Leveraging human resource development expertise to improve supply chain managers' skills and competencies
European Journal of Training and Development
ISSN: 2046-9012
Article publication date: 1 January 2014
Abstract
Purpose
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.
Design/methodology/approach
This is a conceptual paper.
Findings
This is a conceptual paper.
Practical implications
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.
Originality/value
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.
Keywords
Citation
E. Ellinger, A. and D. Ellinger, A. (2014), "Leveraging human resource development expertise to improve supply chain managers' skills and competencies", European Journal of Training and Development, Vol. 38 No. 1/2, pp. 118-135. https://doi.org/10.1108/EJTD-09-2013-0093
Publisher
:Emerald Group Publishing Limited
Copyright © 2014, Emerald Group Publishing Limited