The Mitacs Accelerate Ph.D. Fellowships grant is a small business funding program that provides companies with access to a Ph.D. fellow for up to three years. This program is designed to assist small businesses in Canada meet technical and research challenges through partnership with academia. Research fellows are assigned to the project for three years…
The Canadian Federal Budget 2017 was released last week to much interest from business and industry analysts. There was significant speculation surrounding the budget to see what direction Prime Minister Trudeau will be taking. Shortly after Minister Bill Morneau presented the budget to the House, it became clear that the Liberal government will continue investing…
Lean and Six Sigma initiatives are popular amongst medium and large manufacturing firms. These data-driven approaches to managing quality, waste, and continuous improvement are ideal for complex manufacturing environments where a large volume of data can be collected and analyzed, however businesses of all sizes and sectors can use the strategies to improve their operational…
Imagine any type of negotiation unfolding in front of you. What comes to mind? Most people think of a car sale, negotiating a contract at work, negotiating salary or compensation with an employer, or something simple. However, the reality of the situation is that most people negotiate every day on multiple occasions, but most of…
A large majority of our clients are producers in one form or another – manufacturers, assemblers, etc. – most of them make or modify a widget. For these types of operations, defining and improving your competitive advantage typically comes down to a combination of product and service. Companies are able to define themselves on innovative…
Most Canadians share an inaccurate, out-of-date view of how businesses grow and succeed in international markets. Gone are the days where businesses manufactured products in Canada and shipped them internationally; now companies must extend beyond borders and become part of an integrated international value chain. Traditional trade measurements fail to recognize is the effect that…
Sodecia Canada, a globally-recognized automotive manufacturer, has opened a new state-of-the-art technology and manufacturing centre in London Ontario. The new plant was officially opened this week at an event hosted by Sodecia’s local management team, the board of directors, and key management personnel from their corporate head office in Porto, Portugal. At the new facility,…
I’m a big advocate for metrics and key performance indicator (KPI) driven workflows. I believe in the value of data-driven processes, and have seen first-hand the impact of KPI focused process improvement projects. For many manufacturers, the increased use of software systems that document all of their processes has allowed them to identify even more…
The Mitacs Accelerate Ph.D. Fellowship grant is a small business funding program that provides companies with access to a Ph.D. fellow for up to three years. This program is designed to assist small businesses in Canada meet technical and research challenges through partnerships with academia. Research fellows are assigned to the project for three years…
Great Britain has officially begun the process of exiting the European Union after a highly contentious, and incredibly narrow vote to leave. There were immediate impacts in international markets – a global sell off of the Pound saw the currency hit its lowest point since 1985. Global markets (including the TSX) dropped substantially, and virtually…