Dispatch from the Director: A Time to be Thankful

Of thankfulness…

The holiday season is upon us and as is traditional, we take stock of our lives and our careers and examine what is important to us.

For the transportation and supply chain industries, that is much to celebrate this year.  Our global supply chain ecosphere, while not completely normalized, is certainly in a much healthier position than it was towards the end of 2021. Elasticity is much improved and overall capacity is better.

We are not clear of issues however; driver shortages continue to plague the industry, there is a yet unresolved dispute with several unions representing the railroads in North America, and geopolitical risk remains significant to name a few notable complications.

Adjustments to chronic issues are manifesting around the world as manufacturing companies shorten raw material supply lines, a significant near-sourcing shift is a major industrial trend, and about everyone has shifted away from just-in-time to just-in-case inventory management.

It’s a dynamic world.

Let us be thankful for what will hopefully be the beginning of true stabilization.  Everyone in the network is working harder than ever to make it right.  We’re all thinking about optimization, transparency, and crisp communications. 

So, keep your hopes up, thank a driver, thank a pilot, thank everyone you encounter in the global logistics network.  Thank our logistics leaders that are managing our entire economic engine.

For 2023, we hope you will also consider how you or someone you know could improve their leadership capabilities by coming to the Transportation & Supply Chain Institute for a Bachelor’s or Master’s degree.  

Let us know if you would like any information about applying to the Institute. Contact us at du-tsc@du.edu.