Peggy Smedley Show

Peggy Smedley and Tim Lindner, senior business consultant, Voxware Inc., talk about technology predictions for 2023. With regards to ecommerce and omnichannel fulfillment, he says he is seeing more robotics being brought into distribution centers as a response to the severe labor issues—and he sees these things continuing well into 2023. They also discuss: An example of synergy between a human and...

For many, it is the middle of gift buying and giving season. Peggy asks the question: When we venture into stores, will we soon be met with avatars? She points to examples of how the metaverse is impacting retail today. She also discusses: How the metaverse and avatars have evolved in retail and fashion in the past few years. Examples of how avatars can be used to shop and sell. A case study of a...

Peggy Smedley and Tim Ryder, general manager, U.S. Manufacturing Sector, Microsoft, talk about the state of the semiconductor sector. He says the industry is always evolving and it is always working to power the continuous connectivity that we demand to make our lives more productive and to achieve our goals. They also discuss: Trends in the supply chain such as production moving closer to the cus...

Peggy Smedley and Lori Ziolkowski, associate professor, University of South Carolina, talk about how American cities are doing right now as it relates to climate change. She says we have made lots of pledges throughout the decades and the amount of carbon keeps on going up, regardless of all of our pledges. They also discuss: How cities have tried to step up to the task and try being part of the s...

Peggy Smedley celebrates 800 episodes of the show being on the air, giving an in-depth look at how technology has evolved since the show's inception and insights on what's to come. She says digital transformation has the potential to reinvent our processes, culture, and our business models—but we need the right workers to lead. She also: Journeys back to the year 2008 and talks about the economic...

Peggy Smedley and Mark Kroese, general manager, sustainability solutions, Microsoft, and Eugenio Longo, sustainability director, TCS Europe, talk about Scope 1, 2, 3, and 4. They also converse about how Scope 3 becomes very complicated very quickly. They also discuss: The definitions for each one of the Scopes. How to do estimates and probabilistic studies for Scope 3. The need to develop a standa...

Peggy Smedley and Scott Schober, president & CEO, Berkeley Varitronics Systems, talk about ransomware and some of the statements made on a previous episode of The Peggy Smedley Show. He explains that he disagrees with some of the statements made, saying that he hears about ransomware attacks all the time and that it is real and happening all the time—and at the same time there is a lot of fear mon...

Peggy says we know Baby Boomers are exiting the workforce and we need to fill these roles. She talks about the life of a Millennial and how they are one of the most educated generations, yet they are one of the least employed. She also discusses: The type of world a Millennial was born into and the education they received. How many jobs there were when they graduated from college. How they can hel...

Peggy and Devraj Bardhan, CTO, SAP managed services, IBM Consulting, and Nathan Weaver, senior director, SAP business unit, Microsoft, talk about a new strategic partnership. They discuss what listeners should know about how IBM and Microsoft are working together and why it matters. They also discuss: The power in historical knowledge about companies. The top three industries where there is a lot...

Peggy Smedley and Bruce Schneier, chief of security architecture, Inrupt, talk all about cybersecurity. He says the state of cybersecurity is complicated—and it might not be as bad as most people thinks it is. They also discuss: How data is being bought and sold all the time. If the research on cybercrime rates are true. How a company can protect itself from cybercrime. schneier.com   (11/29/22 -...

Peggy talks about the importance of partnerships, people, and technology on our journey to net zero. She defines net zero, the ambitious deadlines to reach it, and the progress that is being made, saying for countries and cities to go net zero this will require significant changes to lifestyles and businesses. She also discusses: A new partnership for net zero that is dedicated to helping countrie...

Peggy and Birdie Carpenter, senior researcher, National Renewable Energy Laboratory, talk about the circular economy. She defines the circular economy, saying there are something like 10 Rs now, explaining it is important: to refuse, to rethink, and to reduce. Another category is to think about how to keep products in the economy if possible. The last category is recycle or recover. They also disc...

Peggy and Joshua Peschel, assistant professor, Iowa State University, talk about water usage and shortages. He says certainly we can all do things that impact our water footprint, but that we all must do it together to make a larger impact. They also discuss: How legislation might help—and hinder—the water shortages. How technology can help with water shortages, both with the end consumer and busi...

Peggy offers two big solutions to the worker shortage and the way forward. She prefaces the conversation by saying businesses do need competitive benefits in order to attract a younger generation to the workplace. She also discusses: The importance of mentorship and how to help young workers understand that manufacturing is a great career. Examples of apprenticeship programs. How digital transform...

Peggy Smedley and Adam Feinberg, cofounder and CTO, Fluidform and professor, Carnegie Mellon University, talk about the research that is done at his lab. He says what they are trying to do is understand how to engineer or build human tissue to treat disease. They also discuss: How engineers can develop technologies that can develop tissue. A 3D bioprinted heart tube like a conduit with valves that...

Peggy and Joshua Gans, professor of strategic management, University of Toronto, Rotman School of Management, joins the show to talk about his book Power and Prediction. He shares how long it took for electricity to have rapid adoption—and compares it to AI (artificial intelligence). They also discuss: Three stages of really innovative technology. Why the human is going to be a critical part of ar...

Peggy talks about the worker shortage and the state of manufacturing. She poses the question: Have we as parents and a society failed millennials and generations even young than them when it comes to exposing them to all the opportunities that manufacturing has to offer? She also discusses: Research that points to the current state of manufacturing. The crisis we are currently facing with the work...

Peggy and Tony Schmitz, professor, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, and joint faculty, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, talk about the ACE (America's Cutting Edge) program and what brought him to the University of Tennessee. He explains that East Tennessee is an exploding ecosystem right now. They also discuss: Why it has the ACE program and the importance of machine tools for defense and our eco...

Peggy and Harry Glorikian, general partner, Scientia Ventures, talk about his book The Future You, how AI (artificial intelligence) can help you get healthier, stress less, and live longer. He says he wrote the book because he felt technology had reached a level that really made healthcare more accessible to the average person—and he wanted them to be able to experience this and bring this into th...

Peggy Smedley talks about what businesses need to do to keep vacant jobs filled. She narrows in on one vertical segment—construction—but the strategies and trends that she suggests apply to nearly every vertical market today. She also discusses: How many workers will need to be attracted to construction this year and next. How many contractors believe training the next generation is the industry's...

Peggy Smedley and Teresa Domenech Aparisi, associate professor in industrial ecology and the circular economy, University College London, talk about the basics of the circular economy. She says to define the circular economy we need to step backwards and define our current economy and how it looks from a material point of view. They also discuss: If our current system is sustainable. Why we aren't...

Peggy welcomes Loren McDonald, CEO, EVAdoption, back to the show to talk about plug-in hybrid electric vehicles and if it will have an impact on reducing greenhouse gas emissions. He talks about BEVs (battery electric vehicles) vs. PHEVs (plug-in hybrid electric vehicles) and says the beauty of plug-in hybrids is several fold including the battery is much smaller. They also discuss: The people who...

Peggy talks all about how businesses can create a roadmap for sustainability. She dives into the topic of sustainability in business and talks about how the results of three new reports reveal a disconnect between intent and action. She also discusses: The biggest challenges we face with regards to sustainability in our businesses today. Two steps we can take to create a more sustainable business....

Peggy and John Dyck, CEO, CESMII, and Jeannine Kunz, chief workforce development officer, SME, join the show to talk about the Smart Manufacturing Executive Council. He says we have been working for a while now to pull together a think tank of manufacturing leaders that we believe will help us advance the cause of smart manufacturing. She says both organizations are built on members and mutual int...

Peggy Smedley talks all about manufacturing and distribution and one of the greatest concerns in the industry—hiring. She cites statistics from a recent report and determines how to appeal to a younger generation of workers. She also discusses: Reasons why Generation Z is not interested in manufacturing—and what they are interested in. The two-fold solution to the labor shortage in manufacturing....