Those of us in the APICS community know how efficient supply chain practices can leverage power across organizations. Healthcare organizations are no different in this respect, yet supply chain management in this industry remains largely underdeveloped. Perhaps now more than ever, as U.S. government leaders looks at ways to reform healthcare, supply chain management should play a central role.

Earlier this week, I read with interest “The State of Healthcare Logistics: Cost and Quality Improvement Opportunities,” a report published by the University of Arkansas and the Association for Healthcare Resource and Materials Management. In short, researchers found the healthcare supply chain to be immature, collaborative, strategic, expensive, information poor, and talent rich.

The study’s authors, Heather Nachtmann, Ph.D., and Edward Pohl, Ph.D., write the following in their foreword: “We do not know where the fundamental inefficiencies and associated costs subsist within the complex supply chain. We also do not know where the opportunities for the greatest increases in quality exist within the healthcare supply chain. This lack of knowledge contributes to healthcare supply chain inefficiency.”

APICS has the tools, resources, and expertise to identify and overcome these challenges. Consider the drivers of supply chain performance, which are excerpted here from the APICS Operations Management Body of Knowledge Framework (OMBOK):

• Facilities—Supply chain performance is often affected by the design and location of facilities.
• Inventory—Inventory can improve supply chain flexibility by acting as a buffer to decouple supply from demand when appropriate.
• Transportation—Transportation decisions can make major differences in both benefits and costs.
• Information—Another major influence on supply chain effectiveness is the ease with which information is shared up and down the chain.
• Sourcing—Sourcing decisions are important within the supply chain and rely on standards and policies being maintained.
• Pricing—Pricing is perhaps the most important strategic decision. Whether price is set high, low, or in the middle sends a strong message to all members of the supply chain, competitors, customers, suppliers, and potential new entrants.

Healthcare leaders have known about this supply chain inefficiency and opportunity for some time, yet they have been unable to make significant progress. In 1996, a group of experts crafted the study Efficient Healthcare Consumer Response (EHCR), which evaluated the supply chain as part of overall healthcare expense. EHCR still stands as a benchmark for the industry, but the goals seem as far away today as they were 14 years ago.

In last week’s edition of Operations Management Now, I mentioned the 2009 update of OMBOK, which will include an appendix that correlates the relevance of the framework’s topics to operations management professionals in healthcare and other nonmanufacturing industries. In addition, APICS is setting up online communities for those of you interested in networking with other operations and supply chain management professionals serving in nonmanufacturing environments. Your participation will be very important as we try to help APICS grow in relevance to these nontraditional industries. In addition, this kind of collaboration will further develop the APICS body of knowledge, enabling APICS to better serve you throughout your career.

    Last week at the 2009 APICS International Conference & Expo, I had the pleasure of interacting with a group of students from Lakeshore Collegiate Institute—an Etobicoke, Ontario, high school located in a distribution district near Toronto. The school has a close relationship with the Canadian Supply Chain Sector Council (CSCSC) which sponsored the students’ participation in the APICS conference. Working together, Lakeshore Collegiate and the CSCSC are developing student interest in supply chain careers. 

    It is a challenge to define supply chain management (SCM) to high school students. Presenters working on the student program relied on the very simple and useful definition provided by the editors of the APICS OMBOK Framework: “balancing or synchronizing sup­ply with demand.”  Still, we needed to make supply chain come alive for them. How did we do it? We went retail: Wal-Mart, Nordstrom, Abercrombie & Fitch, Target. We followed the supply chain from source to delivery of a T-shirt.

    When I returned to the office, an APICS staffperson forwarded me a study conducted by Auburn College of Business and the Retail Industry Leaders Association. “The State of the Retail Supply Chain: Results and Findings of the 2009 Study” surveyed senior vice presidents, vice presidents, and directors responsible for SCM within major retail organizations. Questions explored the role of SCM in these companies, as well as the challenges and issues businesspeople are experiencing in this recession economy.

    In retail operations, critical supply chain capabilities, in order of importance, include supply chain cost control, in-stock on high-volume items, response to demand changes, executive engagement, store inventory coordination, and formal SCM organization. Of these capabilities, the biggest gap identified by respondents was in the area of visibility upstream to vendor operation. Sound familiar? Regardless of whether you practice SCM in the manufacturing, retail, healthcare, hospitality, or distribution industries, this is a challenge.

Beyond traditional

    This year, the Voice of the Customer and the Body of Knowledge Committees have been working with the APICS Board of Directors to determine which industries outside of manufacturing would benefit from APICS SCM education. Although terminology from industry to industry is different, ask a supply chain professional in any industry why upstream visibility is important, and he or she likely will provide the same answer as the APICS OMBOK Framework editors: “because the supply patterns do not match the demand patterns, inventory accumu­lates at various stages, and shortages and delays occur at others. Collaboration and communication among supply chain members is one way to minimize the impact. Information visibility in inventory levels, anticipated production, and material-in-transit are needed by supply chain members to successfully coordinate the supply chain.”

    With the 2009 update of the APICS OMBOK Framework due in December, you will find an appendix that maps the applicability of OMBOK topics to operations management professionals working in retail, distribution, healthcare services, utilities, and hospitality. The mapping was based on an APICS survey of non-APICS members serving these industries. The APICS Board of Directors has set a strategic priority to apply the APICS body of knowledge to these industries. The APICS OMBOK Framework survey is the first step.

    With this move, we are not abandoning our core constituents in manufacturing. In fact, we are working to ensure mobility in the careers of the members we serve. We hear over and over again that APICS education and certification provide the best foundation for supply chain careers across industries. Nearly 30 high school students in Toronto now can tell you—from the mining of crude oil in Venezuela for polyester to the stocking of T-shirts on Wal-Mart shelves, supply chain professionals are involved every step of the journey.

    Traveling back from Toronto Wednesday, I picked up a copy of Newsweek. The issue features an article titled “Is ‘Buy American’ a Slogan worth Preserving?” The story presents the opinions of a panel of six experts—three argue that the “Buy American” legislation is beneficial and three counter that the policy will backfire. The impetus for the article is the impending trade dispute between the United States and China. Specifically, U.S. officials have announced tariffs on imported Chinese tires, while government officials in China are threatening to do the same with U.S. poultry coming to China.

    Dartmouth economist Douglas Irwin argues that there actually will be fewer construction projects because the U.S. economic stimulus requires the use of U.S.-made steel in those projects. He says, “Fewer jobs will be created with the limited amount of money we have to spend.”

    On the other side of the debate, Jeff Madrick, a fellow at the Schwartz Center for Economic Policy Analysis at the New School, asserts that most studies reveal a direct negative impact from free trade on wages and on the creation of jobs. “Exchange is the key to economic growth,” he says. “[But] fiscal policy becomes necessarily ineffective when 20 to 30 to 40 percent of every dollar we spend to pump up our economy in a recessionary emergency leaks overseas.”

    Although the Newsweek article analyzed the situation between the United States and China, the question of whether protectionism stimulates or stifles a nation’s economy affects countries all over the world. It was on the minds of many participants at the APICS 2009 International Conference & Expo, as well. The discussion is an extremely complex one, and I encourage you to read the entire Newsweek piece to get an understanding of the many viewpoints on this single subject.

Highlighting Global Ability

    This year, I was honored to speak to attendees at Monday’s general session. My message followed a powerful presentation of APICS stories—personal and professional triumphs from colleagues representing Canada; China; Egypt; Elkhart, Indiana; India; Italy; the Mexico-U.S. border; Poland; and South Africa. My goal was to show how the development of APICS as a professional society has closely followed the development of the global economy. I drew correlations between our growth as an organization, the growth of the United States and other global economies, and the development of trade agreements between countries.

    When addressing the challenges of an interconnected world, we need to be cautious in constructing tit-for-tat barriers to trade. At the same time, it is important that we operate on an even playing field that prohibits product dumping and price manipulation.

    The prosperity experienced in the United States the last half of the 20th century would not have been possible without the emergence of new consumer and production markets. The force of history is against aggressive trade barriers. Does the current recession present a new set of challenges to national economies that warrant trade restrictions? Perhaps. However, I am convinced in all we do—as nations, as an association, as individual operations management and supply chain professionals—that we need to take a more global perspective. As I said on Monday to conference participants: “Your challenge is to hone our Global Ability by engaging across borders, over time, beyond roles, and throughout your careers.” As nations the challenge will be to stimulate domestic production and output while operating in a global economy.

    Earlier this week, Canada’s Globe and Mail featured an interview with Katherine Phillips, a Northwestern University professor. The article was titled “Scoring through Diversity,” and I thought it was particularly relevant as we approach the 2009 APICS International Conference & Expo, which highlights the theme “Global Ability.” Plus, the National Hockey League kicked off its season last night.

    Phillips examined NHL data about the nationality of players. Hockey fans know that Canadians dominate the league; however, Europeans are now joining in greater numbers. Phillips studied the performance of teams over time and how team diversity influences the ability to win games. Essentially, what she found is that, as individual team diversity became more prominent, teams won more games.

    “If you look at the composition of that starting line, if there is at least one non-Canadian on it, the team is more likely to have a positive uptake for the diversity increases that they have,” Phillips says. “They win more. There is an integration of those people who are ‘different’ into a legitimate status position on the team and there is a change. I think there is sort of a shift that happens.”

    Chances are, nobody reading this is an NHL player. However, we all work as part of teams. Phillip’s study underscores the importance of diversity within those teams. “If you believe that there is a possibility to improve on anything in life, how do you do that? You do that by taking different perspectives, bringing them together, and finding something new,” she says. “That is what learning is: It is taking two things that are out there and reconciling them, bringing them together in some way where you create something new.”

Diverse perspectives

APICS blogs are a great way to learn from new perspectives. Here, students and young professionals write about their ideas related to operations and supply chain management. Four up-and-comers are featured blog authors, and I encourage you to read what they have to say on everything from finding a job to sustainability. They will also be blogging about their experiences at APICS 2009.

    Our bloggers include Patrick F. Cullinan, who is studying global supply chain management at Clarkson University. Next is Rebecca Evangelista, a 2008 graduate of Syracuse University. Evangelista works in materials management within her organization’s supply chain management group. Sundeep Mathur is a supply chain manager for a biotech company in the Boston area. He, too, is a 2008 graduate of Syracuse University. Lastly, the blog features Christine Tsao, a project management assistant in California. Tsao graduated from California State University, Chico, where she earned her operations management degree.

    I am delighted APICS has a forum for these impressive young people as they explore the world of operations and supply chain management. More importantly, I am encouraged by what this kind of medium can provide to our members as a whole. Seeing the field through the eyes of a new professional can influence and encourage even the most experienced industry veteran. As Phillip’s NHL research suggests, different perspectives help us do our jobs better. Blogs are just one way APICS is your resource for numerous viewpoints. After all, we don’t want simply to play at the game of operations and supply chain management; we want to win.

    Monday, President Obama invoked the power of innovation to spur U.S. jobs and support an economy that is stronger and more resilient than before the recession. “We know that in the global economy—where there’s no room for error and there’s certainly no room for wasted potential—America needs you to succeed.”

    President Obama delivered his speech at Hudson Valley Community College, in Troy, New York. He unveiled his administration’s strategy for promoting new jobs, new businesses, and new industries—and the plan relies on tapping “innovative potential” in areas such as the Internet, basic research, entrepreneurship, and health care.

    “We know that the nations that out-educate us today will out-compete us tomorrow. The ability of new industries to thrive depends on workers with the knowledge and the know-how to contribute to their fields,” he said.

    Part of President Obama’s plan focuses on education. He aims for the United States to have the highest proportion of college graduates in the world, and he sees community colleges as playing a major role. The initiative proposes enabling community colleges to help an additional 5 million Americans earn degrees and certificates in the next decade.

Working potential

Obama’s message resonated with me because it is consistent with the APICS mission to build knowledge and skills in operations management professionals to enhance and validate abilities and accelerate careers. APICS helps its members and their organizations to successfully compete and build a stronger global economy.

    Education is at the core of what we do. The APICS body of knowledge is comprehensive and supports not only operations management and supply chain professionals working in a manufacturing environment, but also those in other work settings. APICS education and certifications help ensure individual career viability, agility, and corporate success.

    APICS education is delivered to operations and supply chain professionals through an extensive distribution channel that includes higher education institutions such as community colleges, chapters, and international partners. In North America, 239 chapters conduct APICS training. Internationally, APICS works with 59 associates and authorized education providers to deliver education. APICS instructors, working through these partners, bring to their students extensive on-the-job experience as either practitioners or consultants. Partners and their instructors act as enablers of APICS education. However, they also facilitate interaction between students, and the sharing of their experiences maximizes the “innovation potential” of APICS education.

    The call to action is clear, not just for Americans, but for operations and supply chain professionals across the world. To compete in the global economy, you must be engaged in active learning throughout your career. No matter what channel you use for your APICS education and certification, the end result remains—you are better equipped to contribute to your field and tap your innovative potential. President Obama is right when he urges workers to “shape a brighter future.”

Last week, I had the opportunity to visit DuPont’s corporate headquarters in Wilmington, Delaware. The visit was hosted by Peter Murray, CIRM, global competency and development leader. We discussed with operations, supply chain, and business leaders the increasing visibility of supply chain and operations management within the company. Plus, we talked about how these changes influenced performance during the economic downturn and preparations for the upturn.

    The recession created intense focus on areas DuPont decision makers already had as objectives. DuPont Chief Executive Officer Ellen Kullman emphasized four directives—maximize cash, minimize capital spending, minimize costs, and address the goals of a project or product line to meet those objectives or redirect the resources to maximize the return. All this while maintaining top-quality service to customers, who were facing the same challenges.

    Many companies faced falling demand, and DuPont wasn’t unique. Therefore, achieving the directives meant increasing the pace of implementing best practices for operations and supply chain. All good ideas to be sure, but when you are a global company such as DuPont—which employs 55,000 people, encompasses 14 business units with diverse product lines, and operates in more than 70 countries—it could have proven to be too difficult a challenge.

    What we observed was quite the opposite—DuPont is experiencing success from implementing best practices. Using supply chain and operations best practices as transformational strategies, corporate leaders relied on supply chain knowledge built over several years.

    APICS education has played a role in this success. For example, more than 600 DuPont employees either have or are currently taking APICS classes, and 192 have earned APICS certifications with 17 people holding multiple certifications. This employer-endorsed education creates dual benefits for the organization. First, it helped identify and implement standardized processes across the business; second it created a core of people to leverage improvement projects and resources globally. Now and for the future, APICS education continues to help the organization “build the bench” of supply chain and operations professionals to sustain the gains and continue to improve DuPont performance.

    DuPont leaders with whom we spoke continued to emphasize the value and need for standard processes and practices, especially in a company with such diversity in products and global scope. Don Wirth, DuPont’s vice president of integrated supply chain, told me that in the past six months, leaders across the business units went from saying, “we are all different and need special processes,” to “we really are all the same and can make this happen.” This common view of supply chain transformation among business leaders and success to date with APICS education has helped employees gain a sense of empowerment and confidence within their roles, so much so that they feel they can take action to resolve problems before they became crises.

    The tools the company used to affect this paradigm shift aren’t foreign to anybody in the APICS community: sales and operations planning, lean, six sigma. The people we talked to feel assured that the organization has arisen “leaner and more capable,” and it will be able to sustain the gains made. More importantly, DuPont will be better prepared to take advantage of the economic rebound, which is already starting for several of DuPont’s business units.

The “new normal”

Our meeting with DuPont’s leaders continues to inspire my work back at APICS corporate offices in Chicago. It reinforces the messages that appear time after time in APICS curriculum, publications, conferences, and more—effective supply chain management is imperative to the business enterprise as a whole. DuPont’s efforts have increased visibility throughout the organization’s supply chain, and the business is better poised to operate successfully in the “new normal” of the economy.

    One of the interesting conversations we are having among APICS leaders and staff is about how our body of knowledge will change based on practitioner experiences over the last year. Everyone agrees the APICS body of knowledge has proven to be solid and the skills of APICS CPIM and APICS CSCP designees are invaluable in dealing with the economic downturn. Perhaps what has changed the most is the focus of operations and supply chain professionals. Corporations such as DuPont are reviewing on a daily basis the metrics and key indicators that drive their businesses. Supply chain managers are playing an increasingly strategic role bolstered by their extensive backgrounds in operations management.

    I left DuPont committed to visiting more of our corporate customers to discuss how APICS can better serve organizations. I invite you to share with me how APICS training has helped to make you an invaluable contributor to your companies, particularly during this downturn. Please send your stories to abe@apics.org.

There’s no doubt that Chinese production and manufacturing are major forces in international business. Case in point: rare and valuable minerals. The September 1 edition of the New York Times featured an article titled “China Tightens Grip on Rare Minerals.” The author describes the complexity of producing rare earth elements, such as dysprosium and terbium, which are essential for the production of a variety of green energy technologies.

    “Even tighter limits on production and exports, part of the plan from the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology, would ensure China has the supply for its own technological and economic needs, and force more manufacturers to make their wares here in order to have access to the minerals,” the author reports.

    Even while the minerals are essential to green earth technology, their extraction imposes considerable damage on the local environment.

    According to the New York Times: “China dominates global rare earth production partly because of its willingness until now to tolerate highly polluting, low-cost mining.”

People, profit, planet

The New York Times article highlights the complexities associated with green product manufacturing. Leaders strive for business solutions that support sustainability, while enabling profits. In fact, the widely cited phrase “triple bottom line” is meant to encompass the idea of sustaining profit, planet, and people.

    While the previous example comes from China, there are professionals throughout the world who wrestle—or should be wrestling—with this expanded idea of sustainability. Because of their broad expertise, operations and supply chain management professionals provide a unique perspective to this new reality of doing business in the 21st century. During the World Café, held at APICS 2009 in Toronto, participants will explore what it means to operate a profitable and environmentally and socially responsible business now and in the future.

    This kind of forum is meant to not only inform attendees, but also encourage participation in the dialogue. The answers won’t be easy to obtain, but exploring ideas with peers and colleagues promises an engaging session that will keep the ideas coming even when attendees are back at the office.

Earlier this summer, I was pleased to read a post on the APICS Certified in Production and Inventory Management (CPIM) listserv that described the experiences of an APICS CPIM designee in Saudi Arabia. This gentleman, Shaik Abdul Khadar, earned his APICS CPIM certification in 2003. He wrote, “The subject knowledge gave me great advantage with peers.” Initially, however, he doubted it was helping advance his career.

    Still, Khadar continued to champion the APICS CPIM body of knowledge throughout his company, and managers started to take notice. In his post, Khadar described how he assumed a coordinator position for a supply chain optimization project. As an added benefit, Khadar was able to add to his knowledge of production and inventory management. For example, he learned how to implement and use a balanced scorecard. The project was successful, and the company saw immediate benefits. Later, Khadar joined a strategy transformation program team for his company.

    In 2006, Khadar was promoted to the position of enterprise resources planning (ERP) project manager, and he led a successful ERP optimization project in his organization. In 2008, he was promoted again—this time to a senior management position—and became the head of planning in a division that includes supply chain planning, strategy management, and business process excellence. Khadar said his position requires him to be the sales and operations planning process owner, basic supply chain coordinator, and custodian for the business process excellence project.

    “Believe me, with many initiatives and challenges, the body of knowledge of CPIM is really helping me in my day-to-day job,” Khadar wrote. “I sincerely consider CPIM [to be] the foundation for my career.”

Bringing it home

Khadar’s story is meaningful and poignant, but I don’t think it’s unique. APICS certifications can serve as both a foundation for careers and a means for advancement. Take into account how Khadar concluded his post to the listserv: “Now we put CPIM as a highly desirable qualification for all supply chain positions, including master scheduler, material planner, supply chain specialist, and more.”

    Now is the time to explore what APICS certification can do for you. If you already are certified, consider advocating for others within your organization who could benefit from earning APICS certifications. In addition, the 2009 APICS International Conference & Expo, October 4–6 in Toronto, provides an excellent forum for gaining skills and staying relevant on the job. With six learning paths—lean; global supply chain; basics of operations management; demand management, forecasting, and sales and operations planning; professional advancement; and special interest topics—attendees are sure to gain valuable ideas.

    I’m grateful to Khadar for sharing his personal story. It’s a wonderful illustration of how APICS enriches career opportunities. I encourage all of the readers of APICS Operations Management Now to reflect on this idea.

   Despite news that the U.S. economy is rebounding and job losses are slowing, a Wednesday headline in the Washington Post gives voice to the continued unease among workers: “A Recovery Only a Statistician Can Love.” Case in point: The U.S. Labor Department reported that business productivity has increased to an annual rate of 6.3 percent. (The annual average was 2.6 percent from 2000 to 2008.) The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported last week that unemployment actually dropped in June—after it had been increasing for months. However, the Washington Post’s Annys Shin writes the recovery’s “existence will be confirmed by statistics, but, over at least the next year, the benefits are unlikely to materialize in the form of higher wages or tax receipts or more jobs.”

   Consider the improving productivity rates we are seeing in many parts of the world affected by the global recession. Much of the increase has come from businesses cutting hours, while maintaining production and output. Therefore, workers are expected to do the same amount of work in less time, and company leaders are putting off hiring.

   Last week, in the New York Times article titled “Job Losses Slow, Signaling Momentum for a Recovery,” Economist Ian C. Shepherdson said, “Employers are no longer in a panic. The pressure they felt to get rid of workers in a hurry is diminishing. What we don’t see yet is enough momentum in the economy to convince companies to hire again.”

Operations Outlook

   So, what is the outlook for people in the APICS community specifically? APICS research reveals some interesting information. As part of the APICS Employment Outlook, data recently was gathered and analyzed by researchers at APICS and the University of North Carolina, Wilmington. Results show 47 percent of respondents with hiring responsibility indicate they anticipate hiring new employees within in the next 12 months, with 72 percent of those planning to hire within one or more of the following operational areas: execution and control of operations, purchasing and customer relationship management, quality, resource planning, and supply chain management.

   Further, survey respondents indicate that APICS CPIM designees get paid, on average, approximately 10 percent more than those without the designation. Similarly, APICS CSCP designees earn approximately 12 percent more than those without an APICS CSCP certification.

   Today, APICS is releasing its Supply Chain Manager Competency Model, which follows guidelines set by the Employment and Training Administration of the U.S. Department of Labor. The model will serve as a guide for individuals considering careers in supply chain management, professionals seeking advancement, and human resource managers hiring in this fast-growing field.

   This data analysis and the Supply Chain Manager Competency Model are just two examples of a wide variety of resources APICS offers to help supply chain and operations managers succeed. As you prepare to find your place in the economic recovery, I encourage you to investigate all the valuable resources APICS offers. As you wade through data and mixed messages, APICS is an important asset in helping you to determine how best to maximize your career potential.

As the U.S. Senate debates an additional $2 billion measure to extend the wildly popular “cash-for-clunkers” program, car manufacturers consider what the July boost in automobile sales means for their short- and long-term planning.

“Cash for Clunkers” offers consumers up to $4,500 to trade in older cars and buy new, more fuel-efficient models.

In an August 3 Reuters article, AutoNation Chief Executive Officer Mike Jackson said the initiative was certain to drive sales to more than 10 million vehicles, with some experts estimating that number could reach 12 or 13 million. “This is the kind of buyer that comes to market once in a decade. They buy these things and keep them forever.” AutoNation is the largest automotive retailer in the United States.

An obvious challenge comes in the form of meeting the increase in demand, after automobile manufacturers cut production during the downturn. Wednesday’s Wall Street Journal reports that many dealers are running low on top-selling models, which include the Ford Focus, Honda Civic, and Toyota Prius. While a 65-day supply is considered by many car experts to be optimal, Toyota had only 13 days worth of Prius models, 34 days worth of Corollas, and 37 days worth of Camrys. Toyota spokespeople say the company will be able to meet demand.

“If Congress moves ahead and allocates more money for the trade-in plan, light inventories could hinder sales and damp the program’s impact until automobile makers are able to rush vehicles to dealerships,” write Alex Kellogg and Josh Mitchell in the Wall Street Journal article.

In related news, the Detroit Free Press reported Wednesday that General Motors (GM) leaders aim to get their new products to market faster than first scheduled. As the company emerges from bankruptcy, GM Chair Ed Whitacre said the move is an attempt to gain customers. “We have plans in place to improve our market share—that’s certainly our intent.”

Will it last?
Even if the U.S. government approves the additional $2 billion, the funds are expected to last only through September. That leaves the automobile manufacturers with some important production decisions to make.

Consider the definition of demand management and forecasting, which appears on the APICS Operations Management Body of Knowledge (OMBOK) Framework: “Demand management and forecasting is recognizing all demand for goods and services to support the marketplace. Demand is prioritized when supply is lacking. Proper demand management facilitates the planning and use of resources for positive and profitable results and may involve special marketing programs designed to increase or reduce demand in a relatively short time horizon.”

Car makers now face the kinds of challenges many manufacturers will confront as the world prepares for better economic times. Maintaining the delicate balance between production and inventory is not a job for amateurs, and company leaders have learned the true value of professionals capable of demand management and forecasting duties. Often, these experts can be identified by their credentials—Certified in Production and Inventory Management (CPIM).

Whether you are looking to enhance your job prospects or to lead your organization into the economic recovery, the APICS CPIM can be a fundamental step to improving your career. Now is the perfect time to launch yourself into your future.