For many companies, negotiation skills are critical to building long-term relationships. During Columbia's program on negotiation skills, participants will learn the latest approaches that have changed negotiation—away from adversarial, win-lose styles to a win-win approach that nurtures long-term business relationships.

Prior to the program, participants will send in data so faculty leaders can identify their styles and provide feedback reports. Attendees will participate in simulated negotiations in order to practice the tools of negotiation in various real-life situations. In small-group workshops, faculty members and peers act as consultants to help individuals work through their negotiation issues and develop an action plan.

Upon completing the program, participants will understand their particular negotiating styles and how to adapt them to various situations; be able to determine a negotiation goal and a range of negotiation options; and know how to get information and how much information to give.

Negotiation Skills for Effective Management

Sponsor: Columbia Business School

Date: Nov. 1–4, 1998

Venue: New York

Cost: $3,200, includes tuition, materials, meals, and accommodations

Contact: Columbia Business School at (800) 692-3932

The Council of Logistics Management has created an Online Logistics Bibliography that offers members and Web site visitors the opportunity to search for logistics-related articles. The bibliography is an extension of the printed version of CLM's annual Bibliography of Logistics Management, which no longer will be printed.

More than 1,500 abstracts—which include articles from the 1993–1997 printed versions of Bibliography of Logistics Management—are currently accessible at the site.

Users can perform a basic search with up to three contiguous words, or an advanced search with the following fields: author, title, periodical, date, keywords, or feature.

If users run into problems, the bibliography provides an extensive "help" section that gives tips on how to conduct searches and what to enter in the search. The site also provides contact information for periodicals whose abstracts appear at the site, so users can contact the periodicals directly to obtain reprints, back issues, or subscriptions.

No fee is required for accessing the Council of Logistics Management's Online Logistics Bibliography.

URL Address: www.clm1.org

Participants in The Wharton School's course on strategic supply chain management will learn that developing a well-designed supply chain can have a tremendous impact on a company's performance. However, the key is to recognize that one size does not fit all. The course underscores that there are so many new ideas for improving supply chain performance—vendor-managed inventory, quick response, mass customization, postponement, and supplier partnerships—that a company can't possibly do them all.

The week-long program is based on a groundbreaking theory and framework for designing supply chains by Wharton professor Marshall L. Fisher. Using case studies, business simulation, and presentations by leading supply chain executives, participants will learn how to tailor their supply chain.

Selected session topics include determining the right supply chain for your products, understanding supply chain dynamics, and increasing inventory turns with vendor-managed inventory and supply chain partners.

Gaining Strategic Advantage Through Effective Supply Chain Management

Sponsor: The Wharton School, University of Pennsylvania

Date: Feb. 28–March 5, 1999

Venue: Philadelphia

Cost: $5,950

Contact: The Wharton School at (215) 898-1776

In conjunction with Dun & Bradstreet, Ernst & Young LLP, and Cahners Business Information, the Conference Board offers the 1998 Purchasing Conference. Executives from a broad range of companies will discuss their experiences and success stories on topics such as tapping into supplier creativity, streamlining service purchasing, partnering with other internal functions, managing the Year 2000 challenge, and applying business survey data.

Special general sessions will include a discussion of the latest business survey data, electronic commerce update, and a look at the changing role of procurement.

The conference is designed to benefit individuals with responsibilities in purchasing, procurement, sourcing, and supply chain or materials management.

The 1998 Purchasing Conference: Leveraging Purchasing's Impact

Sponsor: The Conference Board

Date: Nov. 2–3, 1998

Venue: New York

Cost: $1,230 Conference Board associates/$1,470 non-associates

Contact: The Conference Board at (212) 759-0900

Clemson University, in conjunction with Oracle Corporation and Logility Inc., is sponsoring the 1998 Integrated Supply Chain Management Conference. The program features presentations by companies that have successfully developed their supply chain management process by focusing on the customers, the suppliers, and the integration of all links in the chain, both internally and externally.

Presenters—ranging from Fortune 500 executives to consultants—will demonstrate how supply chain excellence can result in greater levels of speed and profitability, reduce costs and inventory, and increase revenue. Supply chain professionals from Coca-Cola, Boeing, Texas Instruments, Delta Air Lines, Honeywell, General Motors, and Becton Dickinson are included on the agenda.

1998 Integrated Supply Chain Management: How Leading Companies Are Linking Customers, Processes, and Suppliers

Sponsor: Clemson University

Date: Nov. 18–19, 1998

Venue: Lake Buena Vista, Fla.

Cost: $1,095

Contact: Kay James at (864) 656-2200

This year, the Council of Logistics Management's annual conference focuses on three key issues that affect overall logistics excellence—vision, processes, and people.

Sessions will highlight how concentrating resources on an organization's vision, processes, and people leads to logistics excellence. Included among the 42 track topics are Customer Service; Forecasting and Supply/Demand Planning; Performance Measurement and Benchmarking; Reverse Logistics; and Global Logistics Strategies. More than 200 individual workshops will be included within the various tracks.

Tours of distribution facilities in the Anaheim/Orange County area will be made available to conference attendees.

General Session speakers include Mike Vance, who was in charge of idea and people development for Walt Disney Productions. He will present the keynote address on "Thinking Out of the Box." Speaking at the Tuesday morning general session will be James E. Morehouse, vice president of A.T. Kearney Inc. He'll discuss his views on "Extending the Enterprise: The Partnership Paradigm."

Logistics Excellence: Vision, Processes, and People

Sponsor: Council of Logistics Management

Date: Oct. 11–14, 1998

Venue: Anaheim, Calif.

Cost: $875 CLM members/$1,075 non-members

Contact: Council of Logistics Management at (864) 656-2200

The International Warehouse Logistics Association Education and Research Foundation, in conjunction with the University of Nevada-Reno's Center of Logistics Management, offers its annual "Advanced Course in Warehouse & Logistics Management." This program will expose participants to the environments, management principles, tools, and vision necessary for successful warehousing and logistics operations.

The seminar also includes interactive simulation exercises and panel roundtable discussions involving logistics partners. Course topics examine such areas as Year 2000 planning, regulatory compliance, logistics trends and practices, electronic commerce, and supply chain management.

This course is designed for warehousing, transportation, and logistics providers who have several years of experience in the industry.

Advanced Course in Warehouse & Logistics Management

Sponsor: The International Warehouse Logistics Association Education and Research Foundation and the University of Nevada-Reno

Date: Nov. 8–11, 1998

Venue: Reno, Nev.

Cost: $1,295 members/$2,195 non-members

Contact: Ann Christopher at (847) 292-1891

The theme of the APICS '98 conference is building your knowledge chain for success. Each day begins with a general session meant to educate and motivate participants in areas ranging from strengthening a supply network to building a knowledge chain for success. Following the general sessions each day, participants can choose from 11 "flights" or functional topics. Key areas include understanding the supply chain, supply chain techniques and tools, information technology, enterprise planning, operations planning, operations support, strategies for manufacturing excellence, professional survival skills, customer-driven strategies, managing change, and interactive learning.

In addition to the educational workshops, special-interest roundtables will provide a forum specifically designed to foster interaction between participants and their peers. The roundtables will focus on eight industry or interest areas—complex industries, constraints management, process industries, re-manufacturing, repetitive manufacturing, service, small manufacturing, textiles, and apparel.

The exposition will feature more than 180 exhibitors. Attendees will have a chance to "test drive" new products during individual exhibitor demonstrations in a special demo room on the exhibit floor.

APICS '98 International Conference and Expo: Build Your Knowledge Chain for Success

Sponsor: APICS

Date: Nov. 1–4, 1998

Venue: Nashville, Tenn.

Cost: $875 APICS members/$1,025 non-members

Contact: APICS at (800) 444-2742

The International Warehouse Logistics Association Education and Research Foundation is offering its annual "Comprehensive Course for Practitioners in Warehouse and Logistics Management" at Michigan State University's Kellogg Center.

This six-day program offers a combination of presentations and group exercises—allowing attendees to learn from industry practitioners and their peers. The course addresses issues ranging from supply chain management and information technology to rate development and warehouse layout.

The course is suited for individuals just beginning in the industry as well as practitioners with years of experience. Titles at this course range from customer-service representatives to presidents and owners.

Comprehensive Course for Practitioners in Warehouse and Logistics Management

Sponsor: The International Warehouse Logistics Association Education and Research Foundation and Michigan State University's Kellogg Center

Date: Oct. 25–30, 1998

Venue: East Lansing, Mich.

Cost: $1,995 members/$2,195 non-members

Contact: Michelle Calhoon at (847) 292-1891

UCLA's Supply Chain Management Program is designed to help executives fully integrate supply chain management goals into their company's overall strategy.

The program focuses on the impact of globalization, channel strategies and outsourcing on supply chain design and management; the latest trends in transportation and information technologies; and new techniques for logistics and distribution management.

This course was developed for supply chain executives as well as corporate logistics, distribution, purchasing, manufacturing, operations, and production managers.

Supply Chain Management Program

Sponsor: University of California's Anderson School

Date: Nov. 2–6, 1998

Venue: Los Angeles, Calif.

Cost: $4,950, includes tuition, materials, meals, and lodging

Contact: Registrar at (310) 825-2001