Monthly Archives: June 2014

Robots That Kill

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JUNE 20, 2014

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robot cage“The Return of the Killer Robots”—sounds like the title of a bad sci-fi movie!  But The New York Times (June 17, 2014) reports the dangers that robots pose to the humans who work alongside them, documenting at least 33 workplace deaths and injuries in the U.S., a number may well understate the perils ahead.

Robots have long toiled alongside workers in factories and warehouses, where they load boxes with items ordered online, drill and weld car parts, or move food from one conveyor belt to the next. Continue reading →

Improving the Airline Baggage Claim Process

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JUNE 19, 2014

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baggageIn 2007, airlines world-wide mishandled 47 million bags, or 19 per 1,000 passengers. Lost baggage was costing the airline industry $4 billion a year. Returning delayed or lost luggage to passengers cost an average of $100 per bag, and there had been a steady increase in the frequency of mishandled baggage. But airlines last year mishandled only 22 million bags, or 7 per 1,000 passengers, reports The Wall Street Journal (June 5, 2014). Why the dramatic change? Continue reading →

Taco Bell: Uncovering the Next Big Thing

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JUNE 17, 2014
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Taco Bell's new Waffle Taco

Chains such as Chipotle and In-N-Out Burger may rely on a stable menu of popular items, but Taco Bell engineers a constant rotation of products in hopes of not only keeping consumers coming back but also uncovering the Next Big Thing. Explains the firm’s chief marketing officer: “We want to be the leader in food innovation and believe there is no finish line when it comes to being first and staying relevant.” Crafting a breakfast hit, like the new Waffle Taco, is lucrative. In recent years breakfast has been the fastest-growing day part for the industry. Continue reading →