All Features
Mike Figliuolo
It’s called “work” for a reason. Most days we’re able to “work” through it and find enjoyment in what we do. But occasionally we’re faced with a grind that saps our strength and threatens to derail us. Fortunately, there are simple techniques for working through that grind.
I love writing this…
Seb Murray
Promoting a “flat hierarchy” with fewer layers of managers might sound modern and progressive. It promises agility, equality, and empowerment. Yet, a new study co-authored by Wharton management professor Saerom (Ronnie) Lee suggests that while flat organizations may appeal to some candidates, they…
Oak Ridge National Laboratory
Simulations still can’t predict precisely when an earthquake will happen. Still, with the incredible processing power of modern exascale supercomputers, they can now predict how they will happen and how much damage they will likely cause.
Imagine a colossal earthquake strikes the California coast…
Frank King
At Ramirez & Co., a midsize business with decades of wins, leadership thought its biggest challenges were competitors, technology, and the market. Close, but no cigar. The real problem was stress, the silent drain that doesn’t show up on a Gantt chart but still wrecks your timeline.
Deadlines…
Bruce Hamilton
In my Labor Day article, “Celebrating Our Frontline Scapegoats,” I observed that of the seven wastes, the one most people recognize is defects. This is understandable: Workers are often blamed for defect-causing situations over which they have little or no control. This article continues that Labor…
Kateryna Sergieieva
Organizations today face a problem that’s both simple and enormous: They operate in a world that moves faster than the systems used to track it. Shipping bottlenecks appear overnight, suppliers run into trouble without warning, and crops or energy grids can shift dramatically in just a few days. In…
Brookhaven National Laboratory
Most metals found in nature are actually in their oxide forms. To extract those metals to use in critical applications—ranging from infrastructure such as bridges and buildings to advanced technologies like airplanes, semiconductors, or even quantum materials—those oxides must be reduced with gases…
Mike Figliuolo
After a couple of heart attacks, I’ve learned to eat much healthier. But finding snacks can be challenging once you remove Doritos and Cheetos from the equation. A good substitute for me is now Harvest Snaps, which are baked lentil pods. I highly recommend the tomato-basil version.
Anyway, I was…
Susan Robertson
Productivity looks good on paper. It’s measurable, visible, and in many organizations, it’s worshipped. But here’s the problem: Productivity isn’t the same as progress.
Many cultures confuse motion with momentum. Leaders celebrate packed calendars, rapid responses, and efficiency hacks, but often…
Kamran Sayrafian
A few years ago, I heard on the news that many people were being hospitalized with a condition of excess fluid in the lungs, called pulmonary edema. It’s common in elderly patients. Pulmonary edema is dangerous and can lead to breathing difficulties and lung failure. Because it has the potential to…
Creaform
Karbonius Composites specializes in manufacturing precision molds and composite components across various sectors, including automotive restoration and high-performance customization. Founded in 2008 and based in La Coruña, Spain, the company’s production capabilities cover every step needed to…
Adam Zewe
A new theory-guided framework could help scientists probe the properties of new semiconductors for next-generation microelectronic devices or discover materials that boost the performance of quantum computers.
Research to develop new or better materials typically involves investigating properties…
FOCO
Metal foundries are under intense pressure. Soaring energy bills now eat more than 30% of production budgets. Tough carbon regulations, such as the EU’s Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism, reduce profit margins.
Foundries also struggle with costly scrap loss through melting and meeting tough…
Creaform
The Bott Group designs vehicle and operating equipment as well as workplace systems. From its headquarters in Gaildorf, Germany, and two production sites in Bude, England, and Tárnazsadány, Hungary, Bott Group designs and manufactures work environments for mobile and stationary manual work…
Bruce Hamilton
I took a walk-jog this morning, something I’ve been doing pretty regularly since early June. Some days are better than others, and today started out sluggish. But as I turned the corner of my street, my neighbor drove by, rolled down his window, and gave me a friendly wave.
Almost like getting a…
Creaform
Known for building rugged telehandler equipment that delivers reliable performance in the most demanding environments, Xtreme Manufacturing places a strong emphasis on quality in every stage of production.
To uphold its commitment to quality when inspecting large weldments, Xtreme needed a…
Mike Figliuolo
This article is dedicated to all the paranoid businesspeople out there who are terrified of their competitors. You know, the people who run businesses centered around “consulting” who view any other “consulting” firm as a competitor. You can insert whatever industry you like in the quotes, and this…
Anouschka Jansen
Global supply chains are going through steady disruption and reevaluation—some of it planned, much of it reactive. While political tensions and trade disputes often grab headlines, other important factors are reshaping how companies manage their suppliers.
Rising tariffs, challenges in sourcing…
Knowledge at Wharton
Many countries face the reality of demographic aging: Fertility is plummeting and people are living longer. This raises critical challenges for the labor market, healthcare, and long-term care markets, as well as retirement systems and financial planning. A Wharton symposium on the implications of…
Quality Digest
(Boeing: El Segundo, CA) -- Boeing has successfully delivered its ninth and tenth O3b mPOWER satellites to content and network provider SES, advancing the company’s effort to provide global connectivity from space. The satellites, which feature Boeing’s fully software-defined payload technology to…
Oak Ridge National Laboratory
(ORNL: Oak Ridge, TN) -- Strengthening the competitiveness of the American transportation industry relies on developing domestically produced electric vehicle batteries that enable rapid charging and long-range performance. However, the energy density needed to extend driving distance can come at…
ISO
Gridlocked streets, honking horns, and polluted air—modern city life often feels like a daily battle against time and space. With half the world’s population projected to live in cities by 2050, the pressure on transport systems is reaching a breaking point. Long commutes steal hours from our day,…
Adam Zewe
The advanced semiconductor material gallium nitride (GaN) will likely be key for the next generation of high-speed communication systems and the power electronics needed for state-of-the-art data centers.
Unfortunately, the high cost of GaN and the specialization required to incorporate this…
Christoph Dorigatti
When Henry Ford introduced the moving assembly line in 1913, manufacturing changed forever. Today, it stands on the edge of another revolution—one powered by AI, automation, and sustainability. Ford’s innovation paved the way for transformation. Those who embrace the future now will define…
Gleb Tsipursky
The world has shifted in remarkable ways, and flexible work is an undeniable force reshaping professional life. But do remote and hybrid arrangements help the environment or lead to unintended consequences? A new study by Mark Ma at the University of Pittsburgh, Betty Xing at Baylor University, and…