Source: http://www.ctl.ca/issues/ISArticle.a...issue=09122008
Daily News Friday, September 12, 2008
Pandemic Preparedness: Managing a supply chain crisis
WINNIPEG, Man. -- When most people think of a pandemic, they envision an outbreak of infectious disease that rapidly spreads through the population. But a pandemic is not limited to illness.
The word pandemic comes from the Greek word pandemos, which literally translates to "pertaining to all people." Any unexpected large scale event that negatively affects the lives of people all over the world can be considered a pandemic situation. And the workplace is not immune. Due to countless variables beyond your control, a pandemic has the potential to strike where it matters most to the logistics professional.
To the heart of your supply chain.
All pandemics do have a few things in common. First, the consequences have a way of exceeding predicted levels. Secondly, a crisis of any kind will always exploit a company's (or society's) fundamental weaknesses.
Are you prepared?
The supply chain and logistics profession is heavily relied upon during any crisis. Not just to protect their own interests, but to also operate in the best interests of their customers and society as a whole. Further underscoring its crucial role is the fact that a pandemic hits the supply chain and logistics industry on multiple fronts.
Take a moment to consider these factors:
? The people who work in supply chain are as vulnerable to illness or a paralyzed infrastructure (road, air, port, rail) as any other group. Without transportation and logistics, there is no supply chain
? An interrupted supply chain directly impacts your bottom line. No product is being sold and no customers are being served
? Now more than ever, supply chains can extend beyond your immediate control to the other side of the globe
? Logistics professionals must have the foresight to devote resources to developing strategies to counter events that may never occur
? There is nobody for a logistics professional to turn for help to repair a supply chain under siege. As the expert, it's up to you.
So as a true professional, what will you do when a disaster strikes your company's supply chain? How will your organization continue to serve its customers, keep employees working and maintain relationships with suppliers? It's a heavy burden to bear, and not something you want to learn the hard way.
Your first course of action is to equip yourself with all the knowledge and experience possible. The best place to do this is at Reposition 2008 in Winnipeg (Nov. 5 - 7) where you will learn from two renowned supply chain crisis experts in a session called Pandemic Preparedness.
Your second course of action?
Why you SCREAM, of course.
And for the purposes of pandemic preparedness, SCREAM stands for constructing a solid Supply Chain, Risk, Evaluation and Management framework.
The hour before lunch sets the stage for Pandemic Preparedness in the form of a highly interactive lecture complete with an abundance of audience participation. Later, a fast-paced simulation will enable teams of participants to formulate initial response strategies to a Level-5 pandemic event.
The purpose of this hands-on session is to help you create a new preparedness plan or improve an existing preparedness plan.
Pandemic Preparedness is presented by Paul D. Larson, Ph.D., of the Transport Institute, University of Manitoba and Jack D. Kulchitsky, Ph.D., of the Alberta / Haskayne Executive MBA program.
Pandemic Preparedness is just one of many learning sessions featured at Reposition 2008. To find out more about this and other sessions, please go to www.citt.ca/events
Daily News Friday, September 12, 2008
Pandemic Preparedness: Managing a supply chain crisis
WINNIPEG, Man. -- When most people think of a pandemic, they envision an outbreak of infectious disease that rapidly spreads through the population. But a pandemic is not limited to illness.
The word pandemic comes from the Greek word pandemos, which literally translates to "pertaining to all people." Any unexpected large scale event that negatively affects the lives of people all over the world can be considered a pandemic situation. And the workplace is not immune. Due to countless variables beyond your control, a pandemic has the potential to strike where it matters most to the logistics professional.
To the heart of your supply chain.
All pandemics do have a few things in common. First, the consequences have a way of exceeding predicted levels. Secondly, a crisis of any kind will always exploit a company's (or society's) fundamental weaknesses.
Are you prepared?
The supply chain and logistics profession is heavily relied upon during any crisis. Not just to protect their own interests, but to also operate in the best interests of their customers and society as a whole. Further underscoring its crucial role is the fact that a pandemic hits the supply chain and logistics industry on multiple fronts.
Take a moment to consider these factors:
? The people who work in supply chain are as vulnerable to illness or a paralyzed infrastructure (road, air, port, rail) as any other group. Without transportation and logistics, there is no supply chain
? An interrupted supply chain directly impacts your bottom line. No product is being sold and no customers are being served
? Now more than ever, supply chains can extend beyond your immediate control to the other side of the globe
? Logistics professionals must have the foresight to devote resources to developing strategies to counter events that may never occur
? There is nobody for a logistics professional to turn for help to repair a supply chain under siege. As the expert, it's up to you.
So as a true professional, what will you do when a disaster strikes your company's supply chain? How will your organization continue to serve its customers, keep employees working and maintain relationships with suppliers? It's a heavy burden to bear, and not something you want to learn the hard way.
Your first course of action is to equip yourself with all the knowledge and experience possible. The best place to do this is at Reposition 2008 in Winnipeg (Nov. 5 - 7) where you will learn from two renowned supply chain crisis experts in a session called Pandemic Preparedness.
Your second course of action?
Why you SCREAM, of course.
And for the purposes of pandemic preparedness, SCREAM stands for constructing a solid Supply Chain, Risk, Evaluation and Management framework.
The hour before lunch sets the stage for Pandemic Preparedness in the form of a highly interactive lecture complete with an abundance of audience participation. Later, a fast-paced simulation will enable teams of participants to formulate initial response strategies to a Level-5 pandemic event.
The purpose of this hands-on session is to help you create a new preparedness plan or improve an existing preparedness plan.
Pandemic Preparedness is presented by Paul D. Larson, Ph.D., of the Transport Institute, University of Manitoba and Jack D. Kulchitsky, Ph.D., of the Alberta / Haskayne Executive MBA program.
Pandemic Preparedness is just one of many learning sessions featured at Reposition 2008. To find out more about this and other sessions, please go to www.citt.ca/events
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