"There is an increasing amount of competition between companies to access top-level Supply Chain talent"
12 de November de 2018
12 de November de 2018
EAE Business School took an active role in the event through a range of activities and received an award for its work in education and SCPRO certification for Supply Chain professionals for its Master in Supply Chain.
Mark S. Baxa, the incoming Chairman of the global CSCMP organization, shared some insight into the trends in this market segment and the benefits of always investing in education.
The search for talent
With respect to current trends, Mark explained that the most important factor for the Supply Chain nowadays is having qualified and well-prepared talent. "What we are facing now, I wouldn't say it is a matter of scarcity, but rather that there is an increasing amount of competition between companies to access the top-level Supply Chain talent on the market". He advised students on the EAE's Supply Chain Management & Logistics to do at least one or two internship placements over the course of their education to become better equipped to deal with real-life scenarios. "In my opinion, it is very important to be well-prepared when joining the professional world".
"Concern for the sudden rise in costs"
The incoming Chairman of the CSCMP highlighted some of the challenges that exist with respect to the value chain. "The current geopolitical scene affects the sector. The USA, Europe and China are now entrenched in a situation of successive attacks and counterattacks, triggered by President Trump, it has to be said. We have to find a way to ensure fair global trade and also a way to protect information, as well as a balance in terms of trade practices between those countries or regions that enables access to the markets and fair pricing policies".
In Mark S. Baxa's opinion, this will take place from three months to three years, "because we have to bear in mind that, at least as far as the United States in concerned, it is a matter of administrative policies rather than laws, but we have to abide by them. They have not been voted as laws, so they will not have the permanence of a law". He then emphasized that this is generating new think processes in the field of supply chain. "The initial reaction is concern for the sudden rise in costs. We are now seeing that the signals that President Trump gave during his campaign were serious, so we'll have to see what we do now. The supply chain has to get used to the idea, not the consumer, so we are witnessing the emergence of different models, countries, manufacturing scenarios, etc."
According the expert, this will take time, "because quality in delivery is important, and particularly consistent quality over time. It is complicated and poses a great challenge". He has no doubt that "we are going to expand our capacities, and increase the value of companies, while offering products at a low cost and with a high level of quality for the consumer, all in a sustainable way".
Sustainable solutions
The incoming Chairman of the CSCMP also discussed sustainable solutions. "They have to be ethically, economically and environmentally smart for today's consumers all over the world, but also getting it right as a business. In the areas I operate in, we want to ensure that we get it right in terms of supply, where it comes from, if they use more sustainable methods and so on". Mark reiterated that it is important to manage to lengthen the lifetime of these resources, "seeing if we can reuse or recycle them, in view of our product lines or the packaging we use. In this respect, there is a significant challenge in the supply chain".
The participation of small companies and an ethical approach
In terms of economic aspects, the Director of the organization thinks that it is extremely important that small companies have the opportunity to participate in the development strategies of large firms, "as, on many occasions, they are able to provide high-value technology, different perspectives and even lower costs".
He also acknowledged that there are opportunities of an ethical nature for companies in the sector. In other words, "the supply chain must operate with the highest possible of trust because, in the world of the consumers, they are increasingly sceptical of large companies. They have good reason to be because, on too many occasions, they have been surprised by companies being involved in illegitimate practices, which does not mean that every company has done so". He added that this is also because, in some countries in which they operate, they legislation is opaque and somewhat confused.