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Leading the way with market intelligence:
PMAC embarks on new thought-leadership activities
The PMAC organization, its members and the profession must continually be aware of and understand new and emerging trends, issues and best practices in the field of strategic supply chain management.
PMAC members also have an expectation that their information needs will in part be satisfied by their professional association. PMAC will therefore develop, in a timely and effective manner, a proactive supply chain market intelligence and knowledge management strategy to meet stakeholder needs and expectations. This will involve better leveraging current assets and developing new initiatives to make a greater contribution to the value proposition for members. An aggressive market intelligence and knowledge management strategy will enable PMAC to be recognized for its thought leadership in strategic supply chain management.
The purpose of our market intelligence and knowledge management activities is to:
* Ensure PMAC has an early awareness of, and is able to capitalize on, information on new and emerging trends, issues and best practices in strategic supply chain management;
* Enhance PMAC's reputation as a leader in the development of the field of practice of strategic supply chain management;
* Enhance PMAC's reputation as the preeminent authority and authoritative resource for supply chain management knowledge.
Our planned activities for the next year in market intelligence and knowledge management include:
* Establish a dynamic supply chain management research foundation. The association will seek to determine how it might best align the Canadian Purchasing Research Foundation (CPRF) with the current mandate of PMAC. Founded in 1996, CPRF is a charitable foundation which funds research activities and scholarships in order to expand the knowledge base in purchasing. PMAC will explore how we might evolve CPRF to be more effectively used by PMAC members to understand new developments in the profession of strategic supply chain management;
* Investigate the feasibility of developing a professional journal for PMAC. We will look at our options for delivering new and emerging trends, issues and best practices in the field of practice to our members and the profession. A publication might take the form of an academic journal or professional magazine. We will also explore electronic alternatives such as e-newsletters and our web site. Whatever format these communications vehicles take, the intent would be to provide up-to-date information and insightful analysis to support PMAC members in their work.
* Investigate the feasibility of establishing a supply chain economic indicator. Many supply chain associations worldwide, including those in the US, UK and China, produce indicators considered to be the most reliable sources of near-term economic activity available. Indicators offer valuable guidance to supply chain professionals, economists, and government and business leaders. Members from across the country would contribute to the development of this business data through regular reporting on changes in variables such as production, inventories and prices.
* Establish a roundtable on emergent issues in supply chain management. The roundtable would bring together leaders in the profession for open discussion of strategic issues they are facing. By initiating a dialogue on the impact of emerging technologies, supply chain models and the economic environment, the forum will prove valuable to spot trends and sharpen our thinking. This exercise in cross-sector collaboration will allow us to delve into the topics that are shaping the field of practice, and challenge us to respond in our education and other programs.
* Establish a program to recognize excellence in supply chain management. Such an awards program would celebrate innovation and achievement in our field of practice. The program would identify both corporate excellence and individual member excellence in supply chain leadership.
It would expose PMAC members and the profession to new ideas, trends and best practices, and it would showcase the contribution that supply chain management continuously makes to the competitive advantage of business.
Many of the initiatives outlined above cannot be undertaken by PMAC alone. We will seek to establish partnerships with universities, companies, governments and other professional associations that share our vision of the field of strategic supply chain management.
If successfully implemented, our strategy will provide our organization with the desired capacity and capability for market intelligence, knowledge management and profession leadership.
The above column, and the French translation, were provided by the
Purchasing Management Association of Canada (PMAC). For more information on the association visit www.pmac.ca
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