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.
  • ::COVID-19 COVERAGE::
  • 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
    • Upload your video
  • BLOGS & MORE
    • White Papers
    • Webcasts
    • Events
    • Blogs
      • SCQ Forum
      • Reflections
    • Mobile Apps
  • MAGAZINE
    • Current Issue
    • Archives
    • Digital Edition
    • Subscribe
    • Newsletters
  • STRATEGY
  • GLOBAL
  • LOGISTICS
  • MANUFACTURING
  • PROCUREMENT
  • VIDEO
    • News & Exclusives
    • Viewer Contributed
    • Upload your video
  • BLOGS & MORE
    • White Papers
    • Webcasts
    • Events
    • Blogs
      • SCQ Forum
      • Reflections
    • Mobile Apps
Home » Supply chain talent shortage looms
Forward Thinking

Supply chain talent shortage looms

October 20, 2010
Supply Chain Quarterly Staff
No Comments

The United States is saddled with a high unemployment rate and many experienced people are seeking jobs right now. Even so, companies will confront a serious shortage of supply chain talent, warns the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) Center for Transportation and Logistics in a white paper titled "Are You Prepared for the Supply Chain Talent Crisis?"

The supply chain talent shortage will stem from a combination of layoffs and a changing skill set needed for the job. Companies that shed staff during the depth of the economic downturn may soon need to rehire practitioners, some of whom will have found work in other areas or at competing firms, analysts wrote.

In addition, today's supply chain professionals require a broader set of skills, a need brought about by globalization, market uncertainty, and shifts in workplace demographics. Other factors behind the requirement for more skills are supply chain management's increasing role in strategic decision making and its emergence as a "bridging" function that interacts with a variety of corporate disciplines.

Practitioners also need both "hard" analytical skills and "soft" leadership skills. Today's supply chain manager must be adept at managing ambiguity in these uncertain times and appreciating the big picture, and they must be able to communicate effectively both vertically within the organization and horizontally across supply chain participants.

The international scope of supply chains means that managers must be comfortable in operating in a global enterprise. That requires practitioners to be capable of dealing with individuals from different cultures and communicating across various time zones, as people who report to them will likely be based outside the home country.

The report notes that finding qualified individuals remains challenging, even though the supply of candidates has grown due to the increase in more specialized supply chain management programs at colleges and universities. One way to help address the talent shortage, the report's authors suggest, would be to raise the level of awareness of the profession in order to encourage more young people to enter the field.

  • Related Articles

    Talent shortage permeates logistics and supply chain organizations, annual survey concludes

    Talent shortage to hit manufacturing hard

    3PL chiefs worry about price pressure, talent shortage

Recent Articles by Supply Chain Quarterly Staff

IBM survey says digitalization trends will sweep trucking industry by 2030

Report tracks rise in cargo theft from storage facilities

Policy groups posit plan to support supply chains hit by Covid-19, winter storms

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

Report Abusive Comment

Most Popular Articles

  • The 3PL industry: time to reset

  • Resiliency starts with supplier mapping

  • Freight market growth expected to slow in 2021

  • Retailers designing stores to support inventory and logistics work, not just shopping

  • Seizing the helm

Featured Video

6cabd6ef 64df 4460 bb11 e90c2bdea0a5

Identifying Intralogistics Solutions to Fit Your Operation: LinkedIn Live Ep. 4

Viewer Contributed
As technology evolves, the advantages of using semi- and fully automated solutions to increase productivity and address labor shortages are clear. However, before an organization jumps fully into automation, optimization is a key step that must happen first. Intralogistics solutions, such as Raymond’s iWAREHOUSE and...

FEATURED WHITE PAPERS

  • Warehouse Management System Project Toolkit

  • Solving Talent Management Challenges Now and In the Future

  • Shaping Up Last Mile Delivery to Surpass Customer Expectations

  • Finding the Right Transportation Management Partner

View More

Subscribe to Supply Chain Quarterly

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

Copyright ©2021. All Rights ReservedDesign, CMS, Hosting & Web Development :: ePublishing