Acquiring and developing talent for an uncertain future: Reimagining supply chain education

In today’s fast-evolving business terrain, the supply chain management (SCM) field faces growing importance as a major competitive differentiator in the market for many companies. The required skills and capabilities of supply chain personnel, however, are rapidly changing due to the development and application of advanced technologies. As a result, the field faces mounting challenges including acute talent shortages, rapid digital transformation, global disruptions, adoption of artificial intelligence tools in SCM decision making, and shifting workforce expectations. Effective talent management has therefore become not just a human resource concern but a strategic imperative for organisations seeking resilience and growth in logistics, procurement, inventory management, demand management, and overall improved organisational performance. This paper presents a comprehensive summary and examination of traditional and innovative talent management and development strategies that are specifically applicable to the SCM field, based on a synthesis of industry panel discussions, academic research results, and practitioner reports. It defines the individual roles that academic programmes and industry professionals play in effective SCM talent management strategies and suggests major changes that both groups should consider with respect to how they develop the contemporary workforce. The paper explores effective approaches to attract, retain, and develop skilled professionals, examining how leading global organisations and industry disruptors are tackling skills gaps, adapting to digitalisation, and reimagining workforce management in supply chains; and it advocates for a collaborative effort to address these challenges. These approaches demonstrate the agility that companies as well as academic programmes must cultivate to maintain an effective pipeline of SCM talent to meet the fast-changing landscape of business requirements. This article is also included in The Business & Management Collection which can be accessed at https://hstalks.com/business/.