SCM World Survey Finds Supply Chain Managers Still Under Pressure to Deliver

Chief supply chain officers need to accelerate their teams’ skills and capabilities if they are to meet growing expectations about the business value the function can deliver, according to the latest annual study conducted by SCM World and published today.

Along with its traditional role of delivering products to customers while containing or reducing operating costs, supply chain in many companies is now also charged with harnessing innovation from suppliers, facilitating growth in new markets and building new fulfillment channels. It has also assumed accountability for supply chain risks and the impact of sourcing and manufacturing operations on the environment and local communities.

Kevin O’Marah, Chief Content Officer, SCM World told SCMR in an exclusive interview that supply chain executives are less confident than they were in 2012 about the standing of their functions.

“But that may also be because so much is now being expected of them,” he added. “With all the omni-channel changes, there’s a great deal of pressure being put on managers.”

He also noted that supply chain needs to catch up to the bigger role we have claimed for ourselves in recent years.

“Unfortunately, we still seem to struggle with developing the skill sets required among our teams. Too little systematic talent development and too hazy a measurement system may be confounding our efforts and investments at exactly the time they are needed most.”

The global survey of more than 750 executives found that supply chain leaders currently face five major pressure points:

1. Continue to reduce costs while simultaneously improving customer service and supporting expansion in new markets and product lines
• 68% of respondents say that operating cost reduction is “very important” as a supply chain contribution to business strategy – up from 64% in 2012.
• 83% believe that supply chain excellence contributes high or very high value in terms of enhancing customer service and loyalty; while almost three-quarters say the same about business expansion and new product introduction.

5. Facilitate career progression, new product introduction skills and demonstrate ROI
• 76% report that providing compelling career options for talented supply chain staff is challenging – up from 66% in each of the previous two years.
• 53% believe that new product introduction and launch capabilities are now “essential” for supply chain – up from just 18% in 2011.
• 53% of respondents overall – and 31% of those spending 5% or more of their fully loaded personnel costs on training and development – say they don’t track return on investment.

This is the fourth annual Chief Supply Chain Officer Report published by SCM World. In total, 756 completed surveys were received from members of SCM World’s global community and other supply chain, procurement and operations practitioners between the end of July and early September 2013. Respondents are drawn from a wide range of industry sectors, including hi tech, food & beverages, consumer packaged goods, industrial and healthcare & pharmaceutical; while 44% are based in the Americas, 41% in EMEA and 15% in Asia-Pacific and rest of the world.

Readers can download a summary version: http://www.scmworld.com/Research/Reports/2013-Chief-Supply-Chain-Officer-Report/?utm_source=Media&utm_medium=Article&utm_campaign=CSCO+-+SCMR

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