How Can Supply Managers Keep Everyone Happy?
Supply managers walk a fine line.
Their job is to maintain the often delicate balance between internal customers, suppliers and buyers. It’s a tricky juggling act even in the best of times. So, what happens when budgets get squeezed? How are supply managers faring during this protracted stretch of cost-cutting and tight inventories?
A new study by Oregon State University supply chain researcher Zhaohui Wu took a look into those questions, and the results may surprise you.
Wu hypothesized that since research has shown that companies believe supply managers should have the ability to “wear many hats” and take on multiple roles as needed, that this ability would have a positive relationship with the manager’s interpersonal relationships –particularly these days, when negotiation and collaboration are so critical to business success.
The data he collected indicates precisely the opposite. (more…)
