Supply Chains Found To Be Key During Recession

By Doug Caverly
Staff Writer
Article Date: 2010-10-25

Supply chain management professionals acted as heroes during the recession (at least in a financial sense), according to a new report. CSC and a number of other organizations determined that increased supply chain efficiency was a significant factor in keeping many businesses profitable.

A little background info: CSC, Supply Chain Management Review, the Eli Broad Graduate School of Management at Michigan State University, the Council of Supply Chain Management Professionals, and Supply Chain Europe magazine banded together to support a survey of supply chain execs working in 20 different industries.

Brad Barton, CSC's Supply Chain Practice Leader, stated afterward, "The lessons on how businesses survived a serious economic downturn are becoming more evident. To reduce costs, business leaders went directly to their supply chains, working with key suppliers to reduce cycle times and increase revenues with their best customers."

That should lead to a pat on the back or two. Or perhaps even a raise, as it looks like supply chain experts will remain in demand.

Barton explained, "Failure to have a supply chain in prime condition was a ticket to increased costs and lost market shares. Firms have only bottomed out in the global recession, and we expect continued emphasis will be placed on supply chain optimization for the next 12 months."

Let's hope that's the case, so long as it doesn't lead to too much being expected of supply chain professionals.

About the Author:
Doug is a staff writer for WebProNews. Visit WebProNews for the latest eBusiness news.