3PL/Logistics

According to the Supply Chain Intelligence Report (SCIR) 2009, based on a recent survey of the industry in South Africa, woman's intuition is the missing ingredient in too many companies

Fundamental attributes of a successful business leader include the ability to rationally strategise and take control while placing emphasis on conducting business in an efficient and objective manner However, in a globalised world, and particularly during the current financial crisis, such attributes have been found to be insufficient to ensure a company achieves long term success

On examining reasons why more than two thirds of the respondents' companies were more profitable than those of their peers, the study found a link between a company's level of sustainability and its intuitive ability

Intuition, which can be defined as the ability to sense or know immediately without reasoning, is a characteristic largely attributed to women but often misinterpreted as a hunch based on emotions rather than logic

However, when a woman applies her intuition in the current economic environment, she has the ability to read the signs of a changing market and make provision for their impact before the event horizon Any company employing such skills would clearly be better positioned for success

While men claim to be logical and rational, women's intuition and an ability to see ‘shades of grey,' combined with an inherent tendency to communicate and collaborate, means they are well equipped to forecast and overcome challenges in a rapidly changing environment

In the not too distant past, women in business were considered less capable than their male counterparts, and in some companies and countries the woman's place in the working world is still a debatable issue

The results of SCIR 2009 should help to put an end to such debates In the supply chain & logistics industry, which is fraught with unpredictability, intuition is a valuable ingredient in the recipe for success