With the outcome of what some are calling “the most important U.S. Presidential race ever” still uncertain, many business executives are fretting over the economic, tax, and trade policies of the eventual President No. 44.
Yet, savvy procurement and supply management professionals aren’t waiting for the election outcome. They know that, regardless of who wins the White House, they must devise strategies and tactics to overcome the prevailing issues of the day: global economic malaise, new pressures (and opportunities) of globalization, risk management, and sustainability.
This is the premise behind the upcoming Spend Management Town Hall at Michigan State University (MSU) next Monday night. The first in a series of debates among industry thought leaders and top procurement, supply chain, and finance executives, the MSU Town Hall will showcase how leading companies are applying spend management techniques and approaches to address the leading business and socio-economic issues of the day. Featured panelists at this inaugural debate include:
- Mark Brown, Senior Vice President of Global Strategic Sourcing at Whirlpool
- Alistair Hirst, Vice President of Global Procurement at The Kellogg Company
- Professor Joe Sandor, Hoagland-Metzler Endowed Professor of Supply Management and Supply Chain Management at Michigan State University
I have the enviable honor of moderating this illustrious panel. And, unlike Tim Russert, I plan on pulling no punches. I will get right to the most pressing supply management questions:
- How has the declining U.S. dollar impacted your sourcing and supplier strategies?
- How have rising labor, commodities, and shipping costs caused you to rethink your China sourcing strategy?
- How are you assessing quality, performance, and supply risk in your global supply chain?
- Is the push for environmentally responsible supply a long-term business strategy, or just a passing fad?
- What can procurement do to hold down healthcare and other complex services costs?
- …and more.
I am pleased to extend a special invitation for Supply Excellence readers to attend what I’m certain will shape up as a lively debate. You can register or get more information on the Spend Management Town Hall here.
Can’t attend? Use the comments section of this post to submit a question you’d like me to pose to the panel. I will be sure to report back on the answers and approaches these leading supply management organizations are taking to overcome the challenges of today’s global economy.
