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Click on the links below to download the articles in PDF format.
 Backbone
of the Lean Enterprise (Presentation)
James B. Ayers
Westec 2004, Society of Manufacturing Engineers,
March 2004
What does it take to make “lean” a reality? The presentation and
accompanying technical paper delves
into the definition of lean foundations: enterprise definition, lean
scope, and backbone, including enabling processes. The documents
identify elements needed to extend lean manufacturing over a multicompany
supply chain. This presentation was presented at the
Society of Manufacturing Engineers’ WESTEC 2004 conference.
For technical paper click here.
Expertise on Demand: the
Supply Chain World Needs Industrial Engineering Now
James B. Ayers, Industrial Engineering,
Institute of Engineers, March 2009
 The
article describes shifting paradigms in the supply chain management
discipline. The changes from conventional to emerging paradigms call
for new skills and mastery of the "art" of implementation. New
industrial engineers are well positioned to provide these
capabilities to organizations in industry, service businesses, and
government.
 Know the ABCs of Retail
Supply Chain Costs
James B. Ayers &
Mary Ann Odegaard
CSCMP's Supply Chain Quarterly,
Quarter 2, 2007
This article appeared in the inaugural edition of the Council of
Supply Chain Management Professional’s Supply Chain Quarterly. The
article is based on Chapter 19 of Jim Ayers and Mary Ann Odegaard’s
book, Retail Supply Chain Management. The article describes a
methodology for identifying costs, using an activity-based cost
snapshot, across a multicompany supply chain. The technique supports
product pricing, make or buy decisions, and targeted cost
reductions.
Sister
Act: A Makeover
Patricia Gray
Fortune Small Business, December 2007
The article describes the contributions
of a panel that included Jim Ayers and Mary Ann Odegaard of the
University of Washington. The panel, organized by Fortune Small
Business (FSB), counseled natural product manufacturer Sister
Sky management in a “makeover” of their retail strategy. Sister Sky,
located on an Indian reservation near Spokane, manufactures a
product line based on traditional Native American natural
ingredients.
 Supply Chain Prestudies
James B. Ayers
Information Strategy: the Executive's Journal, Winter 2001
How do you start a supply chain redesign effort?
The prestudy is a "front end" that focuses the supply chain improvement
program. It involves organizing end users into market segments,
documenting existing products and supply chains, and analyzing their
profitability.
Root Cause – Weak Links
James B. Ayers
Information Strategy: the Executive's Journal,
Summer
2001
Budget-busting systems aren’t the only answer!
Supply chain linkages between companies don’t have to cost a fortune.
The article describes alternative techniques for links between suppliers
and customers.
Supply Chain Systems –
Are You Ready?
James B. Ayers and David R. Malmberg
Information Strategy: the Executive's Journal,
Winter
2002
Achieving supply chain excellence is like
climbing a mountain with four “camps” (or levels of supply chain
maturity) on the way to the summit. Two
“enablers” improve chances for success. The first is a supportive
organization. The second is the “demand-driven” supply chain. Moving to
the next level requires a coordinated effort.
You'd Better Know Your
"ABC's": Process Mapping and Activity Based Costing
Jim Ayers and Larry Benson
REPertoire, April 1996
Traditional accounting doesn’t cut it any more.
Activity-based costing is needed in designing distribution industry
supply chains. Included in the article are the benefits of the approach
and an overview how it is done.
TQM
and Information Technology: Partners for Profit
James B.
Ayers
Information Strategy: the Executive's Journal, Spring 1993
TQM and its focus on processes should accompany
the introduction of information technology. This increases the chances
that the technology deployment will be successful. In many cases the CTO
must assure that the organization adopts vital elements of TQM.
Faced with globalization
and outsourcing, IT professionals must continue to create value. In
early 2004, this article was revised. This update reinforces themes in
the original. It was written at the request of ICFAI Books, ICFAI
University, Hyderabad, India.
Click here for the updated version.
Application of
Computer-Assisted Techniques to Indirect Cost Identification and
Reduction
James
B. Ayers
Society of Manufacturing Engineers Technical Paper, 1984
This technical paper
explains both top-down and bottom-up approaches to cost analysis and
control. It describes two case studies – from Bell Helicopter and the
Jet Propulsion Laboratory. They hold lessons for today’s managers
seeking more cost-effective operations, particularly in companies with
large indirect costs. This technical paper was presented in 1984 at the
Society of Manufacturing Engineers’ AUTOFACT conference and remains
relevant today.
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