— Panelist at the CSCMP session powered by AWESOME talking about the need for supply chain professionals to be problem solvers. The discussion, Supply Chain Challenges & Capabilities for the Future: A Conversation with Top Executives, featured leaders from a diverse range of companies – health care, book publishing, tobacco, and a service provider.
Each of the panelists related experiences and challenges specific to her industry – from creating new supply chains that will reach people with complicated products in areas not reached before, to dealing with regulations when policies have not yet been developed, to accommodating the fluctuating demand for certain products, such as between ebooks and printed books.
As they discussed major trends in their industry, along with implications for supply chain, some common themes emerged. All talked about the impact of digitization and new technologies, changing demands of customers, increasing regulations, and the need to find new methods of delivering value to customers through supply chain initiatives. Agility and flexibility and the ability to innovate products, services, and delivery to customer are critical supply chain capabilities required to meet the challenges. The talent and skillsets required for success include the ability to access and analyze data to improve real-time decision-making, to be nimble and work in a dynamic way, to innovate and to collaborate with supply chain partners. To be successful, companies need to ensure diversity of thought, functions, skillsets, gender, and ethnicity.