Despite the hue and cry that went up when we learned that the US Olympic team uniforms were ‘manufactured overseas,’ the reality is that MILLIONS of US workers rely upon and contribute to, the global value chains (GVCs) that design, produce, market, ship and deliver leading brands such as Polo (Ralph Lauren).  Our kudos to Moongate & Associates, for its study published this month (and commissioned by the TPP) which clarifies with impressive supporting data, that the perception that there are two categories into which apparel falls:  imported or ‘made in the USA,’ is simplistic and outdated in today’s global economy.

In fact, according to this study, on average 70.3% of the retail price of studied apparel is value added by high paying US jobs.

Most of the lowest skilled jobs are done overseas, leaving the more highly skilled professional employment concentrated in the United States.  These jobs are spread throughout the stages of U.S. value–‐added beginning with fashion designers (average salary $73,640), and fabric and apparel patternmakers ($48,110), and continuing with transportation, storage, and distribution managers ($82,923), compliance officers ($66,620), software developers ($95,283), and sales managers ($111, 283). Moreover, there are high–‐quality blue–‐collar jobs throughout the chain; for example, cargo and freight agents ($45,100), production, planning, and expediting clerks ($41,060), industrial machinery mechanics ($45,740) 9, railroad employees ($76,574) 10, and longshore workers ($124,138)11.

http://www.tppapparelcoalition.org/uploads/021313_Moongate_Assoc_Global_Value_Chain_Report.pdf

Maybe this data could be included in the next news report on this topic?

-Michele Carroll 2/25/2013

7 Steps to ‘New Normal’ Product Launch
By Michele Carroll, Marketing Guru at Reclipse Group Inc.

The days of launching a product by creating a media kit, calling people together and making an announcement, are long done.  We’re a decade beyond “Ready, Fire, Aim!” launches.  Feedback is instantaneous and change is constant.  Companies must recognize the extensive groundwork necessary BEFORE that ‘official announcement’ and manage an integrated promotion leading up to ‘Go Live.’

Here are 7 Steps to frame the process in the ‘new normal’.

1. Understand Pain, Benefit:  Define Value Proposition

First, seek fresh understanding of your market’s pain points or compelling need – from the target audience point of view.  Interview (or have an objective third party interview) prospects, customers, partners and experts to make sure you understand their fears, hopes, needs and wants – and the differences among the player types, relative importance levels among those.

2. Identify Turbo Boosts, Power Bloggers, Experts in Space

Who are the Top 5 thought leaders, credible experts, analysts, luminaries in your target market?  Take the time to identify and prioritize the Top 5 digital/print media outlets, leading blogspots, forums, web venues for information exchange in this space.  Structure your initial research to ensure that this information is a key outcome (who they are and sources of info, respected vehicles).  You should supplement what your market tells you with insights and connections your own team brings to the table.  Prioritize the subset you can manage well.  Effectively reaching the two most important luminaries is much better than almost connecting with ten.

3. Establish Your Own Credibility – in the Space

Across a ‘pre-launch,’ timeline, you should be establishing your company or perhaps individuals within the company as highly credible authorities in relevant subject matter.  Consider hosting, participating or contributing in an ongoing webinar series, authoring white papers, articles or blogs on topics relevant to the problem or opportunity your solution or product addresses, themes that you learned in your research will resonate with your target audience and illustrate your understanding of the pain point, market need, solution or product opportunity;  This does NOT mean stuffing LinkedIn Groups and information exchanges with self serving promotion; to be credible you must share real insights, demonstrate understanding.  Add value. “Give to Get.”

4. Craft Your Message in terms that Resonate – “We Fix That”.

Remember Sam in the movie ‘Holes?’ Anytime the person he cared most about identified a problem or need, he’d say ‘I can fix that.’  That should be your message.  Clarify that your product solves the problem, creates a benefit.  Your research should identify your audience’s preferred information sources, so be there at the right time (secure editorial calendars, identify the right reporters, editors, bloggers) with that perfect message.  Make it easy to find in the manner they prefer (datasheet, PDF, website landing page, short video in an email, postcard linked to email campaign, personal demo).   Do your partners require separate handling and treatment?  Address different sources, information vehicle preferences.

5. Build Leverage

Your message is strong, in the right places and illustrating a clear solution to a compelling need in a form your audience prefers.  Supplement your own messaging with a steady stream of credible partner endorsements, customer testimonials and praise from experts in the field your target market identified as most respected and credible.  Press releases, announcements, endorsements can be supplemented with case studies with proof points.  Show that the solution works in the opinion of people your market respects. Quotes from experts and testimonials from respected and satisfied customers are much more powerful than what you say about yourself.

6. Create Buzz, Build Momentum

Managing milestones along the pre-launch timeline, ensure that these pre-launch workstreams combine to create consistent messaging presence in the right media and among key influencers.  It’s project management pure and simple:  managing along the timeline to build to your official announcement and either host a ‘product release’ event, which today can be physical or virtual.  Prior to the event, most powerful messaging is comprised of a blend to ensure reach to the right eyes, ears and minds:  from tweets, blog posts, networking group posts, media release to coordinated email campaigns, intra-conference event posts and post event follow-on.

7. Capture Metrics

And finally, measure how you did, against goals and objectives established at the outset:  number of clicks, downloads, trials, requests for appointment, demos.  Measure, tune and repeat!

Launching a product follows the same framework as building a brand.  Ideally the process is ongoing, integrated and continuously improving.  Good luck!  Feedback welcome – hope you find this helpful.

About Carrollco Marketing Services www.carrollcomarketing.com

Carrollco Marketing Services helps companies launch, gain traction and grow revenue in the Americas and around the world. From crafting your initial ‘pitch’ to opening the right doors via outreach and integrated campaigns, Carrollco becomes your marketing team!

Headquartered in Silicon Valley, with locations throughout the US (SF Bay Area, Boston, Chicago and Jacksonville), our team has decades of experience, connections, marketing and communication skills as well as domain expertise in the sectors driving global business: Mobility, High Tech, Software & Services, Gaming / Entertainment and Cleantech/ Sustainability.   Please click our website for client testimonials!

Ian A. Gentis
Reclipse Group
Monday, May 14th 2012

While the science of global warming is being debated, there is no doubt about a new metric coming to your supply chain: the carbon footprint. The measurement of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions has become another plank in companies’ Corporate Responsibility platforms, and there is a good chance that you will be asked to provide your carbon footprint data in your next RFP response.

Here’s good news: Companies large and small that have decided to focus on reducing greenhouse gases as responsible policy, are finding out that they can save money.

The basic approach is to conduct a study of the carbon footprint of your supply chain as part of your product life cycle analysis (LCA).

Here’s some bad news: There is a lot of “junk science” and snake oil being offered up and some companies making honest efforts to understand their carbon footprint have had poor results.

Over the course of the next several blogs, we’ll explore the progress being made, offer resources and suggestions, and help you navigate through the hype to reach your goals.

So what is this all about?  A definition of carbon footprint

Our friends at Carbon Trust (www.carbontrust.com) in the United Kingdom (UK) helpfully offer this definition:

A carbon footprint measures the total greenhouse gas emissions caused directly and indirectly by a person, organization, event or product.

A carbon footprint is measured in tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent (tCO2e). The carbon dioxide equivalent (CO2e) allows the different greenhouse gases to be compared on a like-for-like basis relative to one unit of CO2. CO2e is calculated by multiplying the emissions of each of the six greenhouse gases by its 100 year global warming potential (GWP).

A carbon footprint considers all six of the Kyoto Protocol greenhouse gases: Carbon dioxide (CO2), Methane (CH4), Nitrous oxide (N2O), Hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs), Perfluorocarbons (PFCs) and Sulphur hexafluoride (SF6).

There are two types of carbon footprinting

The main types of carbon footprint for organizations are:

1. Organizational carbon footprint

Emissions from all the activities across the organization, including buildings’ energy use, industrial processes and company vehicles.

2. Product carbon footprint

Emissions over the whole life of a product or service, from the extraction of raw materials and manufacturing right through to its use and final reuse, recycling or disposal.

To get to a carbon footprint of the supply chain we will draw on both types of footprints.

What outputs can I expect from a carbon footprint? Some examples of carbon footprints

Let’s take a look at a recent carbon footprint study at Sprint Nextel (To review and download the full study, registration is required, but is free).

Sprint Nextel spends $13.5B annually on the 162 suppliers in its supply chain. Economic consultants Trucost (www.trucost.com) conducted a supply chain carbon footprint. A summary of their findings:

The carbon footprint of the Sprint Nextel supply chain is very concentrated in a few suppliers.

• The top 5 suppliers contribute to 58% of the total carbon footprint of the supply chain.
• The top 50 suppliers account for over 94% of the total carbon.
• Manufacturing is the most carbon intensive sector, accounting for 83% of the total carbon emissions and 67% of the expenditure.
• A total of 121 suppliers from Sprint Nextel’s supply chain are located within the top three sectors.

What can I do with this information?  Make plans to reduce your carbon footprint

Turning again to the Trucost Sprint Nextel study:

Measuring and understanding carbon footprints is the first step to towards managing and reducing them. Sprint Nextel can play a role in promoting emission reductions in the supply chains of its suppliers:

Develop low-carbon procurement strategies:

• An understanding of the main sources of emissions within supply chains could inform low-carbon procurement strategies.
• Baselines can be used to set carbon reduction targets for procurement.
• Include a requirement in tenders for suppliers to report carbon emissions data. Greater transparency can help identify opportunities to reduce emissions and demonstrate improvements in carbon performance.
• Carbon prices can be applied to emissions data to inform procurement decisions.
• Identify opportunities to monitor and share cost savings achieved through improvements in energy and carbon efficiency with procurement.

Inform engagement with suppliers:

• Identify the companies and sectors where engagement could be most effective to reduce supply chain emissions.
• Engage with suppliers that contribute most to carbon footprints, and are carbon-intensive compared with sector benchmarks, to encourage improvements in carbon efficiency.
• Ask suppliers to develop action plans to manage GHG emissions and monitor their performance. Encourage them to focus on improving the efficiency of fuel and electricity use so that they benefit from both carbon and cost savings.

For further reading, here is an interesting white paper from our friends at Carbon Trust which is no longer hosted on their website. (Understanding & Optimizing SC Carbon Footprints PDF)

I was at Apple in the 1986-92 era after coming to the US from the UK with Xerox-Diablo Systems in 1981. My time at Apple was during the John Sculley period. As with many current and Ex Apple folks Steve Jobs and teams created a really insanely great Company with a legacy that touched my life in many positive ways. Without Steve Jobs, and his vision/drive to start/enable continuation of “The Journey”, millions of people Globally would not have traveled their own personal and professional journeys in this recent golden era that Steve created. He will be missed and the Journey, as the Reward, will continue.

Nigel Johnson
- CEO Reclipse Group

HP publicly debates getting out of the PC business. Nokia’s market-share has slipped to less than 30% of the market for the first time since 1999. RIM’s “crack-berry” is withering in the sun of iPhone and Android. What’s it all about? And what impact do these OEMs’ market challenges and their operational responses have on their partners – especially the 3rd Party Logistics Service providers and the Electronic Manufacturing Service providers? These partners took over the management of large portions of their OEMs’ supply chains – taking on the assets and associated labor required to operate them. Is there a shift going on with these OEMs that could force major strategic decisions on the part of the 3PLs and the EMS providers? We have some thoughts about this. How about you?

The importance of being “people centric” in all things is a learning that has grown with me as my career evolved from Industrial Engineer to SC/Business Consultant constantly dealing with change. You can have the best idea or plan but are unable to get that shared vision buy in from and with others. Respect for each individual and asking questions about what they think and then testing your understanding of what they said to you is critical. Being on the same page at the same time and having that “shared vision” is critical in the improvement of relationship,organizational and functional stove pipes to enable true collaboration to occur.
I was at Apple in the late 80’s when things were going well and PC margins were at 55% and was fortunate to experience “The Beer Game” workshop lead by Dr. Peter Senge (MIT) of Learning Organization and the 5th Discipline fame. Peter taught us so much about how to best deal with people and understand and utilize “Learn Org” thinking and methods to better understand and manage change. I really grasped onto this continual learning focus and I am a big fan and suggest if you have not “read the book” then do so or better still participate in LO sessions plus buy the book.
I also suggest participating in the Beer Game. Make it happen as the game is one of the best examples of what end-to-end collaboration to achieve business success is all about. Particularly profound when dealing with e2e Supply Chain management change

Quick Reclipse Update – What is so difficult about communicating whats happening in Reclipse when you are deeply focused and working on the client challenges is that we cannot really talk about those activities. Confidentially is a critical key to successfully helping our clients go to new next levels and those plans and changes are what we are working on that become the “Whats Next”. We thrive on working to help move business entities to a new and needed next levels.
Strong current themes are: true collaboration and partnering; outsourcing next’s; innovating; speed; value; communication; ROI’s and breakthroughs.
Rewarding but challenging change management work and very people, subject matter expertise and relationship based consulting/resulting to deliver measurable soft and hard metrics objectives.
A proactive focus and onward into 2011 and building on and around progress made in 2010.

Announcement – May 2010- California - Is your organization seeking ways to immediately reduce costs, increase revenue, expand market share or achieve a competitive edge?

Reclipse Group, Inc. and McCormack Training & Consulting, LLC have joined forces and formed a strategic alliance to create and execute what you need most: rapid realization of game-changing strategies that help you beat your competition. Our expertise offers you innovative, scalable, cost-effective and collaborative approaches that will drive immediate results, enhance performance, sustain measurable growth, and address the changing marketplace conditions you are facing right now. To help you identify your firm’s most critical business needs, we are offering a free half-day customized Assessment, based on years of working with diverse organizations, following trends and the current economy. You will very quickly be able to pinpoint the challenges you are facing in areas such as business process improvement, training, reverse logistics, supply chain strategy and metrics.

Our new Reclipse-McCormack alliance is unique to the marketplace. By combining Reclipse Group’s pragmatic consulting approach with McCormack Training’s proprietary Proficiency Path^TM training methodology, the Reclipse-McCormack team can assist your company to develop high-yielding business strategies and implement seamless, cross functional solutions. In addition, we can help you quickly realize the organizational changes necessary to effectively execute those strategies. We help you blend rapid integration and the assimilation of new skills, knowledge and needed behaviors to sustain the changes that transform your business. Our global focus targets operations, distribution centers, customer service, sales, manufacturing and finance. We work with you and your suppliers, customers, partners, and stakeholders to enable you and your organization to attain the next level of growth, productivity, and profitability.

Our hand-selected team of experts has a wealth of experience, 100% client satisfaction, and proven track records of success. Profitable impacts our clients’ businesses are experiencing include…

• Re-launch of in-line publishing products resulting in 50% reduction in order cycle time, 20% reduction of freight costs and 5% increase in market share
• Utilizing Proficiency Path^TM methodology improved both employee and manager time-to-proficiency by over 30%
• Sales & Collections program resulting in over 10% improvement in monthly revenue
• New strategies for distribution center optimization resulting in 15% cost improvement and higher customer service levels
• Customer service and supplier operations improvements resulting in over 5% profit margin gain

The Reclipse-McCormack team looks forward to helping you reshape your business along with training and re-integrating your employees to achieve immediate results and a competitive advantage.

Contact us now to take advantage of your Free Initial Assessment to begin uncovering the root causes that are getting in the way of your success.

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About Reclipse Group, Inc. – a global consulting practice focused broadly on operations, supply chain, and logistics solutions and strategy. Using a collaborative philosophy we call Business Chain, we consider all of the elements of a business’ operations in the way we approach solutions development and implementation. Employing this holistic / integrated approach enables Reclipse to innovate with our clients to craft solutions and together achieve the next level of growth, productivity and profitability.

To take advantage of our expertise and enhance your business, contact:

Nigel PC Johnson, CEO at nigel@reclipsegroup.com; 408. 398. 9371 or,

Susan Rosin, President at susan@reclipsegoup.com; 415. 595. 4021 or,

Deby Veneziale, Managing Director EMEA at deby@reclipsegroup.com; 011. 39.340.723.9546

About McCormack Training & Consulting, LLC - a training and performance company that partners with organizations to help them increase revenue, decrease time to proficiency, improve operational efficiency and reduce costs by implementing their innovative, customized, proven training and performance solutions in the areas of: Proficiency Paths™, Train-the-Trainer workshops, Training & Development workshops, Customized Design of Curriculum/Training, Presentation Techniques, Performance Consulting, Spanish Bilingual Proficiency/On-the-Job assessments & workshops.

To take advantage of our expertise and enhance your business, contact:

Marylyn McCormack, Performance Technologist at marylyn@mccormacktraining.com;
714. 848. 6175, or contact one of our team specialists at:

Kathy Tyson, Performance Consultant at kathy@mccormacktaining.com; 630. 303. 0884 or,

Terry Herman, V.P. Sales at terry@mccormacktraining.com; 714. 848. 6175 or,

William Castro, Spanish Bilingual Consultant at william@mccormacktraining.com; 714.317.7952

All is growing well in California following the substantial rains during the winter and spring everything in the garden is growing and blooming.

The same applies in our Reclipse World. I like to call it “moving into the light”. It is exciting times with our Reclipse team and key partnerships building with experienced and innovative top talent and real pragmatic Vision to Action programs. We are developing both internally to fertilize our growth and externally as we prepare and present “value proposition” offerings for clients and potential new clients.

Exciting – Next Generation

It is a fact that most things we currently work on are confidential and we pride ourselves in working ahead of current curves to help our clients be the “Best Next”! Personally I really dislike the terms like “Best in Class” and “Benchmarking” as that really means trying to catch up and become normal or true examples of JIT vs. JIC vs. JTL (Just Too Late)

An Example: Apple and the iPod, iTunes, iPhone current realities really were “game changing” thought leadership and innovation to action and world changing success! Now the iPad has instantly become a “fashion statement” that sells like hot cakes and has created a whole new product, market and community category.

At Reclipse we prefer to work on innovating and creating “next generation” happenings for and with our clients.

Exciting – An all Electric Vehicle

One project I can mention is in our Sustainability, Clean and Green, category. This is a Company that has built a “Zero Emissions” electric vehicle that charges rapidly, has a long range between charges and can and does drive on the freeway as it goes fast enough to be able to. We are developing the Vision (s), Mission, Values, Strategies and Tactics for this entity and a business model that can bring most value for all. The working concept vehicle is operating and very exciting and very real!

We have also developed some compelling Business Chain Management offerings as although we are proven experts in all aspects of cradle to cradle (we borrowed that term from someone) Global demand/supply chain management, integrated logistics, operations and asset management practices we also know that its time for a next level of thought leadership thinking and actions to suit the world we are in and the one ahead of us. To many experts SC terminology for example has become a misused catch all and nothing phrase that has created and not integrated Company stovepipes/silos versus produced real “Business” Sales, Cost, and Profit and Innovation success results. Our Business Chain (Change) thinking, methods and actions help build a wave of change towards true “next generation” customer, people and talent centric collaborations and business innovations results successes.

Exciting – Outsourcers, the 3PL’s (4PL’s)

One of these next generation offerings is targeted at the current 3rd Party Logistics Outsource providers who have to keep up with the ever increasing demands and expectations of the Brand designers/ODM’s who outsource to others to get things produced and delivered for them to an ever increasing and demanding Customer and Cost reduction expectation. How do the 3PL’s survive and compete to thrive in this very demanding arena. Our offering, value enhancing propositions and know how to methods and “how to’s” are targeted to pragmatically help companies in this arena.

Exciting Times

So “lots going on” and it truly is an exciting time and opportunity for us all. Let the Sun shine and the gardens grow!

- Nigel

The concept of sustainability or sustainable development has become a universally accepted foundation for countries around the world when they contend with environmental problems.
It was put forward, with the leadership of then Norwegian Prime Minister, Dr. Gro Harlem Brundtland, by the United Nations World Commission on Environment and Development and was presented for the first time through the Commission’s 1987 report, Our Common Future.
Its strict definition is . . . “a development which responds to the needs of the present without compromising the capacity of future generations to respond to their needs.”
In practical terms, though, it means trying to strike a balance between economic and social progress without endangering the ecological balance of the planet, this balance being considered as a heritage for our children.
Methods of production and consumption must be kind to the human and natural environment and enable everyone on the planet to fulfill their basic need for: food, home, clothing, education, work, and living in a healthy environment.
Sustainable development calls for a change in the habits of every one of us (citizens, companies, local governments, national governments, international bodies) in light of the dangers facing humanity and our planet (social inequalities, industrial and health risks, climate changes, reduced biodiversity, emissions of greenhouse gases, etc.).
It begins with the analysis of the life cycle of each product and/or practice and takes into account all of the impacts (environmental, economic and social) that a product or service will have throughout its life cycle.
The cycle for all of these includes extraction of raw materials, manufacturing, packaging and distribution, consumption, and end of life. Life cycle thinking is an essential concept for implementing sustainable development. When applied to product design, production processes and decision-making, life cycle thinking leads engineers and designers toward a “cradle-to-cradle” approach rather than “cradle to grave”.
When successful, this approach considers and plans for the optimal use of resources (water, wood, fossils fuels, etc.) and energy consumption (in manufacturing, packaging, distribution including transportation to shops), but also landfill sites or other facilities for recycling and, finally, greenhouse gas creation in transportation or other processes.
This is simply the “tip of the sustainability iceberg” and clearly an enormous task, but it is indeed where true sustainable product success lies. It is the way we must proceed if we plan to preserve the environment.

Paul Tasner
Vice President – Supply Chain / Sustainabilty
Reclipse Group, Inc.