Researcher: 

• Dr. Albert Tan , Asian Institute of Management (AIM) , Philippines
• Dr. Sreejith Balasubramanian, Middlesex University, Dubai, United Arab Emirates
• Dr. Siti Norida, Universiti Teknologi MARA, Malaysia
• Associate Prof. Dr. Janya Chanchaichujit, Prince of Songkla University, Thailand
• Dr. Juliater Simarmata, ITL TRISAKTI, Indonesia
• Ms. Nguyen Thi Hong Hanh, Ton Duc Thang University, Vietnam
• Dr. Sumit Mitra, IIM, Kozhikode, India

Duration: September 2021 -July 2022

Status : Completed

Abstract:

       The aim of this research is to identify the supply chain skills required by supply chain managers in Asia, and suggest the key skills and competencies that all professionals need to acquire. Supply chain executives used to be experts at managing supply chain functions such as transportation, warehousing, inventory management, and production planning. But the supply chain process extends end-to-end within the firm and even outside the firm, including the relationships with suppliers and customers on a global basis. Leading firms now see the supply chain functional leader as the necessary executive to coordinate the end-to-end supply chain process, even though he or she does not control it all. The battle for top supply chain talent must be focused on acquiring people with process expertise, not simply functional competence. The mental shift to supply chain-as-a-process leads inevitably to the shift of the role of the supply chain executive from a functional focus to process focused, and to supply chain leadership becoming part of the executive team. That role requires the need to bring value in terms not only of educating the CEO and the board and giving them the vocabulary to talk about supply chain subjects and its critical role in creating economic profit, but in finding and driving opportunities to increase economic profit.

        Executives can enhance the essential skills and competency from this book to guide them in new pursuing their supply chain management education and training programs while HR managers can include these competencies when recruiting new staff for supply chain professionals. We plan to conduct online survey (see questionnaire in Appendix) for 10 countries targeting 300 to 400 supply chain professionals. After analyzing the data from the survey, we will conduct 1-to-1 interview with senior supply chain professionals to confirm the essential skills and competency to be successful. This is the first time that we are attempting to identify the skills and competencies from Asia countries as most of the studies are conducted in USA and Europe. Mckinsey consultancy believe that leaders should take this moment not just to fix their supply chains temporarily, but to transform them. Reimagining supply chains to avoid past traps and meet future needs will require a more comprehensive approach in reskilling the supply chain professionals to build new competency for the new norm.
For further information about the project, please contact Associate Prof. Dr. Janya Chanchaichujit.