Lineage Logistics has acquired New Zealand's Cold Storage Nelson and has plans to purchase Spanish cold storage logistics provider Grupo Fuentes. The acquisitions are part of Lineage's strategy to grow its presence in Europe and the Asia-Pacific region.
Weyerhaeuser is collaborating with Operation Tiny Home on an initiative to meet the needs of military veterans dealing with housing instability and homelessness. The real estate investment trust is "looking at how can we partner better with other organizations, other companies, and community leaders that also are looking to solve the problem," Weyerhaeuser's Anne Leyva said.
Business leaders who want to successfully implement artificial intelligence and machine learning programs need to be sure to get the target and process right, according to MIT lecturer Jonathan Byrnes. "First and foremost, managers have to gain user trust in the AI/ML output recommendations, and it has to fit into current business processes," writes Byrnes, who also notes that "[t]hese systems can produce so much new information that most companies' traditional business processes cannot accommodate it."
The Logistics Manager's Index for July came in at 60.7, a decline of more than four points from June, while the Institute for Supply Management's Purchasing Managers' Index dipped to 52.8, compared with 53.0 the previous month. Experts note that despite the drops, both indexes are still indicating growth.
Transmission's Andrew O'Sullivan urges the business-to-business marketing industry to raise its creative standards, which starts with leadership, he contends. "[C]reative leaders need to guide clients to help them feel more comfortable with uncomfortable thinking," O'Sullivan writes.
A concerted effort can help a sales team move beyond the economic "malaise" to reach good year-end numbers, Gary Fly, president and CEO at The Brooks Group, writes. Fly advises evaluating who is and isn't buying to better inform the path forward, and then coaching, reinforcing and realigning the team.
Leaders should speak when they are persuading, energizing, comforting, connecting with and learning from others and have a clear goal in mind, writes Dan Rockwell. Conversely, leaders must learn to be quiet when they find themselves bloviating, talking at those around them and don't have a clear reason for speaking, Rockwell writes.
The unexpected gold medal success of the 1984 US men's Olympic volleyball team holds many lessons for modern leaders, writes Sean Murray, founder and president of RealTime Performance, including how to attract the best talent and create a culture that emphasizes teamwork over star performers. The greatest lesson from the team's experience, Murray writes, is that "it's not how well the individuals on the court play, it's how well they play together."
