The sustainability of supply chains has aroused increasing concern in a competitive environment today. However, companies are more focusing on greater speed and lower cost in their operations while ignore the changes in the market, which is not enough to maintain or enhance their competitive advantages in the long-term (Lee, 2004). This essay will start with explaining how to improve a supply chain in a competitive context by using examples, and then identify the role of technology and talent in a continuous improvement. At last some suggestions will be put forward as guiding principles for addressing the challenges in talent management.
A supply chain is ‘a strand of linked operations’ (Slack et al, 2010). The basic objectives of building …show more content…
Talent includes an employee’s hard and soft skills needed for successful performance in the company (Berman, 2014). The technology in a supply chain is an integrated complex of different process technologies (Slack et al, 2010), which determines the technology talent required are wide-ranging, including database development, system development, design, customer service and more areas (Berman, 2014). On the other hand, the supply chain industry and technology used are fast-changing, which requires flexibility and quick thinking ability of people. In this situation, people who are in charge of the talent acquisition must be good at not only looking for people with essential tech-knowledge and experience, but also finding people who have good soft skills needed to succeed in the work environment. Also the recruiting specialists have to fully understand what the company needs in a successful candidate for a certain position …show more content…
Firstly, companies should lower the estimate of the talent demand and look outside to make up talent shortfalls. Secondly, adapting to the uncertainty in talent demand. Two approaches are given: One is to shorten the duration of development programs, the other is to set up a talent pool that can be put into any department in case of a demand increase. Thirdly, improving the return of investment in personnel development. One way is to make employees share the costs, which may ask them to do additional tasks in a voluntary way. Another choice is to keep good relationship with former employees in the hope that they may return with your investment in the future. The last one is to maintain the talent investment by making employees share in promotion decisions and keep a balance of interests for both employers and employees (Cappelli,
A supply chain is ‘a strand of linked operations’ (Slack et al, 2010). The basic objectives of building …show more content…
Talent includes an employee’s hard and soft skills needed for successful performance in the company (Berman, 2014). The technology in a supply chain is an integrated complex of different process technologies (Slack et al, 2010), which determines the technology talent required are wide-ranging, including database development, system development, design, customer service and more areas (Berman, 2014). On the other hand, the supply chain industry and technology used are fast-changing, which requires flexibility and quick thinking ability of people. In this situation, people who are in charge of the talent acquisition must be good at not only looking for people with essential tech-knowledge and experience, but also finding people who have good soft skills needed to succeed in the work environment. Also the recruiting specialists have to fully understand what the company needs in a successful candidate for a certain position …show more content…
Firstly, companies should lower the estimate of the talent demand and look outside to make up talent shortfalls. Secondly, adapting to the uncertainty in talent demand. Two approaches are given: One is to shorten the duration of development programs, the other is to set up a talent pool that can be put into any department in case of a demand increase. Thirdly, improving the return of investment in personnel development. One way is to make employees share the costs, which may ask them to do additional tasks in a voluntary way. Another choice is to keep good relationship with former employees in the hope that they may return with your investment in the future. The last one is to maintain the talent investment by making employees share in promotion decisions and keep a balance of interests for both employers and employees (Cappelli,