article thumbnail

What's Next When Offshoring Isn't so Cheap?

Harvard Business Review

Over the last decade, offshore manufacturing seemed like a no-brainer. dollar, rising fuel costs and the risks inherent in longer supply chains have many companies rethinking their sourcing strategies. Offshoring isn't going away, but companies will have to be smarter about it. Is it time to retrench?

article thumbnail

The Downside of Best Practices | N2Growth Blog

N2Growth Blog

Moreover if they decide to develop the application should this be done internally with existing staff, or outsourced, and if outsourced will it be done domestically or offshore and who will manage the process. link] Scot Herrick Best practices excuse management of really understanding their business and strategy.

Blog 313
Insiders

Sign Up for our Newsletter

This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.

article thumbnail

A Business Model for Bangladesh

Harvard Business Review

The death of over 800 people in the collapse of Rana Plaza , a building with garment factories in Bangladesh, spurred widespread outrage over working conditions in offshore factories. The need to improve supply chain compliance does not come from moral arguments alone; the business consequences are also increasingly unescapable.

article thumbnail

Just How Important Is Manufacturing?

Harvard Business Review

Making parts for an iPhone is a challenging mix of materials science, mechanical engineering, precision fabrication, and managing mind-boggling complexity in the supply chain. Many of the jobs in the most advanced semiconductor-manufacturing plants are as complex as a lunar-landing mission.

article thumbnail

The 4 Types of Small Businesses, and Why Each One Matters

Harvard Business Review

An important but less well-documented type is comprised of an estimated 1 million small businesses that are part of commercial and government supply chains (referred to as suppliers). from offshore. corporations and for companies considering moving production back to the U.S.

article thumbnail

An Agenda for the Future of Global Business

Harvard Business Review

While the last wave of globalization centered on accessing foreign markets and creating low-cost global supply chains, the next wave could follow a very different pattern. As corporations rethink their global supply chains and business models, creating ecosystems of suppliers and aspiring entrepreneurs could be part of the solution.

article thumbnail

Entrepreneurs Take On Manufacturing

Harvard Business Review

Likewise, companies like PCH International and Dragon Innovation are now available to manage contract manufacturing and otherwise “make manufacturing feel easy” to entrepreneurs or small companies, as noted by The Wall Street Journal’s Chris Mims last year. Such an age could be beneficial for the U.S.