Skip to content
Search AI Powered

Latest Stories

CSCMP Notebook

Smeltzer wins Young Professional Paper contest

Daniel Smeltzer of Mainfreight USA won for his analysis of how autonomous vehicles could shape the future of supply chain management and the economy.

First-place honors in the fifth annual CSCMP Young Professional Call for Papers essay competition went to Daniel Smeltzer, sales executive at logistics service provider Mainfreight USA, for his analysis of how autonomous vehicles could shape the future of supply chain management and the economy. Smeltzer was recognized during the Young Professionals reception at the 2017 CSCMP EDGE Supply Chain Conference in Atlanta, Georgia, in September.

Each year, CSCMP invites members who are 30 years old or younger to submit a paper that demonstrates their problem-solving ability and innovative thinking. This year's competition was sponsored by the online freight-matching marketplace Truckstop.com.


Smeltzer's paper touches on the trucking industry's driver shortage and how electronic logging device (ELD) regulations are exacerbating the issue. The paper goes on to explore how emerging technology, in particular autonomous vehicles, might help reduce the impact of this problem.

The winner of the Young Professional Paper contest receives a complimentary registration to CSCMP's EDGE Supply Chain Conference, hotel accommodations, and a $500 stipend.

Recent

More Stories

chart of robot adoption in factories

Global robot density in factories has doubled in 7 years

Global robot density in factories has doubled in seven years, according to the “World Robotics 2024 report,” presented by the International Federation of Robotics (IFR).

Specifically, the new global average robot density has reached a record 162 units per 10,000 employees in 2023, which is more than double the mark of 74 units measured seven years ago.

Keep ReadingShow less

Featured

person using AI at a laptop

Gartner: GenAI set to impact procurement processes

Progress in generative AI (GenAI) is poised to impact business procurement processes through advancements in three areas—agentic reasoning, multimodality, and AI agents—according to Gartner Inc.

Those functions will redefine how procurement operates and significantly impact the agendas of chief procurement officers (CPOs). And 72% of procurement leaders are already prioritizing the integration of GenAI into their strategies, thus highlighting the recognition of its potential to drive significant improvements in efficiency and effectiveness, Gartner found in a survey conducted in July, 2024, with 258 global respondents.

Keep ReadingShow less
A photo of brown paper packages tied up with shiny red ribbons.

SMEs hopeful ahead of holiday peak

Businesses are cautiously optimistic as peak holiday shipping season draws near, with many anticipating year-over-year sales increases as they continue to battle challenging supply chain conditions.

That’s according to the DHL 2024 Peak Season Shipping Survey, released today by express shipping service provider DHL Express U.S. The company surveyed small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) to gauge their holiday business outlook compared to last year and found that a mix of optimism and “strategic caution” prevail ahead of this year’s peak.

Keep ReadingShow less
A retail associate uses a handheld scanner to scan hang tags on button-down shirts.

Retailers plan tech investments to stop theft and loss

Eight in 10 retail associates are concerned about the lack of technology deployed to spot safety threats or criminal activity on the job, according to a report from Zebra Technologies Corp.

That challenge is one of the reasons that fewer shoppers overall are satisfied with their shopping experiences lately, Lincolnshire, Illinois-based Zebra said in its “17th Annual Global Shopper Study.” While 85% of shoppers last year were satisfied with both the in-store and online experiences, only 81% in 2024 are satisfied with the in-store experience and just 79% with online shopping.

Keep ReadingShow less
holiday shopping mall

Consumer sales kept ticking in October, NRF says

Retail sales grew solidly over the past two months, demonstrating households’ capacity to spend and the strength of the economy, according to a National Retail Federation (NRF) analysis of U.S. Census Bureau data.

Census data showed that overall retail sales in October were up 0.4% seasonally adjusted month over month and up 2.8% unadjusted year over year. That compared with increases of 0.8% month over month and 2% year over year in September.

Keep ReadingShow less