Transporting Goods For Businesses

English: Modified version of :Image:World map.png, which was created by John Monnpoly (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

One of the biggest challenges companies that sell a product face is moving the product from A to B, in short, logistics. It's one of the biggest costs companies have to pay, and automating the system is something they spend millions on. Here are a few of the major parts of the logistical system.

Part A: Assembling the raw materials. All products are different, and require different materials, but bringing all the necessary raw materials together requires a bit of math and coordination so there are no shortage or surplus of items.

Moving products around internally requires an automated conveyor system to minimize waste and improve efficiency. Most of the waste in this step is a result of human error, and computer software systems are designed to eliminate that. Inventory management is a part of logistics that keeps count of everything in a warehouse, and requires immense coordination that is better done by a software system.

Getting the products to stores or shopping centers is the final step and requires branching out the product into many different lines. Transporting the items in bulk by train, ship or semi is usually the preferred method, but again, every product is different and requires a different method. Perishable products like fruit and vegetables are sometimes flown across the world to keep them fresh.

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Investing in a Bad Economy

Economy (Photo credit: yourdoku)

When times are hard, investing isn't always a cheerful topic to discuss. Unfortunately we just saw a bad twist in the economy, but that doesn't mean there isn't a silver lining. Not all industries and economies are down, and they may be strong enough to develop new jobs, and support the rest of our industry.

Tech companies rely on people's instant need for news, products, services and social connections to make a profit. With constant improvements in this industry, new products and services are emerging, resulting in a demand for talented workers.

Foreign economies are picking up the slack from the US markets. Many manufacturing industries continue to do poorly in the United States, but there is a huge demand for them from foreign industries. Investing in these industries may not be a bad part of your funds. The risk will be high, and they could easily tank in the short run, but I wouldn't count on it for the long run.