skills for next generation logistics and supply chain management
Lead Research Organisation:
University of Hull
Department Name: Business School
Abstract
The field of research need is in logistics and supply chain management (SCM). The USA Council of Supply Chain Management Professionals (CSCMP), as noted in text books written by LI academics, defines logistics as "that part of Supply Chain Management that plans, implements, and controls the efficient, effective forward and reverse flow and storage of goods, services and related information between the point of origin and the point of consumption in order to meet customers' requirements." Key logistics activities required to facilitate this flow of products are listed alphabetically below:
Customer service and support
Demand forecasting/planning and systems modelling
Purchasing and procurement
Inventory management
Logistics technology, communications and order processing
Materials handling and packaging
Transportation
Facilities site selection and warehousing and storage
Return goods handling and reverse logistics
Global logistics
Operations management and production
Logistics education and skills
Justification of the Fellowship lies in the need for integrating the expertise Hull University Business School has in education and learning to identify the skills needed for the next generation logistics and supply chain management professionals and develop the programmes to fulfil this need for sustainable employment in the industry. A recent report by McKinsey predicted that by the year 2020 around 80 per cent of the goods in the world will be manufactured in a country different from where they are consumed. In 2010 this figure was 20 per cent, which means an extensive growth in the logistics sector on which trade and the global economy will continue to rely. It also means that logistics will increasingly drive the economic growth and development both nationally and globally.
The specific questions that this Fellowship will focus on are:
What is the general skill level in logistics and SCM in the regions of the UK?
What are the skill sets needed for the logistics/SCM industrial sector today and ten years into the future?
What is the skill gap that currently exists, and how can that gap be eliminated?
How should the UK build an agreed strategy between employers and government on jobs and growth to ensure reciprocity and fairness, and who should provide the training in order to eliminate the skills gap?
How does this issue vary with the size of business, i.e. SME versus LSE, and across this industrial sector?
To facilitate access to information and data for this Fellowship the LI has very good links with companies to draw upon, both locally and nationally. Many of the companies have mentioned this skills gap and the lack of enough qualified talent on all levels; thus the industry impact from the results of this Fellowship's work will be immediate and substantial.
Customer service and support
Demand forecasting/planning and systems modelling
Purchasing and procurement
Inventory management
Logistics technology, communications and order processing
Materials handling and packaging
Transportation
Facilities site selection and warehousing and storage
Return goods handling and reverse logistics
Global logistics
Operations management and production
Logistics education and skills
Justification of the Fellowship lies in the need for integrating the expertise Hull University Business School has in education and learning to identify the skills needed for the next generation logistics and supply chain management professionals and develop the programmes to fulfil this need for sustainable employment in the industry. A recent report by McKinsey predicted that by the year 2020 around 80 per cent of the goods in the world will be manufactured in a country different from where they are consumed. In 2010 this figure was 20 per cent, which means an extensive growth in the logistics sector on which trade and the global economy will continue to rely. It also means that logistics will increasingly drive the economic growth and development both nationally and globally.
The specific questions that this Fellowship will focus on are:
What is the general skill level in logistics and SCM in the regions of the UK?
What are the skill sets needed for the logistics/SCM industrial sector today and ten years into the future?
What is the skill gap that currently exists, and how can that gap be eliminated?
How should the UK build an agreed strategy between employers and government on jobs and growth to ensure reciprocity and fairness, and who should provide the training in order to eliminate the skills gap?
How does this issue vary with the size of business, i.e. SME versus LSE, and across this industrial sector?
To facilitate access to information and data for this Fellowship the LI has very good links with companies to draw upon, both locally and nationally. Many of the companies have mentioned this skills gap and the lack of enough qualified talent on all levels; thus the industry impact from the results of this Fellowship's work will be immediate and substantial.
Planned Impact
Hull University Business School research in education and learning has been highly recognised internationally and the Logistics Institute has been established as the centre of excellence in the field of logistics research and education. The proposed Fellow will assist in building this interface between education and learning and logistics skills needs and produce tangible results in this field in terms of most suitable programmes required for the industry. The Fellowship will focus on both managerial and non-managerial positions in logistics and the supply chain. There are many operatives needed to perform basic functions of order picking, vehicle loading, and delivering goods to the customers. However, these jobs are becoming more complex with the addition of information technology (IT), meaning they are no longer really unskilled jobs.
At a recent conference of the Automated Materials Handling Systems Association, Professor David Menachof led a discussion regarding the desperate need for skilled labour. Further, a discussion panel at the 2012 Multimodal Exhibition featuring Professor David Grant and a number of industry and trade association experts noted that there is a large skills shortage in UK logistics and SCM. Finally, Invest in Doncaster, the commercial promotion division of Doncaster Council, is promoting a new logistics/distribution park in their region. However, in discussions with the LI, they are also concerned that they will need more people with the appropriate skills to work within the sector.
There should be notable impact on decision making, policy building, and tactical planning levels in both the public and private sectors. Decisions on training and skills provision will have a demonstrable impact on the potential growth of the logistics sector at local, regional and national levels in the UK.
At a recent conference of the Automated Materials Handling Systems Association, Professor David Menachof led a discussion regarding the desperate need for skilled labour. Further, a discussion panel at the 2012 Multimodal Exhibition featuring Professor David Grant and a number of industry and trade association experts noted that there is a large skills shortage in UK logistics and SCM. Finally, Invest in Doncaster, the commercial promotion division of Doncaster Council, is promoting a new logistics/distribution park in their region. However, in discussions with the LI, they are also concerned that they will need more people with the appropriate skills to work within the sector.
There should be notable impact on decision making, policy building, and tactical planning levels in both the public and private sectors. Decisions on training and skills provision will have a demonstrable impact on the potential growth of the logistics sector at local, regional and national levels in the UK.
Organisations
People |
ORCID iD |
| Federico D'Amico (Principal Investigator) |