Herman Trend Alert: Manufacturing Technology Soars
Recently, the United States received some very good news: manufacturing technology orders are up — way up.
Herman Trend Alert: Augmenting Human Perception
The recently canceled network TV series “Lie to Me” featured Dr. Cal Lightman, who applied psychology to read micro-expressions and body language to determine if people were telling the truth. Now, thanks to the Massachusetts Institute of Technology’s (MIT) Media Lab, this assessment will soon be within the reach of all of us.
Guest Commentary: Silence Is Not Feedback — The Dreaded Performance Review
Most employees desire to know truthfully how they measure up in the eyes of their leader or manager. It is a human trait to desire feedback with regard to any endeavor that we feel is important and life-changing.
Guest Column: A Day at the Races — What Happens After You Knock a Ferrari Off the Track?
In a pro race, when you are lapping another car, sometimes stuff happens.
Executive Interview with Mike Kitching, President and CEO, GB Remanufacturing
This year, Long Beach, Calif-based GB Remanufacturing Inc. is celebrating a quarter century in business. Founded in 1986, GB Remanufacturing has become one of the market leaders in providing remanufactured OEM gasoline and diesel fuel injectors, injector components and diesel electronics to the automotive aftermarket. In today’s Executive Interview, Mike Kitching, GB’s president and CEO, who founded the company with his father, chronicles GB’s history and talks about where the company is headed.
Herman Trend Alert: Telecommuting Growth Slows — What Does It Mean?
According the latest research from the Telework Research Network, telework (sometimes called “workshifting”) trends over the past five years reflect some unexpected developments.
Executive Interview with Tanvir Arfi, Global President, SPX Service Solutions
Tanvir Arfi is currently the global president of SPX Service Solutions, a division of SPX Corp., with 3,500 employees, operations in 19 countries and revenues of $950 million. Previously, Arfi was vice president and chief supply chain officer for SPX Corp., where he had responsibility for global supply management, logistics/distribution management and strategic materials management. Today, Arfi shares with aftermarketNews his thoughts on the speed of technology in the automotive industry and some updates on the role SPX Service Solutions plays in the aftermarket.
Guest Column: A Day at the Races
Industry veteran and longtime Babcox contributor Dave Caracci gives us an inside look at the races with a professional sports car team; or, in his words, he shows us “how an aftermarket guy relaxes in retirement.”
Herman Trend Alert: A Challenge for the U.S. — Veteran Unemployment
Studies by the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM), Workforce Management magazine and BLR (formerly Business and Legal Resources) indicate that more than 60 percent of today’s employers will not hire an active member of the National Guard as a new employee. This challenge accounts for why many National Guard units returning have unemployment rates in the 30 percent to 45 percent range.
Executive Interview: University of the Aftermarket, AAIA Leaders Provide Details on New Executive Education Series
The University of the Aftermarket recently announced a new series of in-depth courses designed to help industry executives master a variety of important business management skills. The new Executive Education Series will begin Aug. 28 and run through Sept. 1, 2011, with a session titled “Better Aftermarket Decision Making Through Economic and Financial Analysis.” The inaugural course is sponsored by the Automotive Aftermarket Industry Association (AAIA). University of the Aftermarket Director Brian Cruickshank, MAAP, and AAIA President and CEO Kathleen Schmatz, MAAP, shared with aftermarketNews more details on this first Executive Education Series session.
Executive Interview with Mike Schwab, Vice President, Aftermarket Division, NGK Spark Plugs (U.S.A.), Inc.
Schwab, a 20-year veteran in the aftermarket, has been with NGK since 1989 and previously served as director of sales and marketing for North America. Here, Schwab talks about the company’s new OEM-blended oxygen sensor program, and the benefits of being an OEM supplier. Schwab also brings us up to speed on NGK’s thriving social media efforts and the expansion of the company’s aftermarket staff.
Executive Interview with Terry McCormack, CEO of Affinia Group Inc.
In today’s Executive Interview, Affinia Group CEO Terry McCormack explains the rationale behind his eye-opening “Know Your Parts” presentation at this year’s AASA Vision Conference and shares details about the company’s new global “World Smart” corporate strategy, which was unveiled this past fall at AAPEX.