MONTERREY, NL.-
The incorporation of artificial intelligence (AI) in companies is posing new challenges for the training and recruitment of supply chain professionals , while human skills maintain a fundamental role alongside technical and technological knowledge.
This was one of the conclusions presented during the panel “ Recruiting and Developing Supply Chain Talent in a World of Continuous Disruption ”, held within the framework of the meeting From Resilience to New Opportunities: Building the North American Supply Chain of the Future , organized by Tecnológico de Monterrey and the National Academy of Engineering .
During his participation, Eddie Davila, professor of Supply Chain Management at Arizona State University (ASU) , addressed the challenges that companies face in identifying and developing talent in the face of the technological transformation of the sector.
The academic shared the results of a survey conducted with members of a business consortium linked to ASU , made up of executives from companies in different industries, asking them what skills they valued most when hiring graduates specializing in supply chains .
Among the characteristics evaluated, a positive attitude ranked first, followed by the ability to communicate professionally. Analytical skills came in third.
Davila explained that the managers highlighted the need to have employees capable of maintaining a constructive attitude in the face of difficulties , communicating with other people, and functioning in work environments where decisions do not always produce the expected results.
Training in the face of technological transformation
The professor emphasized the importance of ensuring that the training of new specialists maintains a solid foundation in fundamental supply chain concepts , even as technological tools become increasingly prevalent in organizations. Among the areas of expertise he mentioned were purchasing, operations, logistics, planning, and delivery times, mastery of which is essential for understanding business processes and communicating effectively with suppliers and partners.
In contrast, he questioned educational models that are excessively focused on grades and raised the importance of preparing professionals capable of facing complex situations, making mistakes, and developing problem-solving skills.
Companies face different challenges in adopting AI
Davila also shared observations obtained through conversations with companies in the ASU consortium regarding the use of artificial intelligence agents. According to the academic, some large companies have expressed concern about allowing their employees to develop AI agents without oversight mechanisms, due to the potential for creating duplicate, inefficient, or risky tools for the organizations.
According to the specialist, some small companies show a greater willingness to allow the development of these solutions when they contribute to improving the productivity of their workers.
Among the artificial intelligence applications mentioned during the conference were the development of key performance indicators (KPIs), dashboards, and requests for proposals (RFPs).
Davila concluded by emphasizing the importance of training professionals capable of relating to other people and using information and artificial intelligence tools in their work, without losing the human skills necessary to function in organizations.
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