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The aim of this study is to better understand service supply chain management by analysing the professional service supply chain in professional service firms (PSFs) and exploring how the high performance work systems (HPWS) influence professional service supply chain performance. In addition, this study seeks to examine the relationship between professional service supply chain performance and the overall organizational performance.

Analysis of PSF suggests a three‐step of professional service supply chain as the clients' requests, partners forming working teams or so‐called team formation and utilization, and delivering of solutions or services to clients. Based on extensive literature review, the authors hypothesize that HPWS have a positive impact on the professional service supply chain performance and the team formation and utilization mediates the link. They also hypothesize the positive link between the professional service supply chain performance and the overall organisational firm performance. Employing survey method, data was collected from 93 accounting firms at two time points. In May 2010 (Time 1), a survey including questions on HPWS, team formation and utilization and professional service supply chain performance were sent out to the managing partners and HR directors in accounting firms based in Ireland. Around one year later (Time 2), another survey measuring firm performance was sent out. This data allowed the authors to establish causal pattern in their results. Hierarchical regression analysis was used to analyse data to test hypotheses.

The results indicate the positive link between HPWS and the professional service supply chain performance. The team formation and utilization mediates the above relationship. In addition, professional service supply chain performance was found to be positively linked to the firm performance.

The present study is limited in terms of sample size, single industry and self‐report data. Future research also needs to examine more mediators or moderators – the mechanisms through which HPWS work on the professional service supply chain.

Firms using higher level of HPWS experience better professional service supply chain performance. Human resource management practices that promote employees' ability, motivation and opportunities which allow teams to be formed more effectively to work with clients enhance organizational performance and higher profit levels. Managers able to effectively adopt and implement these teamwork‐based HR practices and encourage and support employees' collaboration through such practices enhance the firm's professional service supply chain effectiveness and its organisational performance.

The authors' study focuses on the service supply chain management operations within the professional service firms. In doing so, their research answers the call by Ellram et al. for more supply chain management research with respect to the service sector. It addresses a significant research gap identified by Rahman and Wu, namely, “relatively little attention has been given to the service suppliers' perspective”. By linking service supply chain management and human resource management, this study also answers a few calls for more research on the interaction of human resource management and supply chain management, service supply chain and human resource management in professional service firms.

This is one of the few studies to analyse the professional service supply chain management and assess the human resource management and supply chain management link. Moreover, it is the first study which empirically establishes the link between human resource management and professional service supply chain performance in PSFs.

The purpose of this paper is to report results of a survey in support of re‐designing the Purchasing Management Association of Canada (PMAC) professional accreditation program, the Certified Professional Purchaser (CPP).

A questionnaire was developed, embedded in e‐mail messages via hyperlink, and transmitted to the PMAC membership. The questionnaire included 54 topics, tools and techniques for supply chain management (SCM). Over 2,000 PMAC members commented on CPP program design, by returning the questionnaire electronically. Data analysis culminated with a principal components analysis of the 54 items, from which seven distinct components emerged.

The paper finds that PMAC members lack a common view of SCM. While 63 percent have adopted a broad SCM perspective; 37 percent have a more narrow perspective. However, the most important topics for supply chain professionals are robust across the perspectives. These topics pertain to general managerial skills (e.g. communication, leadership and relationship building); rather than specific functional or analytical tools and techniques.

While the current study focuses exclusively on Canadian supply chain professionals, it would be very interesting and worthwhile to expand this research to other geographic locations.

A renewed CPP program, taken out of the somewhat narrow and tactically‐oriented purchasing area – and into the broader and more strategic SCM space, seems to be in order. The survey provides valuable information to support design and development of this new program.

Based on electronic survey returns from more than 2,000 supply chain professionals, insights are gained into various perspectives on SCM, along with important knowledge (topics, tools and techniques) for effective SCM.

The literature suggests public procurement professionals have different perspectives on supply chain management (SCM) vis-à-vis their private sector counterparts. Based on a recent survey of Canadian purchasers, this paper presents an empirical comparison of public vs. private views on SCM. The questionnaire is structured around a set of 54 topics, tools and techniques; along with four perspectives on the relationship between purchasing and SCM. Important findings from this survey of SCM professionals include: (1) public procurement professionals have narrow perspectives on SCM compared to their private sector counterparts; and (2) public sector professionals have different perceptions regarding the importance of topics, tools and techniques to support their performance on the job.

The field of supply chain management (SCM) evolves dramatically due to factors of globalization, innovation, sustainability, and technology. These changes raise challenges not only to higher education institutions, but also to students, employing organizations, and third parties like SCM-related professional bodies. To understand the challenge, the purpose of this paper is to examine the gap between demand and supply of SCM-related knowledge areas, answer-related design questions, and make recommendations to close the gaps.

To compare the demand and supply of SCM-related knowledge areas, demand data is collected from a professional career website and supply data is gathered from operations management (OM) and SCM course syllabi from AACSB-accredited business schools in the USA. Cluster analysis identifies how supply and demand are matched on the data collected.

First, gaps exist between SCM talent requirements from industry and the knowledge/skill training by US business schools. This paper identifies matching, under-supplying, and over-supplying knowledge areas. Under-supply in emerging areas such as SCM information technology and certain logistics management topics are found. Some traditional OM topics are over-supplied due to out-of-date industry applications and should be revised to reflect the field’s transition from an OM to SCM view. Last, this paper makes recommendations to different stakeholders in this matching supply with demand process.

This study contributes to the literature in two ways. First, it provides an up-to-date understanding on demand and supply of SCM talent in USA. Second, it provides insights and recommendations not only to educators on curriculum design, but also to potential candidates interested in SCM careers, to companies’ job recruiters, and to professional organizations (such as APICS and Council of Supply Chain Management Professionals) to reduce the gaps between demand and supply.

The purpose of this study is to explore the investment of supply chain technology-to-performance path relationship through the lens of the resource-based view (RBV) as illuminated by the organizational learning literature.

This study surveyed top-level managers who are registered members of the Council of Supply Chain Management Professionals.

Using factor analysis and OLS regression on 300+ supply chain professionals, this study confirms that investments in both enterprise- and radio frequency identification (RFID)-specific knowledge management (KM) tools yield substantial benefits to the firm’s knowledge management system (KMS) which is the dependent path to higher supply chain performance.

This sample was taken with supply chain professionals who are more likely to value supply chain investments as part of their responsibility.

The authors believe that the empirical study on supply chain investment from a resource-based perspective will contribute to the ongoing RBV theoretical discussions while providing insights for practitioners in the realm of supply chain investment.

Every investment in supply technology should be driven by an understanding of the inextricably inter-connectedness of knowledge management capabilities and the firm’s ability to effectively implement its corporate strategies. By emphasizing the inter-connection between knowledge management and supply chain technology investments, firms improve their potential for developing a competitive advantage.

The purpose of this paper is to examine differences among industry classes and supply chain positions in order to gain insight into quality management program maturity across industries and within supply chains.

Data for comparison in this study comes from an e-mail survey of professionals across the USA, employed primarily in sourcing or logistics (i.e. Institute for Supply Management (ISM) and Council for Supply Chain Management Professionals (CSCMP)).

This study found that quality maturity varies by industry class. While prior studies have found differences by industry class, they have been limited to at most three classes, while this study examined 17 classes. This study also examines quality maturity by supply chain position, with the finding that quality maturity differed by supply chain position depending on how position is defined. Questions are raised regarding the proper characterization of supply chain position.

The sample group represents members in only two professional groups, ISM and CSCMP. Not all industry groups or supply chain positions were well-represented due to some small sub-group sizes.

Quality program maturity is generally not uniform and there are potentially many opportunities for substantial improvement across various sectors by specific industry. Partnering with suppliers is a recommended approach for sectors lagging in quality maturity.

This research extends the examination of quality management practice in the supply chain by studying a large number of industry classes and supply chain positions and assesses differences in quality maturity across these classes and positions.

The purpose of this paper is to outline the reasons for the ongoing talent shortage in supply chain management (SCM) and to consider ways in which partnering with human resource development (HRD) professionals can reduce the associated risk to revenue growth.

A conceptual paper that considers ways in which human resource and organizational development expertise can be deployed to provide supply chain managers with a balance between “hard” analytical competences and “soft” people skills.

More firms than ever before are facing globalization and market turbulence – and focusing on SCM as a result. Companies can spend as much as three-quarters of their revenue on supply chain activities, so SCM is a key determinant of financial performance. The ability to work effectively with partners to increase efficiency, drive down costs and deliver value to the final customer is crucial to success. But there is a problem – not enough supply chain managers who understand the business context and have the full range of necessary skills.

Points out that it isn’t known how highly effective supply chain managers acquire their outstanding cross-functional communication, influencing and change implementation skills. Calls for further research on the impact of HRD interventions on supply chain managers’ effectiveness. Advocates comparing effective and ineffective HRD interventions in SCM practice and evaluation of the quality (rather than the quantity) of training available to supply chain professionals.

Shows how focusing training investment on the broad range of skills needed by SCM professionals can contribute to organizational effectiveness.

Highlights the importance of team leadership, influencing and higher-order problem-solving skills to the management of complex supply chain processes and organizational change.

Draws attention to current gaps in SCM training and skills development and proposes ways to improve the return on investment in training.

The logistics and supply chain management discipline has evolved dramatically over the past generation. The rapid pace of change has challenged education providers – e.g., universities, professional associations, and publications – to remain relevant to various stakeholders. Relying on an open systems design perspective, the purpose of this paper is to assess how well organizations use constrained resources (personnel, dollars, time, etc.) to meet customers’ educational needs.

To examine how well educational providers are meeting stakeholder goals, universities, associations, and publications are examined across time by multiple surveys to determine if they are keeping pace in the changing business world.

The paper identifies two gaps. First, stakeholders report a growing gap between the offerings of existing education providers and their educational needs. Second, the gap between academic and practitioner perceptions is growing. Importantly, some organizations and universities are doing a better job of responding to changing educational requirements. Finally, a shift to SCM is further complicating the educational process.

This study makes two primary contributions. First, it identifies important changes in the logistics and supply chain education market. Second, it provides updated rankings of the perceptions of academics and practitioners regarding three education providers: professional organizations, universities, and publications. This insight enables logistics and supply chain thought leaders to evaluate how they can enhance education resources and thus remain relevant in a rapidly changing and increasingly tumultuous marketplace.

There is an ongoing shortage of talented supply chain managers with the necessary skills and business-related competencies to manage increasingly complex and strategically important supply chain processes. The purpose of this paper is to propose that organizations can create and maintain competitive advantage by leveraging the expertise of human resource development (HRD) professionals to provide a range of developmental and change-oriented interventions related to critical supply chain manager skill sets that are currently in short supply.

This is a conceptual paper.

This is a conceptual paper.

Supply chain management (SCM) decisions significantly influence financial performance since firms expend up to 75 percent of their revenue on supply chain activities. HRD professionals' intervention capabilities in training and development, organizational development and change management uniquely equip them to disseminate a deeper and broader understanding of the SCM concept within organizations, to help prioritize the development of supply chain managers and to address the complex interpersonal issues associated with helping people to work together collaboratively to foster operational innovation and make increasingly complex supply chain processes function effectively.

The requisite skill sets for effective supply chain managers are described, linkages between HRD and SCM are highlighted, and areas of HRD professionals' expertise that can be exploited to better develop supply chain managers' skill sets and competencies are considered.

The study provides an evaluation of the knowledge and skills importance covered in the degree of Logistics and Supply Chain Management (LSCM) as well as the knowledge and skills gap of graduates entry-level.

The study used both descriptive and exploratory research designs. The study adopted a self-administered questionnaire. The sample size is 41 logistics industry mid-managers of six organizations selected from the main operators of Sohar Port in Oman.

The findings reveal that logistics professionals agree on the importance of all the learner attributes, knowledge and cognitive skills, and general competencies identified in a university degree with a major in LSCM. Furthermore, the results identified moderate levels of gaps in five knowledge areas and six soft and hard skills of graduates at the entry level.

Further research can be built on this study findings by evaluating the perception of logistics and supply chain industry professionals in different global contexts and investigate the effectiveness of different training and educational programs in enhancing the knowledge and skills of logistics professionals in various regions.

This study may extend beyond Oman and have important implications for LSCM practices in other developing countries. Universities' management in developing countries can use this study findings to identify the key skills required by entry-level logistics professionals and incorporate them into their curricula to better prepare graduates for the workforce. In addition, the skills identified in our study, such as decision-making skills, managing stress, negotiation skills and critical thinking, are relevant to logistics professionals in other developing countries with similar socio-economic and industry characteristics.

Unlike the prior studies that focused on the mismatch between educational degrees and job requirements without considering study specializations and industry, this paper lays a nuanced understanding of the knowledge and skills gap associated with entry-level graduates of the logistics and supply chain industry. As such, the paper offers inputs for the LSCM academic degree related to knowledge and skills needed by logistics and supply chain industry.