Toyota’s new commitment to hydrogen fuel-cell vehicles and its abandonment of fully electric ones highlights two huge divides facing CEOs and other leaders, not just in the automotive industry, but across a broad spectrum of organizations in the car-dependent economy, including politicians, other types of manufacturers, the travel industry and agriculture, among others.
A scrappy community-college system in metro Detroit is redefining its relationship with local businesses by adopting a “demand-driven” model that attempts to supply employers’ pressing needs for skilled engineering, technical and manufacturing workers instead of simply educating, training and turning out graduates with an obtuse aim that benefits neither them nor the economy.
D.C.-based nonprofit Change the Equation has released a list of the top five U.S. cities for advanced manufacturing—Tulsa, Okla., Houston, Detroit, Grand Rapids, Mich. and Toledo, Ohio.
More companies are launching advanced manufacturing hubs to foster “thriving ecosystems” of corporations, startups, higher education institutions and nonprofits that can jumpstart the commercialization of R&D products.
“Made in the USA” is a hot pursuit for manufacturing CEOs these days. By 2015, the Boston Consulting Group predicts that cost advantages over parts of Asia and Europe will drive more companies back to the U.S. generating as many as 5 million manufacturing jobs by the end of the decade.
When leaders place so much immediate attention on the near term, they lack the vision to make bold bets on the future. Here are five ways manufacturers can make bold bets and improve their top line.
Manufacturing CEOs are making sustainability an increasingly important criterion in siting, constructing and operating their facilities today.
The need for more innovation is clear to manufacturing CEOs, with business chiefs in a recent KPMG survey identifying innovation as the key differentiating factor to improve year-over-year growth and profitability.
Everyone is talking about reshoring these days. Last week, there was an entire conference dedicated to the subject at Mississippi State University. In attendance was the Mississippi Merchandise Manager for Walmart, who said, “We have made the commitment that in the next 10 years, we are going to purchase an additional $250 billion of U.S. manufactured goods.”
CEOs on the ground floor of American manufacturing are growing increasingly optimistic as they see the U.S. economic recovery beginning to attain firmer ground, and the incremental improvement is resulting in stronger projections for sales of factory equipment as a result.
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1:00 - 5:00 pm
Over 70% of Executives Surveyed Agree: Many Strategic Planning Efforts Lack Systematic Approach Tips for Enhancing Your Strategic Planning Process
Executives expressed frustration with their current strategic planning process. Issues include:
Steve Rutan and Denise Harrison have put together an afternoon workshop that will provide the tools you need to address these concerns. They have worked with hundreds of executives to develop a systematic approach that will enable your team to make better decisions during strategic planning. Steve and Denise will walk you through exercises for prioritizing your lists and steps that will reset and reinvigorate your process. This will be a hands-on workshop that will enable you to think about your business as you use the tools that are being presented. If you are ready for a Strategic Planning tune-up, select this workshop in your registration form. The additional fee of $695 will be added to your total.
2:00 - 5:00 pm
Female leaders face the same issues all leaders do, but they often face additional challenges too. In this peer session, we will facilitate a discussion of best practices and how to overcome common barriers to help women leaders be more effective within and outside their organizations.
Limited space available.
10:30 - 5:00 pm
General’s Retreat at Hermitage Golf Course
Sponsored by UBS
General’s Retreat, built in 1986 with architect Gary Roger Baird, has been voted the “Best Golf Course in Nashville” and is a “must play” when visiting the Nashville, Tennessee area. With the beautiful setting along the Cumberland River, golfers of all capabilities will thoroughly enjoy the golf, scenery and hospitality.
The golf outing fee includes transportation to and from the hotel, greens/cart fees, use of practice facilities, and boxed lunch. The bus will leave the hotel at 10:30 am for a noon shotgun start and return to the hotel after the cocktail reception following the completion of the round.
