CSCMP Notebook

CSCMP's Distinguished Service Award recognizes outstanding leaders

CSCMP'S Distinguished Service Award (DSA) is the supply chain equivalent of winning a Nobel Prize—the most prestigious recognition for the best of the best in the field. The DSA is given to an academic, consultant, or practitioner who exemplifies sustained, consistent, and excellent service to the development of the discipline of supply chain management.

DSA winners are chosen based upon their service to the field of supply chain management. Nominees should meet the following five criteria:

1. Recognition as a leader in supply chain management: The nominee should have a demonstrable track record across multiple aspects of the global supply chain. This may include improving company value or contributing to groundbreaking research.

2. Contributions above the normal expectations of the job: This could be demonstrated in numerous ways, such as mentoring or coaching other professionals or small businesses, using their supply chain capabilities to improve aid or disaster relief efforts, or working with educational and professional development programs.

3. Recognition as an innovator in supply chain management: Nominees' efforts should have resulted in an order of magnitude difference in the profession. They may have "changed the rules of the game" or applied existing concepts to achieve success in new areas.

4. Education of the supply chain management profession: The nominee must have enhanced the awareness of or the understanding of the profession, either through writing or oral presentations.

5. Distinguished record of contribution to the discipline of supply chain management: The nominee should have made a broad impact across the supply chain, have a sustained level of outstanding achievement, and be well-recognized as one of the top achievers in the field.

Know someone who meets all these criteria? Information about the nomination process, nomination forms, and a list of past winners can be found here. Nominations are due by April 30.

Also, consider submitting nominations for other CSCMP annual awards: the Doctoral Dissertation Award, the Young Professionals Emerging Leader Award, and the Supply Chain Innovation Award.

Bridge the talent gap

Having trouble finding the right people with the right skills for the jobs that are currently available? CSCMP's new Supply Chain Management Talent Development series of publications may be able to help you bridge that gap.

The series consists of three books: The Acquire Process, The Develop Process, and The Advance Process. The books are based on a study by researchers at Auburn University and Central Michigan University that examined the talent requirements of leading organizations and the methods they used to identify, develop, and support potential leaders.

The series explores why it is critical for organizations to establish "talent supply chains" that are holistically planned and managed. The research also encourages executives to think more strategically about the human component of supply chain management, elevating talent issues to the same level of consideration as supply chain process and technology initiatives.

The books are available at cscmp.org/products. CSCMP members can download digital versions of the publications at no charge, or pay US $19.95 for the soft-cover book.

Research briefs identify hot topics and trends

CSCMP's "Supply Chain Heartbeat" publication takes the pulse of members and discovers what issues are "top of mind" for supply chain executives.

The quarterly Supply Chain Heartbeat briefs are developed by CSCMP's Research Strategies Committee, which presents feedback from a sampling of supply chain executives from a variety of industries within the CSCMP membership. The research briefs allow readers to notice patterns and identify common and emerging supply chain challenges and trends that stretch across different industries. The committee will also share how different companies are responding to these challenges.