Soft-skill traits such as emotional intelligence and communication have long been recognised as fundamental to business success and are now gaining recognition in procurement and supply.
All companies struggle to attract and retain top talent. But in recent years, as manufacturing has heated up, this problem threatens to slow down growth in that segment in particular.
From sourcing to delivery, the supply chain is now the most horizontal function in the enterprise, says Tony Pittman, director of global procurement at HP. And any role that has such wide-ranging impact, from how money is spent to affecting the customer's experience, needs highly trained managers and workers.
