Operations

Building the supply chain of the future
article | McKinsey Quarterly

Building the supply chain of the future

January 2011—Getting there means ditching today’s monolithic model in favor of splintered supply chains that dismantle complexity, and using manufacturing networks to hedge uncertainty.more

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Designing products for value
article | McKinsey Quarterly

Designing products for value

October 2012—Learn how leading companies combine insights about customers, competitors, and costs to develop more innovative and cost-effective products.more

Manufacturing resource productivity
article

Manufacturing resource productivity

June 2012—Manufacturers can generate new value, minimize costs, and increase operational stability by focusing on four broad areas: production, product design, value recovery, and supply-circle management.more

From supply chains to supply circles
infographic

From supply chains to supply circles

June 2012–New business models that rethink ownership can shift value along the supply circle.more

Manufacturing the future: The next era of global growth and innovation - Image
report | McKinsey Global Institute

Manufacturing the future: The next era of global growth and innovation

November 2012—Manufacturing remains a critical force in both advanced and developing economies. But the sector has changed, bringing new opportunities and challenges to business leaders and policy makers. more

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Agile operations for volatile times
article | McKinsey Quarterly

Agile operations for volatile times

May 2012—By improving how risk is measured—and managed—in global operations, companies can adapt to changing conditions faster than competitors.more

The human factor in service design
article | McKinsey Quarterly

The human factor in service design

January 2012—Focus on the human side of customer service to make it psychologically savvy, economically sound, and easier to scale. more

Improving public-sector purchasing
article

Improving public-sector purchasing

August 2009—To get the most out of the purchasing function, public institutions should gain a consolidated view of purchasing spend, set high aspirations for change, streamline buying processes, and strengthen the purchasing organization.more

Enduring Ideas The business system
article | McKinsey Quarterly

Enduring Ideas: The business system

June 2009—In this interactive presentation—one in a series of multimedia frameworks—McKinsey alumnus Kevin Coyne describes how companies can use the business system to evaluate their choices at each stage in the process of creating and delivering products. Aligning conduct at every step with the company’s value proposition creates a truly integrated business strategy.more

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Integrating purchasing in M and A An interview with Lenovos chief procurement officer
interview | McKinsey Quarterly

Integrating purchasing in M&A: An interview with Lenovo’s chief procurement officer

May 2008—The chief purchasing officer of Lenovo explains how he helped to create the operational basis for its continuing evolution from a Chinese powerhouse into a global one.more

Tailoring IT to global operations
article

Tailoring IT to global operations

November 2011—Complex enterprise-resource-planning systems often fail because of the local-versus-global conundrum. By focusing on a handful of agreed-upon business priorities, IT executives can break the impasse. more

Fulfilling the promise of Indias manufacturing sector
article

Fulfilling the promise of India’s manufacturing sector

March 2012—India’s product makers have a golden opportunity to join the global big leagues. They should seize it.more

Bangladesh The next hot spot in apparel sourcing
article

Bangladesh: The next hot spot in apparel sourcing?

March 2012—Lower costs are an advantage for the country’s ready-made-garment industry, but challenges remain.more

From internal service provider to strategic partner An interview with the head of Global Business Services at P and G
interview

From internal service provider to strategic partner: An interview with the head of Global Business Services at P&G

July 2008—Filippo Passerini is bringing the back office into the boardroom.more

Squeezing more ideas from product teardowns
article | McKinsey Quarterly

Squeezing more ideas from product teardowns

July 2009—Some companies are using product teardowns to dismantle silo culture in product development.more

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The path to successful new products
article

The path to successful new products

January 2010—Businesses with the best product-development track records stand apart from their less-successful peers in three crucial ways.more

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The material on this page draws on the research and experience of McKinsey consultants and other sources. To learn more about our expertise, please visit the McKinsey Global Institute, Operations Practice, Sustainability & Resource Productivity Practice.