Productivity

Mid-market companies seeking solutions to enable growth may find great benefits in robotic process automation (RPA).

For American manufacturers, the election of Donald Trump has put the issue of lagging factory productivity firmly back on the agenda, challenging CEOs to open their minds to new ways of making things.

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas: toys in stores, holly on doors and unproductive workers, possibly drunk on floors.

As manufacturers continually look for ways to improve products and solve design challenges, they're looking more to Mother Nature as a source of inspiration.

The mass commercialization of self-driving cars and virtual offices may still seem like futuristic concepts to many business leaders. But automation technology is advancing fast, offering CEOs across various industries scope to enjoy sizable near-term boosts in productivity, according to a new survey.

In the highly politicized environment leading up to the 2016 presidential election, there are varying and drastically differing viewpoints about the state of manufacturing in the United States. Some argue that American manufacturing is doomed, while others say it's rapidly growing and entering a new era of productivity.

For many companies, cost-cutting efforts quickly translate into a competitive “race to the bottom” in which retailers, manufacturers and consumers alike all lose out on greater growth and access to exciting innovations. It’s a dangerous cycle, but it doesn’t have to happen.

Recent findings by university researchers may reveal a more efficient way to manufacture glass. This could be a significant discovery for an energy-intensive industry where heating constitutes a large portion of production costs.

As American productivity has reached a plateau, mid-market companies may have a unique opportunity to use their medium size and innovative cultures to lead the way in productivity gains.

America’s manufacturing sector will likely require an estimated 3.4 million workers over the next decade with over 2 million of these jobs expected to remain unfilled due to a shortage of people with the skills necessary to operate in a 21st-century manufacturing environment.