The current status of his lawsuits and ideal outcome Why he has made the decision to speak out when others might have stayed quiet  Links: Dylan Admire on LinkedIn Kelly Barner on LinkedIn Art of Supply LinkedIn newsletter  Art of Supply on AOP Subscribe to This Week in Procurement  

“It is almost always the cover-up rather than the event that causes trouble.” - Tennessee Senator Howard Baker, in reference to the Watergate scandal Whether you shop at Macy's or not, you surely know the brand. In 2023, Macy's was the leading department store in the United States by revenue, with sales of approximately $23 Billion.   On November 25, 2024, Macy's delayed an earnings announcement planned for the next day. They had discovered some “creative accounting” and wanted to conduct an internal investigation. Two weeks later, they announced that small parcel delivery expenses had been mishandled - approximately $150 Million worth. As we then learned, what started as a mistake turned into a coverup, eventually leading to a share selloff, and one accounting employee being terminated. In this episode of the Art of Supply podcast, Kelly Barner: Explains what happened and how the issue was uncovered Shares the role that the commonly-used accrual accounting method may have played Review some of the speculation that has emerged in the absence of specifics And flag ongoing concerns for the company and their auditing firm Links: Kelly Barner on LinkedIn Art of Supply LinkedIn newsletter  Art of Supply on AOP Subscribe to This Week in Procurement  

“Now an unelected group of powerful actors has opened a three-front effort to transform the nation's logistics fleet from diesel-powered to electric-powered at a breakneck pace. This terrible policy is being crafted almost entirely out of public view. Nebraska is fighting back.” -Mike Hilgers, Nebraska Attorney General (WSJ Op Ed, Jan 17 2025) If you expected the transition from diesel-powered to EV trucking to take place on the open road, think again. Instead, it looks like this systemic change will work its way through the court system. Nebraska is leading the resistance to a forced transition on multiple fronts: in the state of California, with the Environmental Protection Agency, and via an antitrust lawsuit against four major heavy duty truck manufacturers. Any regulatory changes, well intentioned or otherwise, have the potential to completely disrupt logistics and lives, and must be taken with a great deal of care and consideration. In this episode of the Art of Supply podcast, Kelly Barner covers recent developments in the EV trucking transition: Recent news that may alter the expected timeline for transitioning away from fossil fuel-powered trucking  Legislative exceptions that put California in a uniquely powerful position relative to emissions regulations The odd ‘in between' space the country currently finds itself in Links: Kelly Barner on LinkedIn Art of Supply LinkedIn newsletter  Art of Supply on AOP Subscribe to This Week in Procurement

“India is putting their money where their mouth is. If they're able to execute upon a free trade agreement or a pseudo free trade agreement...then that would create the fluidity to buoy all of those ships in that harbor.” - Samir Kapadia - Managing Principal at Vogel Group and Founder and CEO at India Index Regardless of the topic, 2024 was filled with ‘what if' conversations. We were waiting to find out who would win the U.S. Presidential election–and therefore whose policies would be dominating business decisions in 2025 and beyond. Of all of the conversations had on the Art of Supply podcast, one of the most compelling was with Samir Kapadia, Managing Principal at Vogel Group and Founder and CEO at India Index. He joined Kelly Barner in 2024 to share his expertise on global trade, but more specifically, how India's ascendency as a global trading partner is being watched as companies look for alternatives to China and nations flush with Chinese investment. After such a riveting pre-election conversation, Kelly brought Samir back to bring the conversation up-to-date and get a sense of how new trade policy will impact supply chain decisions and global manufacturing potential. In this episode of the Art of Supply podcast, Kelly and Samir cover how the upcoming presidential term is going to: Change the way the U.S. manages policy within the Department of Commerce and Trade and U.S. Trade Representative Use strategic tariff regimes to increase reciprocity and incentivize supply chain organizations to think differently about where they get their materials Create an opportunity for India to replace China as a major manufacturing trade partner Links: Samir Kapadia on LinkedIn Evaluating India as a Viable Alternative to China Kelly Barner on LinkedIn Art of Supply LinkedIn newsletter  Art of Supply on AOP Subscribe to This Week in Procurement  

“We have that emotional pull to group together as humans and fight the automation. The reality is you cannot have one without the other, and they are very much working together.” -Matt Naslund, Vice President and Head of Solutions, Mytra As businesses look to streamline operations and optimize decision-making, a combination of hardware, software, and automation offer a solution. The challenge then becomes figuring out where automation makes sense–and how quickly and heavily organizations should implement solutions that enable it. No matter the level of sophistication or maturity of an organization, automation technology is a key factor in driving efficiency and accessing data that allows them to hit business objectives related to material flows, accumulation of goods, seasonality, and more. In this episode of the Art of Supply podcast, Kelly Barner sits down with Matt Naslund, Vice President and Head of Solutions at Mytra, to examine: The specific challenges warehouses face in streamlining operations The necessary balance of automation hardware and software in improving operations The way warehouses can use the data that automation delivers to inform day-to-day decision-making Links: Matt Naslund on LinkedIn Kelly Barner on LinkedIn Art of Supply LinkedIn newsletter  Art of Supply on AOP Subscribe to This Week in Procurement

In 2001, Jim Collins published the book ‘Good to Great.' He was supported by a team that  invested 10.5 ‘people years' over the course of 5 calendar years to figure out what allows some good companies to become great companies. Their research revealed key findings about leadership, use of technology, building a team, company culture, and vision. In this episode of the Art of Supply podcast, Kelly Barner re-reads ‘Good to Great' in light of 2025 business conditions: Reviewing some of the key points from the book as an introduction or a refresher Considering how they apply to work, leadership, and success in 2025 Sharing a renewed sense of energy and promise at the start of a new year Links: Kelly Barner on LinkedIn Art of Supply LinkedIn newsletter  Art of Supply on AOP Subscribe to This Week in Procurement

Many of the supply chain news stories we covered in 2024 look ready to carry right over - or even rise to the top - as we start a new year. Some of these stories are likely to re-emerge with the incoming Trump Administration, while others are ready for a change in direction thanks to geopolitics. Supply chain professionals that already have an eye out for breaking news will be best positioned to respond as needed. In this episode of the Art of Supply podcast, Kelly Barner highlights five 2024 news stories that are likely to remain topical in the new year: The global distance traveled by raw materials and finished products compared to their value Red Sea tensions and the need for ocean freight to find a new (safer) path to travel The EV trucking mandate rolled out by the EPA under the Biden Administration De minimis shipping provisions that have created a ‘maximus' problem An as yet unresolved organized labor contract governing operations at East and Gulf Coast ports Links: Kelly Barner on LinkedIn Art of Supply LinkedIn newsletter  Art of Supply on AOP Subscribe to This Week in Procurement

This year on Art of Supply, we welcomed a fantastic group of guests. Each interview episode creates two kinds of challenges: asking questions worthy of the guest's expertise and capturing a conversation that lives up to audience expectations. Looking back on the interviews we ran in 2024, there are a few key messages that stand out, as individual points of view and what they collectively offer supply chain professionals as we move into 2025. Don't ever make a decision solely on short term cost. Victor Suarez: Former Lead Vaccine Program Manager for Moderna's COVID-19 vaccine in Operation Warp Speed at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Founder and Principal Growth Partner, Blu Zone Bioscience & Supply Chain Solutions, LLC  Make sure you understand the underlying economics of any strategy you plan to implement. Thomas Goldsby: Dee and Jimmy Haslam Chair of Logistics at the Haslam College of Business at the University of Tennessee-Knoxville, Co-Executive Director of their Global Supply Chain Institute Knowing how to be an effective problem solver - even in difficult circumstances.  Ashley Hubka: Senior Vice President and General Manager at Walmart Business In this episode of the Art of Supply podcast, Kelly Barner shares excerpts of the three interviews and comments on how they connect. Links: Victor Suarez on LinkedIn Sending a Powerful Message About America's Pharmaceutical Independence Thomas Goldsby on LinkedIn Supply Chains as Business in Action Ashley Hubka on LinkedIn Creating a B2C to B to C Improvement Cycle at Walmart Business Kelly Barner on LinkedIn Art of Supply LinkedIn newsletter  Art of Supply on AOP Subscribe to This Week in Procurement  

“I think if you could summarize what the trend is going to be in the future - It's going to be volatile. That's the trend.” - Tim Richardson, Founder and CEO of Iter Consulting In order to be influential with the C-suite, someone must have experience and expertise in a given subject. They must do detailed technical work and analysis to prepare their strategy recommendations and to be ready to answer questions.  They must have a strong grasp of their domain, no matter how complex it is - but they have to be able to communicate all of that simply. Otherwise, the desired support may be withheld, and the desired outcomes may never be realized. In this week's episode of Art of Supply, Kelly Barner welcomes Tim Richardson to the podcast. Tim is the Founder and CEO of Iter Consulting, a global team of experts with supply chain and manufacturing experience helping companies transform their operations - and their results as well. In this episode of the Art of Supply podcast, Tim and Kelly discuss: The power of effective supply chain modeling How supply chain leaders can position for economic and ecologic success Forward looking trends that all business should be prepared to address Links: Tim Richardson on LinkedIn Kelly Barner on LinkedIn Art of Supply LinkedIn newsletter  Art of Supply on AOP Subscribe to This Week in Procurement  

“Polling is a science of estimation, and science has a way of periodically humbling the scientist. So, I'm humbled, yet always willing to learn from unexpected findings.”  - J. Ann Selzer, President and Owner, Selzer & Company    Data and analysis are at the heart of nearly everything attempted in modern business. And while human skill is critical in the process of converting data into insight, human nature may ultimately determine whether the effort can be successful. This episode is about ‘herding,' a polling practice that combines analytical rigor and human nature in a fascinating way. But this episode is not about politics. It is a story about data and how humans anticipate the others will respond to the data they present, and how that becomes a self-driven feedback loop that is put into practice before the data is ever shared. No one wants to be an outlier. No one wants to be wrong. But if someone isn't wrong, no one can be right. In this episode of the Art of Supply podcast, Kelly Barners dives into the practice of herding among pollsters and what it tells us about our relationship with data: The statistical truths that hold, regardless of how complex an analytical project is The challenges pollsters face, and how they inevitably end up affecting analytical results - for better or worse How all of this intersects with human nature - in polling and in business Links: Kelly Barner on LinkedIn Art of Supply LinkedIn newsletter  Art of Supply on AOP Subscribe to This Week in Procurement

“The reason I like listening is I think, ‘If I'd have been CPO there or in other organizations, what would I have done to try and prevent that? And what red flags would I have held up? And what can we learn from that so that it doesn't happen again?'” - Alex Jennings, CEO and co-founder of The Alchemie Network We all consume content for different reasons–education, entertainment, or otherwise. There are always lessons to be learned from one company or supply chain that can be applied in another. To discuss these stories - and the process of capturing them on the Art of Supply podcast - Kelly Barner was invited to speak in a live session hosted by The Alchemie Network, an organization that promotes collaborative learning around ESG and sustainability for procurement. In this episode of the Art of Supply podcast, Alex and Kelly reminisce on past episodes to cover: How companies are coming up on social mandates and using malicious compliance to find loopholes and avoid them The role that legal statutes make in driving sustainability efforts worldwide The careful line businesses have to walk when considering taking government funding Links: Alex Jennings on LinkedIn The Alchemie Network Kelly Barner on LinkedIn Art of Supply LinkedIn newsletter  Art of Supply on AOP Subscribe to This Week in Procurement  

When we cover a news story on Art of Supply, we stick with it, even when it seems to have gone cold. In late August, we got an update on the case of the 53 migrants who lost their lives as a result of illegal attempted smuggling over the Mexico border back in 2022. On June 27th, 2022, an abandoned tractor trailer was found near Lackland Air Force Base in San Antonio, Texas. The truck had mechanical problems and it had been abandoned by its driver. A local worker heard cries of distress and opened the trailer door. What he found would go on to be declared the deadliest example of migrant smuggling in U.S. history.  In this bonus update episode, Kelly Barner shares the latest on the arrests, indictments, and specific charges associated with those allegedly involved in this crime. Links: Heavy Traffic and Human Trafficking at the U.S. Border  The Problem of DOT Number "Cloning"​ Kelly Barner on LinkedIn Art of Supply LinkedIn newsletter  Art of Supply on AOP Subscribe to This Week in Procurement  

When something goes wrong in the supply chain, it is never good news. It always leads to disruption, often costs a lot of money, and sometimes people get hurt - or worse. In July of 2024, the USDA suspended production at a Boar's Head processing plant in Jarratt, Virginia. A listeria outbreak, the worst such outbreak in over a decade, had started in the plant. The facility has been closed indefinitely, leading to over 500 layoffs of union employees, but that wasn't the worst of the fallout. Before the outbreak was over, over 7 million pounds of meat were recalled, 59 people were hospitalized, and 10 people lost their lives. How could production have gone so wrong, especially in such a heavily inspected industry? Unfortunately, as the details emerged, it became clear that this was an easily preventable situation allowed to happen by multiple layers of mismanagement. In this episode of the Art of Supply podcast, Kelly Barner covers: The details behind the outbreak: Where did it start and how did it spread? An odd family squabble that may or may not have contributed to the problem but which certainly didn't help Problems associated with inspections: How were they conducted and why did they fail to protect consumers? And what we can expect to happen next Links: Kelly Barner on LinkedIn Art of Supply LinkedIn newsletter  Art of Supply on AOP Subscribe to This Week in Procurement

“Humans are so much more effective in processing something visually than, let's say, a table or two pieces of text next to each other. If you see it on a map, you can say, okay, this line goes like this, the other goes like this. I can make the connection in my head very easily that, okay, this is what changes. And it also makes it very easy to sort of have an opinion on it, because it clicks in your head quite easily.” - Ruud van Dijk, Commercial Director, Routescanner We routinely talk about the complexity of global supply chains - here on Art of Supply and in the wider business community. Moving our focus from talk to action requires one key thing: data. But even with good data, these are highly complex decisions. They are often made without certainty, on a compressed time frame, and with a lot of money on the line.  Setting up human beings for successful decision making under those circumstances requires more than data. The data needs to be standardized and presented in a way that matches how people process information and compare the likely outcome of multiple scenarios. In this episode of Art of Supply, Kelly Barner welcomes Ruud van Dijk. Ruud is the Commercial Director at Routescanner, a platform designed to improve transparency in container shipping and help companies optimize routes while lowering CO2 emissions and costs. In this episode of the Art of Supply podcast, Kelly and Ruud discuss: How data needs to be presented in an accessible format for decision makers to put it into practice The change effort associated with moving from a suboptimal but familiar approach to one that is far more effective Empowering supply chain teams to lead cross functional conversations about operationally minimizing both costs and environmental impact Links: Ruud van Dijk on LinkedIn Kelly Barner on LinkedIn Art of Supply LinkedIn newsletter  Art of Supply on AOP Subscribe to This Week in Procurement

The United States Postal Service occupies a unique spot in the supply chain.  On the one hand, it is a federal agency, tasked with delivering mail to every home, business, and P.O. box 6 (and sometimes 7) days per week. On the other hand, it does not “generally” receive taxpayer funding; it must meet its mission by selling postage and services. Thanks to this middle space between the worlds of public service and private industry, transformation is a massive challenge - even when successfully driving financial and operational change is a matter of long term survival. In this episode of the Art of Supply podcast, Kelly Barner covers the current status of Delivering for America, the USPS's 10-year transformational plan: The complexity of the U.S. post office's operational and financial status quo The multiple roles that package volume will play in determining USPS success The slowdowns and questions that have plagued that transformation Links: Kelly Barner on LinkedIn Art of Supply LinkedIn newsletter  Art of Supply on AOP Subscribe to This Week in Procurement

“Most fundamentally, strategy is about asking good questions, creating alternatives, and then making decisions about how to allocate scarce resources. [...] It's a place where you have a 360-degree view of a business.” - Ashley Hubka, Senior Vice President & General Manager, Walmart Business Corporate and consumer buying started and developed on separate tracks, and while there are some things that procurement has learned from and embedded in the B2B experience, others will always be beyond reach.  What would happen if you took a consumer shopping experience and expanded it to support institutional customers as well? Walmart Business is in the process of finding out. Ashley Hubka is the Senior Vice President and General Manager at Walmart Business. She has held a number of consulting and strategy positions during her career and holds a degree in Philosophy from Harvard University. In this episode of the Art of Supply podcast, Kelly Barner sits down with Ashley to learn: Why Walmart decided to offer a distinct experience for organizational and commercial customers How that experience is different than the consumer Walmart experience (and when it is the same) Areas of strategic B2B focus over the next 12-24 months Links: Ashley Hubka on LinkedIn Kelly Barner on LinkedIn Art of Supply LinkedIn newsletter  Art of Supply on AOP Subscribe to This Week in Procurement

In the final part of this four-part special series, we compare and contrast the actual policy positions of Democratic Candidate Vice President Kamala Harris and Republican Candidate Former President Donald J. Trump.  With less than two weeks until election day, procurement and supply chain professionals must have plans in place for the eventuality of either candidate being voted into office, focusing on the areas where they agree as much as where they differ. Listen in as Kelly Barner describes where the two major party candidates actually differ (and where they have a lot in common) based on their own campaign websites, policy platforms, and statements from publicly available interviews: The differences we can expect when supply chain policy is focused on critical industries versus an emphasis on keeping production domestic Looking at a diverse range of energy sources as well as the overall cost and supply of available energy Corporate tax rates that may go up or down And one thing both candidates agree upon: China Links: Kelly Barner on LinkedIn Art of Supply LinkedIn newsletter  Art of Supply on AOP Subscribe to This Week in Procurement

In part three of this four-part special series, we will cover the policies and plans of Republican Candidate former President Donald Trump.  Former President Donald Trump is 78 Years old, and a former businessman/real estate developer as well as the former host of The Apprentice. He became the nominee on July 18, 2024 when he accepted the nomination at the Republican National Convention Listen in as Kelly Barner explores his policy positions and platform: Detailed positions on global trade and China The lack of detail regarding his position on emissions and the environment Strong statements about both the cost and availability of energy, and the importance of emphasizing domestic production over imports from other parts of the world  Links: Donald J. Trump for President website Transcript of the September 10, 2024 Presidential Debate on ABC Transcript of the June 27, 2024 Presidential Debate on CNN Republican Party 2024 Platform Document Donald Trump Republican National Convention Speech Transcript Transcript of Donald Trump's interview with Time Magazine Video of Bloomberg interview from October 15, 2024 Kelly Barner on LinkedIn Art of Supply LinkedIn newsletter  Art of Supply on AOP Subscribe to This Week in Procurement

In part two of this four-part special series, we will cover the policies and plans of Democratic Candidate Vice President Kamala Harris.  Vice President Kamala is 59 Years old and a former Senator and Attorney General from the State of California. She became the presumptive Democratic nominee on July 21, 2024 when President Biden suspended his campaign for re-election, and the official nominee on August 22 when she accepted the nomination at the Democratic National Convention. Listen in as Kelly Barner explores her policy positions and platform: Detailed plans for renewable energy and the environment The lack of detail regarding her position on trade and tariffs Strong statements about China, specifically around the race to dominate AI, domestic labor protections, and intellectual property concerns  Links: Kamala Harris for President website A New Way Forward for the Middle Class Transcript of the September 10, 2024 Presidential Debate on ABC Kamala Harris Democratic National Convention Speech Transcript Democratic Party 2024 Platform Document 60 Minutes Interview with Bill Whitaker Kelly Barner on LinkedIn Art of Supply LinkedIn newsletter  Art of Supply on AOP Subscribe to This Week in Procurement

There are two weeks to go until the 2024 U.S. Presidential Election. Interest, speculation, and tension have been building all year. Most news coverage of the election is intended to sway voters, hyperbolic to a fault, and not tailored to the specific information needs of procurement and supply chain professionals. What we really need to know is what each major party candidate has said and what likely outcomes that would lead to. In this four-part special series, we will cover the policies and plans of Democratic Candidate Vice President Kamala Harris and Republican Candidate Former President Donald J. Trump as well as how they compare. Listen in as Kelly Barner kicks off the series by explaining: Why all procurement and supply chain professionals need to be prepared for either candidate to win The impact of tariffs, China, energy, and environmental policy on corporate strategy The rules of engagement and discussion that will apply in this series and the discussions that result Links: Kelly Barner on LinkedIn Art of Supply LinkedIn newsletter  Art of Supply on AOP Subscribe to This Week in Procurement

‘Brave New World' was published by Aldous Huxley in 1932, right between two World Wars and during a time of accelerated scientific discovery. It comes as no surprise, then, that this fictional dystopian society 600 years in the future had adopted Henry Ford as their spiritual leader. 92 years later, we find ourselves in another time of rapid technological advancement, innovation that often seems to be on a collision course with the most fundamental structures of society. What can re-reading ‘Brave New World' today teach us about change, innovation, chaos, and opportunity? More than you might expect. In this episode of the Art of Supply podcast, Kelly Barner shares her own observations: How the advancements of science often get ahead of society's readiness to understand them The level of discomfort and even frustration we must be willing to accept if we want to  experience triumph  Survival tips that procurement and supply chain professionals can use to succeed in our own ‘Brave New World' Links: Kelly Barner on LinkedIn Art of Supply LinkedIn newsletter  Art of Supply on AOP Subscribe to This Week in Procurement

“Let me be clear: we don't want any form of semi-automation or full automation. We want our jobs—the jobs we have historically done for over 132 years.” -Harold Daggett, President of the International Longshoremen's Association  In April of 2024, most ‘experts' felt that a strike of unionized workers at ports along the East and Gulf Coasts was unlikely. The International Longshoremen's Association (ILA) was firm about not working beyond September 30th without a signed agreement.  After 6 months of disagreement and an automated gate at the port in Mobile, Alabama that brought talks to a halt, the ILA was true to their word. They went on strike at the stroke of midnight on September 30, 2024. Just 3 days later however, a surprise announcement revealed that the ILA and the U.S. Maritime Alliance had reached a temporary agreement: a $4 per hour rise annually for the next 6 years and a 90 day temporary halt to the strike. But this story - and negotiation - is not over. Not by a long shot.  In this week's episode of the Art of Supply podcast, Kelly Barner covers: The major issues on the table in the strike, as well as what remains to be settled before January  The outside forces that played a role in bringing the strike to such an abrupt end Whether the union has won the battle but lost the war by separation pay from automation in the negotiation. Links: Kelly Barner on LinkedIn Art of Supply LinkedIn newsletter  Art of Supply on AOP Subscribe to This Week in Procurement

“The vigor with which companies left to go to the Far East and pursue low cost country sourcing has certainly not been reversed. That's why it is largely emotional; it's largely talk.” -Thomas Goldsby, Dee and Jimmy Haslam Chair of Logistics at the Haslam College of Business at the University of Tennessee-Knoxville Business never allows us to stop learning. You might not take formal classes or participate in a training program, but real-world circumstances are a constant - and sometimes brutal - teacher. In this week's Art of Supply interview, Kelly Barner welcomes a real teacher, a professor actually, to share his point of view on X-shoring, but also to talk about how companies learn what they can and can't do with supply chains and production and how government intervention and funding may or may not help reorient where in the world production takes place. Thomas Goldsby is the Dee and Jimmy Haslam Chair of Logistics at the Haslam College of Business at the University of Tennessee-Knoxville. He is also the Co-Executive Director of their Global Supply Chain Institute. Perhaps most importantly he is actively instructing and inspiring the next generation of supply chain management professionals. In this episode of the Art of Supply podcast, Thomas and Kelly discuss: What X-shoring is and how companies currently make decisions about where to source and produce The material importance of mapping out supply chains Understanding the tradeoffs between automation quality and labor costs, and how both impact product quality Why all companies should be making an effort to experiment, learn fast, and then get the economics of change squared away Links: Thomas Goldsby on LinkedIn Kelly Barner on LinkedIn Art of Supply LinkedIn newsletter  Art of Supply on AOP Subscribe to This Week in Procurement  

“Digital empathy is the ability to humanize customer behaviors, preferences, and aspirations through the connection between human-centered data, insights, and the meaningful customer engagement powered by those insights.” - Brian Solis, Forbes Contributor Despite the fact that AI and automation seem to dominate business discussions, we haven't stopped talking about relationships and soft skills. As the work environment and working conditions become increasingly digital, what sort of role does that carve out for empathy?  While sympathy politely expresses appropriate concern, empathy feels with you. It is a shared experience, allowing emotions to become ‘contagious' in a way. That may be a natural response in our personal lives, but what does empathy look like in the context of digital innovation and disruption?  In this episode of Art of Supply, Kelly Barner considers empathy in the digital world: Why digital empathy may be the missing ingredient in a leading customer experience  Embedding empathetic practices and success factors into digital transformation journeys How empathy and human connections - when leveraged right - can serve as a source of unbeatable competitive advantage. Links: Kelly Barner on LinkedIn Art of Supply LinkedIn newsletter  Art of Supply on AOP Subscribe to This Week in Procurement  

“Folks from Dell to HP to Nike to Hasbro to Sony to Apple to Google to Goldman, they're all looking back at India and saying, let's go double down, triple down and build a presence here.” - Samir Kapadia, Managing Principal at Vogel Group and Founder and CEO at India Index Most companies are obsessed with moving their supply chains out of and away from China - whether it is for regulatory, risk, or human rights-related reasons. That obsession is so strong, that in some cases, they are willing to embrace an “ABC strategy” as you will hear from this week's guest: anywhere but China. Samir Kapadia is a managing principal at Vogel Group, a lobbying and trade organization based in Washington, D.C. In 2019 and in 2020, he was ranked the number one tariff exemption lobbyist in Washington D.C.. Samir is also the founder and CEO of a B2B marketplace called India Index, which helps U.S. companies source from India, so he is uniquely qualified and also entirely willing to be honest about the opportunities and challenges of looking to India as an alternative to China. In this episode of the Art of Supply podcast, Kelly Barner takes the opportunity to ask Samir for his professional opinion on: Why China looms so large over global supply chains The mindset and culture that play into corporate decisions about where to source internationally, and when to make a change Reasons India deserves serious consideration as an alternative to China as well as what companies should be aware of before they make new plans Links: Samir Kapadia on LinkedIn Kelly Barner on LinkedIn Art of Supply LinkedIn newsletter  Art of Supply on AOP Subscribe to This Week in Procurement  

“The way we were running distribution, the processes we were using, it wasn't a matter of, ‘Well, just incrementally improve what you've got.' “We needed to rethink, take a step back and say, ‘Are we really set up the way we need to be set up?'” - Marcia Brey, VP of Logistics for GE Appliances (via the WSJ) GE Appliances recently made news for a series of planned investments in their supply chain. As interesting as their efforts are today, they are the next step in an ongoing series of advancements and adjustments… and advancements and adjustments. Now owned by Haier, a Shanghai-based company, GE Appliances has been on both sides of the outsourcing - reshoring divide. As they respond to macro conditions and competitive pressures, their supply chain is what connects production with customers, and the top line with the bottom, regardless of continual change.  In this episode of the Art of Supply podcast, Kelly Barner addresses three key questions about their operation: Is GE Appliances really (successfully) reshoring manufacturing? How is the Department of Transportation's FLOW program helping them manage potential supply chain disruptions? What role do metrics play in how they manage high stakes decisions about labor and inventory? Links: Kelly Barner on LinkedIn Art of Supply LinkedIn newsletter  Art of Supply on AOP Subscribe to This Week in Procurement

Procurement and supply chain professionals rely upon competitive market dynamics. After all, competition drives innovation, cost savings, efficiency, and - profit. Anything that changes the dynamics around the benefits associated with disclosed innovation has the potential to alter how companies invest, how much of that information they make public, and, ultimately, the value and diversity of solutions available to consumers of all kinds. In this week's episode of Art of Supply, Kelly Barner welcomes back Wen Xie. Wen is a Washington D.C-based patent attorney who is tuned into how changing policies and regulations alter the value proposition associated with the patent process, one that exists to benefit the general public in exchange for certain protections. In this episode of the Art of Supply podcast, Kelly and Wen discuss: The basic premise behind the current U.S. patent system Pending changes to how the government gets involved in patents they invested to support How changes in cost and associated protections may affect how and when companies invest in patents Links: Wen Xie on LinkedIn Guarding Private Incentive to Innovate featuring Patent Attorney Wen Xie Kelly Barner on LinkedIn Art of Supply LinkedIn newsletter  Art of Supply on AOP Subscribe to This Week in Procurement

“The trouble with most of us is that we would rather be ruined by praise than saved by criticism.” - Norman Vincent Peale The Art of Supply podcast regularly covers topics that come with a bit of discomfort: allegations of child labor and greenwashing, the role of government regulations in bringing about change, and China, and absolutely anything to do with China. It isn't possible to talk about topics like these without getting feedback, and that feedback often takes the form of criticism. In this episode, Kelly Barner takes a break from the usual coverage of news stories and expert interviews to talk about criticism, and how its inevitability shapes her content and makes it better. Listen to this week's episode of Art of Supply to hear about:  The Art of Supply content creation process  The differences between welcome criticism and the criticism we intentionally avoid Our philosophy on receiving criticism  And why covering these complex topics is so important that it is worth the risk  Links: Kelly Barner on LinkedIn Art of Supply LinkedIn newsletter  Art of Supply on AOP Subscribe to This Week in Procurement

There are a lot of preconceived notions about the barriers preventing electrified road freight from becoming mainstream. It is seen as too difficult, expensive, complicated, inefficient, and more. Most of those perceptions are based on the approaches to electrified trucking that have been tried so far. Perhaps by taking a different approach we can advance the transition away from diesel. In this episode of Art of Supply, Kelly Barner speaks with Ian Rust, the Founder and CEO at Revoy, a company looking to make electric-powered freight transport possible and affordable at scale. Rather than doing a one-for-one trade from diesel-powered to electric, he recommends being more flexible, more innovative, and more creative. Listen to their conversation to hear: Why we need to accept trucking as a foundational part of freight, and introduce changes with care The common objections Ian hears to the idea of electric trucking and his response to them Where and how regulations can support the transition from diesel to electric, and when private industry should be allowed to do what they do best Links: Ian Rust on LinkedIn Kelly Barner on LinkedIn Art of Supply LinkedIn newsletter  Art of Supply on AOP Subscribe to This Week in Procurement

Companies and consumers regularly rely on product descriptions to decide whether or not to make a purchase and to determine the right price for that product.  In the case of seafood, those descriptions and tiers create choices for consumers, but they also provide a built in incentive for fraud at scale. Any time someone is willing to pay a higher margin for a premium product, someone else is willing to turn that into an opportunity for profit. The problem is so widespread, that estimates suggest between 20 and 40 percent of all seafood sold in the United States is mislabeled. In this episode of the Art of Supply podcast, Kelly Barner covers some stinky problems in the seafood supply chain: The most common sources of fish fraud How technology is being used to combat widespread deception and ensure consumer safety Lessons from the seafood supply chain that we can apply in other industries  Special thanks to Joseph Barner for his help in making this episode possible. Links: Kelly Barner on LinkedIn Art of Supply LinkedIn newsletter  Art of Supply on AOP Subscribe to This Week in Procurement  

“Every time I don't have a delivery truck stop in front of your house, 800 grams of CO2 is never created.” - Mike Robinson, Head of Retail Solutions and a Founding Member at The Eighth Notch (T8N) The ecommerce boom of the last few years has led to new business models and consumer experiences, but it has also added to the number of packages being delivered each day. Does the number of packages correlate to the number of items ordered? No, it does not. Placing an online order for 7 items of clothing from one company could result in 1 package, or 2, or 3, 4, 5, 6, or 7. More packages means more tracking for the consumer, more risk of porch pirates, more doorbell rings, more packages sitting out in the rain. It also increases the number of delivery trucks on our streets, the emissions from those trucks, and the amount of packing material. In this episode of Art of Supply, Kelly Barner interviews someone who is willing to propose a solution. Mike Robinson is Head of Retail Solutions and a Founding Member at The Eighth Notch (T8N). He has deep retail experience including time at Macy's and as an advisor to The Gap. Now he is attacking the chaos of retail fulfillment.  Listen to this episode to hear Mike explain: Why retail fulfillment is currently so fragmented The range of benefits associated with synchronizing the post-checkout customer experience Changes in thinking and customer conditioning that will need to take place before these benefits can be realized Links: Mike Robinson on LinkedIn Kelly Barner on LinkedIn Art of Supply LinkedIn newsletter  Art of Supply on AOP Subscribe to This Week in Procurement

On June 26th, The Wall Street Journal reported that FedEx plans to spin off their freight division - and the most interesting part is why. FedEx Freight is the less-than-truckload (LTL) division of the company. It is the most profitable division, with a recent operating margin over 20 percent, compared to 11.8 percent for FedEx Ground and 2 percent for FedEx Express. The company has realized that the division is so successful it will generate more shareholder value on its own. With estimated valuations between $30 and 50 Billion, it is too big to be bought, but too small of a division of FedEx to stay. Pending an internal review scheduled to be complete later this year, FedEx Freight is likely to have a future as a standalone company. In this episode of the Art of Supply podcast, Kelly Barner covers this story in the larger context of supply chain operations, investment, and profitability: Providing an overview of the current LTL landscape Comparing FedEx Freight's performance with UPS Freight, which the company spun off in 2021 Considering what this move may mean for the supply chain as a whole and for procurement professionals tasked with managing LTL spend Links: FedEx Ground's Contractor Woes Case Dismissed: Spencer Patton Prevails Over FedEx Reading FedEx Ground the RICO Act Kelly Barner on LinkedIn Art of Supply LinkedIn newsletter  Art of Supply on AOP Subscribe to This Week in Procurement