We use cookies to provide you with a better experience. By continuing to browse the site you are agreeing to our use of cookies in accordance with our Cookie Policy.
  • INDUSTRY PRESS ROOM
  • SUBMISSIONS
  • MEDIA FILE
  • Create Account
  • Sign In
  • Sign Out
  • My Account
Free Newsletters
  • MAGAZINE
    • Current Issue
    • Archives
    • Digital Edition
    • Subscribe
    • Newsletters
  • STRATEGY
  • GLOBAL
  • LOGISTICS
  • MANUFACTURING
  • PROCUREMENT
  • VIDEO
    • News & Exclusives
    • Viewer Contributed
    • CSCMP EDGE 2022 Startup Alley
    • Upload your video
  • PODCAST ETC
    • Podcast
    • White Papers
    • Webcasts
    • Events
    • Blogs
      • Reflections
      • SCQ Forum
    • Mobile Apps
  • MAGAZINE
    • Current Issue
    • Archives
    • Digital Edition
    • Subscribe
    • Newsletters
  • STRATEGY
  • GLOBAL
  • LOGISTICS
  • MANUFACTURING
  • PROCUREMENT
  • VIDEO
    • News & Exclusives
    • Viewer Contributed
    • CSCMP EDGE 2022 Startup Alley
    • Upload your video
  • PODCAST ETC
    • Podcast
    • White Papers
    • Webcasts
    • Events
    • Blogs
      • Reflections
      • SCQ Forum
    • Mobile Apps
Home » Thinking globally
Perspective

Thinking globally

March 2, 2016
Toby Gooley
No Comments

I've been looking forward to this issue of Supply Chain Quarterly—our first-ever with an international theme. Global supply chains hold special interest for me. Before I became a writer and editor, I studied Asian and Romance languages in college, and then spent a decade working in international trade and transportation operations.

I've never lost my fascination for cross-cultural communication and the ins and outs of conducting business across borders. But the real reason for producing this special issue is that global trade, logistics, and supply chain operations and strategies are relevant to almost every one of you, our readers. It's rare indeed to find a supply chain professional who isn't affected by those functions, whether directly through his or her job responsibilities or indirectly at the corporate level.

The increasingly global nature of our profession will be evident to anyone who attends the Council of Supply Chain Management Professionals' annual conference. CSCMP has more than 20 international roundtables, and last year's well-attended event hosted visitors from 39 countries, from stalwarts like the United Kingdom and India to smaller nations like Ghana and Sri Lanka.

That trend was equally clear at the recent Supply Chain Student Research Expo put on by the Massachusetts Institute of Technology's Global SCALE Network. This annual program brings together more than 100 graduate students from around the world to present the real-world supply chain projects they are working on. It was not unusual to see, for example, a student from Greece and another from India collaborating on an inventory management analysis, or students from Malaysia and China working together on a food and beverage metrics project. Some of the presentations were specific to a particular country or region. But most of them represented business issues that affect supply chains everywhere: optimizing inventory distribution, improving last-mile delivery, reducing stockouts, and designing manufacturing and distribution networks, to name just a few.

Regardless of where in the world they live and work, then, supply chain professionals have similar problems to solve and business mandates to meet. There's no denying, though, that managing supply chains across countries and continents does introduce additional complications (long transit times, customs and local government regulations, and language and cultural barriers, among others) that call for specialized knowledge and experience.

If that sounds familiar, then Supply Chain Quarterly's special international issue is for you. You'll find articles about Royal Philips' revamp of its global procurement organization, cross-border information technology strategies, key performance indicators in international logistics, an interview with two of CSCMP's most active international members, and more. I hope you find the articles in this issue useful, and that you'll continue to think globally wherever you go and whatever you do.

  • Related Articles

    In developing countries, a little creative thinking goes a long way

    Happy 10th anniversary to us!

    How the maritime industry can compete in the age of Amazon

Contributing Editor Toby Gooley is a freelance writer and editor specializing in supply chain, logistics, material handling, and international trade. She previously was Editor at CSCMP's Supply Chain Quarterly. and Senior Editor of SCQ's sister publication, DC VELOCITY. Prior to joining AGiLE Business Media in 2007, she spent 20 years at Logistics Management magazine as Managing Editor and Senior Editor covering international trade and transportation. Prior to that she was an export traffic manager for 10 years. She holds a B.A. in Asian Studies from Cornell University.

Recent Articles by Toby Gooley

National Forklift Safety Day 2022 connects safety with labor challenges

Navigating the new normal

On top of the (business) world

You must login or register in order to post a comment.

Report Abusive Comment

Most Popular Articles

  • Forecasts call for freight rate slumps in 2023

  • Projected U.S. recession in early 2023 will soften freight market

  • Inflation drops again as interest rate hikes hit home, NRF says

  • How to avoid the next crisis: A new approach to supply chain agility

  • Five levers to build a resilient supply chain

Featured Video

20221107korber large vs

Enhancing Customer Experience with Your Supply Chain Strategy

Viewer Contributed
With the rise of e-commerce, many businesses have had to transform their warehouses to handle online orders in addition to regularly scheduled inventory shipments. This means warehouses need more information than ever before to ensure they can meet customers' needs. As a result, companies need to select warehouse...

FEATURED WHITE PAPERS

  • Guide to Pallet Rack Safety

  • 3PLs: Complete Orders Faster with Flexible Automation

  • A shipper's guide to navigating post-pandemic holiday freight

  • THE NEW WAY TO WAREHOUSE: 4 Innovations in Automation & Robotics to Boost Warehouse Productivity

View More

Subscribe to Supply Chain Quarterly

Get Your Subscription
  • SUBSCRIBE
  • E-NEWSLETTERS
  • ADVERTISING
  • CUSTOMER CARE
  • CONTACT
  • ABOUT
  • STAFF
  • PRIVACY POLICY

Copyright ©2023. All Rights ReservedDesign, CMS, Hosting & Web Development :: ePublishing