Tag: computers

OM in the News: Bringing Mac Mini Production Stateside

Apple just announced a significant expansion of its Houston manufacturing operations, confirming that production of the Mac mini will move to the U.S. for the first time as part of a broader investment in advanced manufacturing and AI infrastructure. The move will also see Apple expand AI server production at the Texas site and open a new Advanced Manufacturing Center, initiatives that together are expected to create thousands of jobs.

The decision marks a notable shift in the company’s global manufacturing strategy, writes Yahoo Finance (Feb. 28, 2026). The move follows a wider trend among technology firms seeking to diversify supply chains and expand domestic production capacity, particularly in high-value electronics manufacturing.

Alongside Mac mini production, Apple is ramping up output of advanced AI servers at the Houston site, an initiative that began in 2025. The expansion reflects Apple’s growing investment in AI infrastructure, an area that has become central to both consumer devices and cloud services.

Beyond hardware production, Apple is also investing in workforce development with the launch of an Advanced Manufacturing Center in Houston. The facility will provide hands-on training in advanced manufacturing techniques. The center will train students, supplier employees, and manufacturers in processes used in Apple’s own production lines. Apple engineers will teach how U.S. manufacturers can adopt new technologies and improve efficiency,  strengthening the domestic manufacturing ecosystem while building a pipeline of skilled workers.

Apple’s expansion comes amid a broader push to localize manufacturing in North America, driven by supply-chain resilience concerns, geopolitical tensions, and government incentives. Bringing Mac mini production home signals that high-tech consumer electronics assembly—traditionally concentrated in Asia—may increasingly be split across multiple regions. Meanwhile, Apple’s investment in AI server production reflects surging demand for data-center hardware as AI applications expand.

By combining Mac mini assembly, AI server production, and advanced manufacturing training, Apple is positioning Houston as a key node in its global supply chain—while signaling a deeper commitment to U.S. manufacturing capacity. As reshoring momentum continues, Apple’s move could encourage other electronics manufacturers to consider similar strategies, particularly for high-value or strategically important products.

Classroom discussion questions:

  1. Why is Apple reshoring this particular product?
  2. Why is it difficult to bring manufacturing of high-tech products home?

 

OM in the News: Is My Computer Setup Ergonomically Correct?

As we discuss in Chapter 10, ergonomics is an important element in Job Design and the Work Environment, so it may be a good time to ask “Is My Computer Setup Ergonomically Correct?”.  Proper monitor distance, chair height, desk and even mouse placement all make a difference in work performance and stress on the human anatomy.

The Mayo Clinic offers advice in EHS Today (June 1, 2023) on how to set the proper positioning when using a computer in order to avoid some of the health problems associated with seated work, such as neck and back pain and sore wrists and shoulders. The chair height, equipment spacing and desk posture all make a difference.

First, choose a chair that supports your spine. Adjust the height of the chair so that your feet rest flat on the floor. Or use a footrest so your thighs are parallel to the floor. If the chair has armrests, position them so your arms sit gently on the armrests with your elbows close to your body and your shoulders relaxed.

Second, under the desk, make enough room for your legs and feet. Don’t store items under your desk, as that can shrink the amount of available space and make it hard to sit correctly. If the desk is too low and the desk height can’t be changed, put sturdy boards or blocks under the desk legs to raise it. If the desk is too high and can’t be changed, raise your chair.

Third, put your computer keyboard in front of you so your wrists and forearms are in line and your shoulders are relaxed. If you use a mouse connected to a computer, place it within easy reach, on the same surface as your keyboard. While you are typing, using a computer touchpad, or using a mouse or pointer, keep your wrists straight, your upper arms close to your body, and your hands at or slightly below the level of your elbows.

Finally, place the computer monitor straight in front of you, directly behind your keyboard, about an arm’s length away from your face. The monitor should be no closer to you than 20 inches and no further away than 40 inches. The top of the screen should be at or slightly below eye level.

Classroom discussion questions:

  1. Why is this an OM issue?
  2. Did you make any changes in your computer use after reading this post?

OM in the News: IBM’s Strategy Changes Bring it 100 Years of Success

Every newspaper in the country heralded IBM’s 100th anniversary this week, so we also look at this globe-spanning technology behemoth. “IBM’s global reach and broad product portfolio still make it one of the largest and most profitable IT companies in the world”, says Computerworld (June 16-23, 2011). With 427,000 employees and nearly $15 billion profit on sales of $100 billion in 2010, IBM is 2nd in sales in the computer industry only to H-P. Not that the firm has avoided ups and downs. The US  antitrust suit in 1969 (dismissed in 1982) pushed IBM to separate hardware from software. After Tom Watson, Jr., retired in 1971, its mainframe business faced strong competition from smaller, more modular systems. But under the reins of Lou Gerstner, the firm bounced back in the 1990’s focusing on software, system integration, and other services. It was the strategy change  has likely been IBM’s key to success today.

A quick history:

1911  The merger of 4 tabulating companies results in the company, which has 13,000 employees.

1914  The icon Tom Watson, Sr.,  leaves NCR to lead IBM for 40 years.

1928  The IBM punched card becomes the standard for five decades.

1953  The IBM 701 becomes the 1st production computer; it features tape drive technology.

1957  IBM introduces FORTRAN, the standard for technical programming.

1964  The firm successfully bets $5 billion on the System/360– a family of computers that share technology.

1981  The IBM PC is invented, with Microsoft providing the operating system, paving the way for PC-clones such as Dell .

2002  IBM pays $3.5 billion for PricewaterhouseCoopers to strengthen its services and technology consulting units.

2007-today  The company spends over $14 billion to acquire dozens of business analytics software firms (such as SPSS and iLog), planning on $16 billion revenue from analytics by 2015.

As OM professors, this latest move will have a major impact on the availability of free software we can use in class, a trend we need to watch carefully.