Harvey and Irma Delivered Some Harsh Planning Lessons

October 05, 2017 • News

Devastating hurricanes such as Katrina, Sandy and now Harvey and Irma are forces of nature that can’t be stopped by us mere mortals. But we can at least stop intensifying their impact through a lack of foresight.

MIT CTL Delivers MicroMasters Program to GE Employees

October 02, 2017 • Press Releases

CAMBRIDGE, BOSTON, Mass., October 2, 2017 – The MIT Center for Transportation & Logistics (MIT CTL) is providing MIT CTL’s ground-breaking MITx MicroMasters Credential in Supply Chain Management courses to employees in GE’s Operations Management Leadership Program.

MicroMasters Team to Compete in Final of Global Simulation Game

September 21, 2017 • Press Releases

MicroMasters in SCM team scores top ten in Global Supply Chain Simulation. The selected team traveling to Portugal to compete in the Global Final on 28 September. Four MITx MicroMasters in Supply Chain Management Learners who have never met in person but only online, will compete in the Global Professional Final of The Fresh Connection supply chain simulation on September 28, 2017, in Lisbon, Portugal.

Supply Chain Analytics - CTL.SC0x Enrollment is Open. Companies Can Now Enroll in Groups!

September 07, 2017 • News

The foundation course for the series, CTL.SC0x Supply Chain Analytics, is open for enrollment now. We now offer you the opportunity to bulk enroll your group.

Back To School Season & The Key To Hacking Both Work & Retirement Security

September 02, 2017 • News

On September 1st of every year, the city of Boston abruptly transforms. Seemingly every apartment lease in the entire city ends on August 31st, leading to an enormous shuffle of moving vans, of furniture being hauled through doorways and onto street corners. The summer heat finally abates, bringing on hoodie weather, and it seems that just about everywhere you look, there are college logos on the breasts of young, excitable, first year college students, the faces of back-to-school season.

Next Gen Supply Chain: The NextGen Interview

September 01, 2017 • News

Many companies today want to think of themselves as an innovator, but what does innovation look like in the supply chain? We put that question to Jim Rice, deputy director of MIT’s Center for Transportation and Logistics.

NextGen Supply Chain: We’re all familiar with product innovations like the smartphone or electric cars. But what does innovation look like in the supply chain?

Your Car Should Be Safer Before It Becomes Autonomous

August 30, 2017 • News

Featuring Bryan Reimer, Research Scientist at MIT Center for Transportation & Logistics' AgeLab

Trends in auto safety are moving in the wrong direction. The number of traffic deaths in the United States over the past two years has increased by 14%,  according to the National Safety Council, the largest jump in nearly a half century. More than 40,000 people died on our roads last year alone, the most since 2007. And another 4.6 million were seriously injured, a 7% increase from 2015.

A New Breed of Price Predator?

August 09, 2017 • News

In international trade, the practice of dumping – exporting product at a predatory price to capture market share – is usually associated with aggressive countries intent on moving into a national market at any cost.

Are we now seeing a commercial enterprise with country-sized market muscle get into the dumping business?

I’m referring to the on-line behemoth, Amazon.com.

In the politicized trade arena, governments often accuse each other of dumping. Earlier this year the Trump administration took up the antidumping cause against China on behalf of US steelmakers.

How Back-of-Mind Backrooms Rob Retailers of Profits

July 28, 2017 • News

There's a significant cost associated with taking the backroom for granted. Taking the time to re-evaluate a variety of relevant factors can help companies operate a more efficient, cost-effective backroom.

MIT Deems MicroMasters a Success

July 26, 2017 • News

Administrators at Massachusetts Institute of Technology say they are “floored” by the quality of students in its half online, half in-person master's degree program. Expansion plans are in the works.

The first of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology’s half online, half in-person master’s degree programs is making a profit and bringing dozens of new degree-seeking students to campus.

A New Class of Education Makes the Grade

July 10, 2017 • News

The education industry is not known for being on the cutting edge of innovation, but last month a milestone was reached in an innovative online program that opens new avenues to professional education.

Called MITx MicroMasters, the program is part of a broader movement to redefine the way professional education is structured and delivered in response to the changing demand for talent.

MIT’s First MicroMasters Learners Earn Credentials

June 20, 2017 • News

The first-ever cohort in MIT’s inaugural online MicroMasters program — consisting of more than 1,100 learners who completed all five of the online courses in supply chain management — has received its final MicroMasters certificates and will be honored at an online ceremony today.

MIT AgeLab Continues Collaboration with Toyota to Research New Systems for Autonomous Vehicles

June 01, 2017 • News

New research focuses on developing systems for automated vehicles to perceive and identify objects in their environment and understand social interactions in traffic.

Student-Industry Interconnection Transforms the Fabric of Supply Chain

May 23, 2017 • News

By Yossi Sheffi, Ph.D.

More and more companies today are finding innovative ways to collaborate with supply chain research centers. When the projects are well planned and supported, the benefits of such partnerships can be substantial. Supply chain professionals often are surprised by how much value they derive, and the students involved enjoy the unique experience of applying their classroom-based knowledge in the real world.

Joseph the Logistician: A Biblical Tale of Our Time

April 26, 2017 • News

Possibly the most brilliant logistician of the biblical age, Joseph, can teach us a lot about the importance of logistics today.

Joseph’s exceptional forecasting and planning abilities put him on a fast track to promotions. He ascended rapidly from the role of prisoner/superintendent in an Egyptian jail, to Pharaoh’s Chief Logistics Officer with “Prince” in his title. At the peak of his career, the man was second only to Pharaoh.

Let’s recap Joseph’s rise to capture the full significance of his story in the modern day.

MIT Master’s Program in Supply Chain Management Ranked No. 1 in the World

April 25, 2017 • News

The MIT master’s program in supply chain management has been ranked as the world's No. 1 graduate business program in supply chain and logistics by Eduniversal, the Paris-based global rating agency for higher education. This is the second time the MIT master’s program has been ranked No. 1 by Eduniversal.               

Commonwealth of Massachusetts Governor Charlie Baker Visits MIT Center for Transportation & Logistics and AgeLab

April 13, 2017 • News

The Governor of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, Charlie Baker visited the AgeLab at MIT Center for Transportation & Logistics on Wednesday, April 12, where he signed an Executive Order establishing the state’s first Governor’s Council to Address Aging in Massachusetts.

Not Your Father’s High Street

March 31, 2017 • News

What will retailing look like 10 years from now? Will Main Street and suburban shopping still exist?

Recent announcements by household names such as Sears, Macy’s and J. C. Penney of mass store closures, and the unrelenting growth of e-commerce, do not augur well for the traditional shopping experience.

But the death of bricks-and-mortar retailing has been grossly exaggerated. A decade from now people will still be visiting their favorite outlets – it’s just that the environment in which they shop will look very different than it is today.

Self-Driving Cars Could Be Boon for Aged, After Initial Hurdles

March 23, 2017 • News

Single, childless and 68, Steven Gold has begun to think about future mobility and independence. Although in good health, he can foresee a time when he won’t be a confident driver, if he can drive at all. While he hopes to continue to live in his suburban Detroit home, he wonders how he will be able to get to places like his doctor’s office and the supermarket if his driving becomes impaired.

For Mr. Gold and other older adults, self-driving cars might be a solution.

MIT’s Global Supply Chain MBA

March 16, 2017 • News

The new 3C program allows students to study on three continents in ten months, gaining a global perspective and an master's degree.

When I was in college, way back in the day, we all looked forward to a semester abroad. It was a chance to experience the world and broaden your horizons as part of your education. With that as backdrop, I was intrigued to read about a new supply chain masters degree program being rolled out by the MIT Global SCALE Network next fall.

Supply Chain Management: Past, Present and Future

March 03, 2017 • News

Featuring the article "A New Score for Supply Chains" by Chris Caplice

Additive manufacturing, autonomous vehicles, blockchain technology, the Internet of Things and multi-channel retailing are some of the innovations that are driving tremendous change in supply chain management today. Yet the innovative trend that is of most interest to me is already several decades old—the growing importance of service over products.

The real keys to innovation: Knowledge and creativity

March 03, 2017 • News

Technology promises to revolutionize the way supply chains are managed. However, in-depth knowledge and creative problem solving can enable significant supply chain innovations without the need for new technology. 

By Roberto Perez-Franco 

MIT CTL’s Jim Rice Wins Resiliency Educator of the Year Award

March 02, 2017 • Press Releases

Award Recognizes His Achievements in Supply Chain Risk Management

CAMBRIDGE, Mass., March 2, 2017 – Jim Rice, Deputy Director of the MIT Center for Transportation & Logistics (MIT CTL), has received the Supply Chain Resiliency Educator of the Year award from the Global Supply Chain Resiliency Council. The award was presented at the Council’s annual conference on March 1, 2017, in Silicon Valley, CA.

MIT Global SCALE Network Launches Three-Continent Graduate Program in Supply Chain

March 01, 2017 • Press Releases

Unique Learning Experience in Asia, Europe and North America

CAMBRIDGE, U.S.A., NINGBO, CHINA, ZARAGOZA, SPAIN, March 1, 2017 – The MIT Global SCALE (Supply Chain and Logistics Excellence) Network has launched the MIT-Zaragoza-Ningbo Master of Engineering in Logistics and Supply Chain Management program, or 3C Master’s Program, that gives students a unique opportunity to complete their studies in three continents: Asia, Europe, and North America.

It Takes More Than Math to Design a Distribution Network

February 24, 2017 • News

Distribution networks are the conduits that connect companies with their customers, so it is hardly surprising that the way these networks are designed has a critical impact on cost and customer service.

Companies commonly use mathematical optimization models to arrive at the best network design, but this approach is flawed in one key respect — it does not take into account changing market conditions during the several years it can take to complete a design project. This is particularly onerous in developing economies where markets tend to be extremely changeable.