The importance of professionalism in the supply chain

July 3 2013

In an interview with Bloomberg Businessweek, Teresa McCarthy, director of the Global Supply Chain Management Program at Bryant University, explained why logistical operations are an increasingly critical part of many companies' business models.

"Everyone wants newer innovations faster or their products delivered faster," McCarthy said. "It requires creativity and employees with the skills necessary to accomplish that by understanding the supply chain."

However, the supply of professionals with these skills is apparently being rapidly outpaced by the growing demand for them. A study by the Georgia Center of Innovation for Logistics asserted that hundreds of thousands of supply chain jobs will go unfilled in the coming years as a result of a talent shortage. The need for trained supply chain managers is driving the proliferation of new graduate and undergraduate programs at the country's business schools.

According to the Wall Street Journal, at least nine universities have opened new programs in supply chain management since 2011 and more institutions are moving forward with their own programs. The University of Southern California's Marshall School of Business is currently preparing to welcome an inaugural class to its new online masters degree program in supply chain management during the fall.

At Rutgers, it has only taken nine years for supply chain management to become the most popular concentration within the school's MBA program. The university introduced an undergraduate program on the subject in 2010.

Despite the expansion of educational opportunities, the gap between supply and demand won't be wiped out overnight. Companies in Ohio that are finding it difficult to assemble an in-house team to oversee their supply chain may want to consider partnering with an external provider of expedited delivery services to ensure that critical operations can run smoothly under the supervision of experienced logistics experts.