A call for “thinking out of the box” comes from Mike Johnston of consultants, Logistics Management, and president of the Southern African roundtable of Supply Chain Management Professionals (CSCMP). He told FTW that business leaders and the SA government needed to start thinking out of the box a little more to ensure that there is room for the economic growth and sustainability of the freight industry. There is just too much focus from government and businesses on short-term solutions to challenges facing the industry. “By not creating permanent solutions to real issues,” Johnston said, “we have to keep revisiting things that should be sorted out once and for all.” It’s time for businesses to start doing their homework properly, he added. “Companies are too rigid and are not thinking about the long-term future. “It is essential that within the supply chain there is room for flexibility. Change is inevitable – so allow for it.” Johnston felt that the need to create some consistency and uniformity within the supply chain management industry was a driving force behind a new industry body. The various associations and institutes involved in the industry have formed a body called the Federation of Supply Chain Management Associations (FSCMA). “The need for such a body has existed for some time,” said Johnston, “although formation of the organisation only occurred this year. The member associations of the federation strive to create an influencing and co-ordinating body that will address issues affecting the industry.’ Current members of the FSCMA include the SA Association of Operations Management (Sapics), the Road Freight Association (RFA), the SA Institute for Industrial Engineering (SAIIE), the Institute of Purchasing and Supply of SA (Ipsa), the SA Association of Freight Forwarders (Saaff) and the Southern African Roundtable of the Council of Supply Chain Management Professionals (CSCMP). One of the reasons for creating the FSCMA was to close the gap that exists between government and the supply chain industry, according to Johnston. “There is a lack of understanding of definitions and concepts within the industry. For example, at the urging of minister of finance, Trevor Manuel, each government department is having to appoint supply chain managers. “A quick look at their job descriptions tells you that they are procurement managers, and not supply chain managers. This type of confusion is not helping us move forward.”
