The countless interpersonal interactions leaders have every day directly affect team engagement, trust and how much discretionary time and effort employees put forth. As our responsibility level grows, so does the responsibility of those who work for us — and thus the stakes rise exponentially related to how successfully we navigate difficult people issues.......Read More

Although blockchain is most often associated with the financial sector and cryptocurrencies such as Bitcoin, the technology has far-reaching implications in supply chain management. To further my investigation, I recently reached out to two individuals entrenched in the blockchain space to ask them what advice they have for leaders of supply networks who are interested in pursuing the technology.......Read More

AngioDynamics aims to improve patient care through leading-edge medical device innovation. Company leaders are committed to providing safe and effective products and services, continuous improvement, and maintaining effective quality management and compliance with global regulatory requirements.......Read More

Learn about supply chain professional Steve Brown, manager of planning and purchasing at MityLite.......Read More

Management behaviors are complicated. As David A. Waldman and David E. Bowen explained in their Academy of Management Perspectives 2016 article, “Learning to Be a Paradox-Savvy Leader,” several challenges have arisen for today’s supervisors. Reconciling each of these requirements in isolation is reasonable; however, when they are in combination, it can seem nearly impossible.......Read More

Hiring can be extremely challenging in supply chain management, particularly because of the current skills gap. Luckily, there are some low-cost, high-yield solutions that organizations can implement to attract and land the talent needed to keep their networks operating efficiently.......Read More

Connie Podesta brings her unique mix of skills and experience to audiences worldwide as an expert in the psychology of human behavior as it relates to sales, leadership, change, and personal and professional development. ......Read More

Networking is a top predictor of career success, yet it is neglected by many businesspeople. Misunderstood and underappreciated, the value of networking isn’t always immediate with tangible results and therefore can be frustrating to busy professionals. Interestingly, there are several peer-reviewed studies on network science, which have shown that simply being in an open network is the best predictor of career success. In other words, the old saying, “It’s not what you know, but who you know” still rings true today.......Read More

I love the classroom dynamic. I look forward to one day being a mentor, confidante, and source of inspiration and guidance for my future students — just as many of my professors were to me. I plan to teach supply chain management with a focus on sustainability and ethics. As networks continue to grow enormously in complexity and scope, a business education centered on these three principles is the perfect contextual training tool to make students more global, fair-minded and creative business leaders.......Read More

Johnson Controls is a global technology and industrial company with 130,000 employees serving customers in more than 150 countries. The organization designs, manufactures and delivers energy-efficient building solutions; automotive and advanced batteries for stop-start, hybrid and electric vehicles; and automobile seating components and systems. Johnson Controls supports all major automakers, supplying 50 million cars every year.......Read More

Editor’s note: Sabine Simeon was the recipient of the 2017 APICS Award of Excellence — Supply Chain Leader, which recognized her extraordinary contributions to advancing the field of supply chain. To see the categories, get more information or enter, visit apics.org/awardsofexcellence.......Read More

As managers, we must maintain awareness of our personal motivation schemes and take care to not assume we understand the motivations of others. We often refer to change-management models to guide actions for our teams, but these can provide an incomplete understanding of the work required, as we often neglect the importance of individual motivation management. ......Read More

I received a call the other day from a colleague, who told me that he and his boss were trying to develop ways to educate their organization on the value of supply chain management. ......Read More

During a job hunt, it’s common to spend weeks or even months researching career opportunities, sending out resumes and going on interviews. When you finally receive a viable job offer, you then find yourself in the precarious spot of contract deliberations. How will you evaluate the offer and negotiate the best possible terms?......Read More

Samer Majdi Almadhoun was the recipient of the 2017 APICS Award of Excellence — Diversity and Inclusion Champion, which recognized his work promoting supply chain education and women in supply chain in the Middle East. The 2018 APICS Awards of Excellence will open in early spring.......Read More

The shortage of skilled workers, coupled with more people leaving the workforce through retirement, is creating an imbalance that is especially noticeable in supply chain management. One global study estimates that demand for supply chain professionals exceeds supply by six to one, and the US Bureau of Labor Statistics reports that the number of jobs in logistics will grow by 26 percent between 2010 and 2020. If this deficit continues, the performance of supply chains will deteriorate — especially as they grow in geographical span and complexity.......Read More

Mallinckrodt Pharmaceuticals is a global specialty pharmaceutical company dedicated to managing complexity and improving lives. The company operates in two segments — specialty generics and specialty brands — offering a comprehensive portfolio of specialty generic controlled substances for pain management, substance abuse and attention deficit hyperactivity disorders, as well as a broad line of active pharmaceutical ingredients.......Read More

Over the course of my career, I spent nearly 50 years in supply chain management. Each time I started a job, I found it challenging to determine what my new company expected of me as a manager. In the 1960s, when there were no computers, manufacturing managers typically rejected the implementation of procedures and disciplines and valued only expediting. By the 1970s, managers had accepted computers, but only for simple accounting functions. Computers were not trusted, so expediting remained the primary objective.......Read More

As a young professional, I always value the opportunity to learn from more experienced supply chain managers. I recently had the pleasure of speaking with Bill Best, divisional vice president of supply chain operations, and Tiffany Thompson, supply chain strategy manager, at specialty outdoor retailer REI. Since finishing graduate school with an MBA in global supply chain management, I began working at REI part time and have enjoyed learning about the inner-workings of this unique company.......Read More

People often talk about motivation and engagement as if they are the same thing, but they really are not.......Read More