@Risk

Yesterday, the New Hampshire Manufacturing Extension Partnership (NH MEP) announced the results of what has been hailed as a ground-breaking study about the fundamental strategies necessary for world-class manufacturing success.

Commissioned by Manufacturing Extension Partnership (MEP) centers across the country, including NH MEP, and the American Small Manufacturing Coalition, the survey polled more than 2,500 manufacturers from across the U.S.
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Risk is shifting from recession to recovery, according to results of a quarterly risk report released yesterday by AMR Research.

AMR asked 115 business executives about supply chain risks and mitigation strategies, and this new research shows that businesses are now beginning to focus on risks associated with the recovery cycle.

In fact, 44% of respondents in the AMR study believe the recovery cycle is the biggest risk in 2010. Why? They cited a variety of reasons, including potential commodity price increases, limited internal skills after workforce reductions, and problems meeting new demand with constrained capacity, low inventory, and transportation constraints.

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Small business optimism is growing, but most entrepreneurs still see tough economic times ahead, according to the American Express Open Small Business Monitor, a semi-annual survey of business owners.

Susan Sobbott, president American Express Open sums it up like this:

“We see two clear stories being told by business owners,” she says. “Many small businesses are seeing signs of improvement, yet other firms are still struggling to keep their enterprises afloat. For the first time since 2007, the majority of small businesses are optimistic about the near-term future. However, some firms are dipping into cash reserves and personal assets to stem the tide of declining sales.”
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Most shippers are cutting costs and as a result, they’re re-thinking both their supply chains and their 3PL relationships, according to a new study from Capgemini, in cooperation with Oracle, the Georgia Institute of Technology, and Panalpina.

The survey, which polled more than 1,000 logistics executives from both 3PL users and providers in North America, Europe, Asia Pacific and Latin America, examined global markets for shippers and logistics providers and found that, as you might expect, the recession has created significant challenges for both shippers and 3PLs.

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Yesterday, business leaders were reminded once again that they need to prepare for a widespread outbreak of the H1N1 flu.

Gary S. Lynch, managing director, global leader of Marsh Risk Consulting, Supply Chain Risk Management, spoke at a luncheon of the Association of Professional Insurance Women in New York and said that he believes most U.S. companies remain unprepared to realistically deal with a flu outbreak.
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