Operations Management - McGraw-Hill Introduction to Business

[VIDEO] How Junior’s Bakes Millions of Cheesecakes

November 11, 2022

The New York bakery Junior’s has been selling enormous cheesecakes to customers since 1950, but 2022 has probably been the toughest year for the company since its founding. Along with examining how a cream cheese shortage and skyrocketing ingredient prices have threatened Junior’s bottom line, this video also examines the company’s history and the intricate production processes for its many baked goods.

Questions:

How have rising ingredient costs affected Junior’s business?
What role does automation play at Junior’s Continue reading →

Pricing, Entrepreneurship, Manufacturing, Product Distribution, Food & Drink, Supply & Demand, Marketing, Operations Management

Chapter 1: Taking Risks and Making Profits, Chapter 2: Economics, Chapter 3: Globalization, Chapter 6: Entrepreneurship, Chapter 9: Production and Operations Management, Chapter 13: Marketing, Chapter 14: Product and Price, Chapter 15: Distribution, Videos

[VIDEO] Drying Mississippi River Disrupts Another Supply Lane

November 2, 2022

NickelsMcHughMcHugh

The Mississippi River serves as one of the nation’s most vital supply routes, with slow-moving barges carrying everything from agricultural products to oil and building materials. Due to a drastically dry spring and summer, however, the river is running too low at some points to allow vessels to pass through. This video looks at how plummeting water levels on the Mississippi are disrupting the plans of farmers and manufacturers who rely on the river to get their goods to market. Continue reading →

Supply chains, Transportation, Product Distribution, Operations Management, Shipping, Global, Logistics, Supply & Demand

Chapter 1: Taking Risks and Making Profits, Chapter 2: Economics, Chapter 3: Globalization, Chapter 9: Production and Operations Management, Chapter 15: Distribution, Videos

[VIDEO] Why Arizona Is Becoming a Logistics Hub

October 19, 2022

NickelsMcHughMcHugh

On a stretch of highway near Phoenix, property developers have constructed dozens of industrial warehouses with millions of square feet in storage. These enormous Arizona facilities are attracting big companies like Amazon, UPS, Walmart, and many more tenants that are looking to avoid California supply chain bottlenecks. This video looks at the reasons why some businesses are starting to center their logistical operations in the American Southwest.

Questions:

What are the benefits and drawbacks for companies that use storage facilities Continue reading →

Product Distribution, Operations Management, Logistics, Global, Facility Location, Supply & Demand, Warehouses, Arizona, Supply chains

Chapter 1: Taking Risks and Making Profits, Chapter 2: Economics, Chapter 3: Globalization, Chapter 9: Production and Operations Management, Chapter 14: Product and Price, Chapter 15: Distribution, Videos

California Passes Law Regulating Fast Food Industry

September 7, 2022

NickelsMcHughMcHugh

Last week, California’s legislature passed a bill that will bring sweeping changes to fast food chains operating in the state. After being signed into law by the governor on Monday, the new legislation effectively sets a minimum wage for the industry while also establishing new safety and anti-discrimination requirements. California will create a 10-person council composed of restaurant workers and employer representatives along with two state officials, who will all review pay and safety standards across the state’s restaurant industry. Continue reading →

Human Resources, Labor Relations, Compensation, Motivation, Operations Management, Ethics, Franchising, Food & Drink

Chapter 1: Taking Risks and Making Profits, Chapter 4: Ethics and Social Responsibility, Chapter 5: Forms of Business Ownership, Chapter 9: Production and Operations Management, Chapter 10: Motivation, Chapter 11: Human Resource Management, Chapter 12: Labor Management and Unions

Closed Baby Formula Plant Resumes Production

August 31, 2022

NickelsMcHughMcHugh

Earlier this year, we looked at how the nationwide shortage of baby formula was poised to continue for months after Abbott Nutrition shut down a Michigan plant in February. An inspector from the Food & Drug Administration (FDA) discovered a leaking roof in the facility, pools of water on the floor, and cracks in production equipment used to produce the brand Similac. FDA commissioner Dr. Robert Califf described the conditions as “egregiously unsanitary” while acknowledging that the federal agency should Continue reading →

Operations Management, Global, Ethics, Regulation, Entrepreneurship, FDA, Manufacturing, Food & Drink, Supply & Demand

Chapter 1: Taking Risks and Making Profits, Chapter 2: Economics, Chapter 3: Globalization, Chapter 4: Ethics and Social Responsibility, Chapter 6: Entrepreneurship, Chapter 9: Production and Operations Management, Chapter 15: Distribution, Bonus Chapter A: Business Law

[VIDEO] How Supply-Chain Bottlenecks Shifted to East and Gulf Coast Ports

August 26, 2022

NickelsMcHughMcHugh

Global supply chains have been all out of sorts since the start of the pandemic, but for the most part traffic and delays have been isolated to ports on the Pacific. As the video below explains, though, bottlenecks have now moved to East and Gulf Coast ports that are unprepared for this influx of ships and container boxes.

Questions:

What are some reasons why shipping traffic and delays have moved from Pacific ports to East and Gulf Coast ports? Continue reading →

Supply chains, Transportation, Product Distribution, Shipping, Operations Management, Supply & Demand, Pandemic

Chapter 1: Taking Risks and Making Profits, Chapter 2: Economics, Chapter 3: Globalization, Chapter 9: Production and Operations Management, Chapter 15: Distribution, Videos

Thousands of Flights Delayed or Canceled over Holiday Weekend

June 22, 2022

NickelsMcHughMcHugh

Americans traveled in droves over the busy Father’s Day and Juneteenth holiday weekend, leading to widespread delays and cancellations at airports despite the best efforts of carriers. All told, airlines canceled more than 5,000 flights over the weekend while almost a third of all arriving flights on Friday were delayed. Travelers experienced similar moments of chaos at airports over Memorial Day weekend, reflecting an industry struggling to return to normal after the pandemic.

According to airlines, poor weather and high Continue reading →

Operations Management, Global, Transportation, Ethics, Travel, Unions, Supply & Demand, Compensation, Airlines, Pandemic

Chapter 1: Taking Risks and Making Profits, Chapter 2: Economics, Chapter 3: Globalization, Chapter 4: Ethics and Social Responsibility, Chapter 9: Production and Operations Management, Chapter 11: Human Resource Management, Chapter 12: Labor Management and Unions

[VIDEO] How Inflation Impacts U.S. Households

June 10, 2022

NickelsMcHughMcHugh

Over the last year, Americans have seen prices skyrocket for everything from food to fuel, leading to higher bills and strained budgets. This video looks at how inflation has played out across the economy, from increased costs for consumer staples like meat and eggs to rising rents that are a result of low housing supplies.

Questions:

What long term economic factors have led to increased meat prices in recent months?
How has a lack of housing construction since the 2008 Continue reading →

Supply & Demand, Housing, Russia, Supply chains, Operations Management, Energy, Global, Manufacturing, Product Distribution, Petroleum, Ukraine, Food & Drink

Chapter 1: Taking Risks and Making Profits, Chapter 2: Economics, Chapter 3: Globalization, Chapter 4: Ethics and Social Responsibility, Chapter 9: Production and Operations Management, Chapter 15: Distribution, Videos

Baby Formula Shortage Could Continue for Months

May 31, 2022

NickelsMcHughMcHugh

Since the beginning of the year, parents around the country have struggled to obtain baby formula due to a nationwide shortage. Although Covid-related supply chain snags have contributed to the problem, matters became considerably worse once the formula manufacturer Abbott Laboratories instituted a recall in May. The company produces brands like Similac at its plant in Sturgis, Michigan, which shut down following the recall. Consumers filed formal complaints with the Food & Drug Administration (FDA) about infant illnesses, leading to Continue reading →

Regulation, Operations Management, FDA, Global, Food & Drink, Ethics, Supply & Demand, Manufacturing

Chapter 1: Taking Risks and Making Profits, Chapter 2: Economics, Chapter 3: Globalization, Chapter 4: Ethics and Social Responsibility, Chapter 9: Production and Operations Management, Chapter 15: Distribution

[VIDEO] Florida Orange Growers Struggle with Dwindling Harvests

May 26, 2022

NickelsMcHughMcHugh

Although the sunny state of Florida is famous for its acres of orange groves, the last few years have been stormy for citrus growers as they fight against a tree disease that damages their crops. This extensive video looks at how “citrus greening” brought on by an invasive insect has put many Florida growers out of business while others struggle to adapt to this new agricultural reality.

Questions:

How has citrus greening impacted the Florida orange industry?
What are Continue reading →

Food & Drink, Operations Management, Global, Manufacturing, Product Distribution, Agriculture

Chapter 1: Taking Risks and Making Profits, Chapter 3: Globalization, Chapter 9: Production and Operations Management, Chapter 15: Distribution, Videos