Where does the real value of innovation reside? Is it in the ability to discover something previously unknown or in the ability to combine what is already known in a different way?

With the news that Australia is facing a critical shortage of Santas this Christmas, Brendan Richard spoke to Santa’s Head of Elf Resources (HER), Barbara.

The biggest challenge is how we manage crowds. Avoiding rush-hour stress used to be about efficiency, and now it is about safety.

As you know, KPMG’s resident logistics expert, Brendan Richards has a hotline to Santa HQ and we asked him to get in touch to find out how the pandemic has impacted festive operations. Brendan spoke to Santa’s Chief H’elf Officer, Brian.

‘Just-in-Time’ has undeniable efficiencies but, in a time of crisis, it also leaves us woefully exposed.

As important as creating a vaccine may be, it’s just as essential to distribute it, and that requires a very specialised form of logistics that has long been neglected.

It seems like every year something arises which challenges the spirit of Christmas. Most are handled with aplomb by Santa and his magical elves but every now and again something comes along which requires a major change in the way the jolly fellow operates.

In logistics and transport games are being used in everything from picking and packing, to shift management and to safe and fuel-efficient driving.

Developing a logistics mindset, can help businesses discover tremendous opportunities and sometimes those opportunities are the simplest of things.