[{"id":20682,"date":"2026-07-08T19:47:37","date_gmt":"2026-07-08T19:47:37","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/haslam.utk.edu\/gsci\/?post_type=news&p=20682"},"modified":"2026-07-08T19:50:11","modified_gmt":"2026-07-08T19:50:11","slug":"supply-chain-technology-academy","status":"publish","type":"news","link":"https:\/\/haslam.utk.edu\/gsci\/news\/supply-chain-technology-academy\/","title":{"rendered":"SCM Technology Academy Helps Leaders Navigate AI and Digital Change"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

AI, automation, robotics, digital twins, control towers, digital orchestration, and next-generation enterprise systems are reshaping how supply chains operate and compete. For supply chain leaders, the challenge is no longer just understanding new tools but deciding which technologies are worth the investment, how to prepare the organization for change, and how to lead implementation in ways that create measurable business value.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

To help professionals meet that challenge, the University of Tennessee, Knoxville\u2019s Haslam College of Business has launched the Supply Chain Management Technology Academy<\/a>, an eight-week program offered through the Global Supply Chain Institute. The inaugural edition runs from September 22 through November 22 and is designed for managers, directors, and high-potential employees who want a more strategic understanding of the technologies transforming supply chains.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

What distinguishes the SCM Technology Academy is its focus on the executive side of technology adoption: evaluating opportunities, building business cases, governing digital investments, leading implementation, and strengthening cyber resilience.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Participants examine the technologies and systems shaping modern supply chains, as well as how data moves through core platforms such as ERP, WMS, TMS, and OMS to support visibility, analytics, simulation, optimization, and scenario planning.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cKnowing the technology isn’t the same as leading it,\u201d said Alan Amling<\/a>, assistant professor of practice at Haslam and a former UPS executive who helped develop the academy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cPlenty of programs can explain AI or robotics. The harder part, and what we built this around, is the executive job: deciding what’s worth the investment, getting the foundations right, bringing your people through the change, and protecting the operation. That’s the difference between understanding supply chain technology and actually running it.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Across eight modules, participants learn to differentiate among AI types such as machine learning, neural networks, generative AI, and agentic AI, and assess applications in demand sensing, planning, and autonomous decision-making. They also examine digital orchestration platforms, organizational readiness, and investment prioritization using maturity-model thinking. The program addresses automation and robotics across warehousing, manufacturing, and transportation, with emphasis on ROI, scalability, flexibility, and workforce implications.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The academy also addresses the organizational realities that often determine whether digital initiatives succeed or fail. Participants learn how to evaluate governance models, diagnose decision rights and data ownership issues, define vendor criteria, distinguish user requirements from technical requirements, and apply best practices to reduce implementation risk. They also examine change management, communication strategies, training design, culture readiness, and supply chain-specific cybersecurity vulnerabilities, including AI-related risks such as data leakage and model misuse.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Delivered in a synchronous and asynchronous online format<\/strong>, the SCM Technology Academy gives participants the flexibility to build practical technology acumen while continuing to advance in their current roles. It expands Haslam\u2019s broader portfolio of supply chain academies in leadership<\/a>, finance<\/a>, planning<\/a>, and procurement<\/a> with a first-of-its-kind offering focused specifically on technology leadership.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The program cost is\u00a0$3,995<\/strong>, and discounts are available for employees of GSCI partner companies.\u00a0<\/a>For leaders ready to strengthen their supply chain technology capabilities, the next cohort begins\u00a0September 22, 2026<\/strong>. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n
Apply to the SCM Technology Academy Today<\/em><\/strong><\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"The University of Tennessee\u2019s eight-week SCM Technology Academy helps supply chain professionals build the skills to evaluate AI, automation, and digital supply chain technologies, lead adoption, and deliver measurable value.","protected":false},"author":18,"featured_media":20683,"template":"","department":[464,285],"class_list":["post-20682","news","type-news","status-publish","has-post-thumbnail","hentry"],"yoast_head":"\nSupply Chain Technology Academy Helps Leaders Navigate Digital Change<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"UT's 8-week Supply Chain Management Technology Academy prepares managers and directors to evaluate AI, automation, and digital investments and lead implementation that delivers real business value.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" 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Executives Talk Freight, Supply Chain Evolution"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><em>Written by <a href=\"https:\/\/haslam.utk.edu\/people\/profile\/scott-mcnutt\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Scott McNutt<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">At April\u2019s\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/haslam.utk.edu\/supply-chain-forum\/\">Supply Chain Forum<\/a>\u00a0hosted by the\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.utk.edu\/\">University of Tennessee, Knoxville<\/a>,\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/haslam.utk.edu\/\">Haslam College of Business<\/a>, a panel of Pilot Company executives\u2014CEO\u00a0Adam Wright, president of energy\u00a0Jes\u00fas Guerra\u00a0and former president of retail\u00a0Brad Anderson\u2014discussed how current events, as well as freight and supply chain dynamics, affect Pilot\u2019s business. The event was sponsored by Haslam\u2019s\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/haslam.utk.edu\/supply-chain-management\/\">Department of Supply Chain Management<\/a>\u00a0and its Global Supply Chain Institute. Moderated by\u00a0<strong><a href=\"https:\/\/haslam.utk.edu\/people\/profile\/chad-autry\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Chad Autry<\/a><\/strong>, associate dean for faculty and research, Myers\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/haslam.utk.edu\/gsci\/\">Distinguished<\/a>\u00a0Professor of Supply Chain Management and R. Stanley Bowden II Faculty Research Fellow, the session featured informative discussion on how geopolitical tensions, energy transitions and shifting freight patterns are reshaping the supply chain landscape.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Key Pressures on Pilot\u2019s Freight and Fuel Systems<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Autry asked the executives what they considered the most significant forces reshaping freight movement and fuel demand, as well as how Pilot responds to these issues to meet customer needs. The trio said geopolitical pressures, like tariffs and the Iran conflict, are raising costs and tightening supplies, especially diesel. Specifically, Guerra noted diesel costs have risen 50 percent since hostilities began.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cWe take our supply resiliency seriously,\u201d Guerra said. \u201cWe oversee about a third of every gallon that is sold at our stores, and for the other two-thirds we partner with refiners. We think that balance gives us the best position to ensure supply chain reliability and lower the cost of diesel at our stores.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Wright pointed to the \u201cAmazon effect\u201d as driving more short-haul, localized freight, changing traditional long\u2011haul trucking models. Giving customers what they want is the goal.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cIf consumers demand stuff on their doorsteps, then however it gets there, they want it there,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">According to Anderson, inflation and constricted capacity are squeezing both Pilot\u2019s fleet customers and its retail margins, while the company strives for equilibrium.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cYou want healthy fleets, so that they can be great customers, but we don\u2019t want exorbitant shipping rates with higher fuel prices and tighter capacity that put pressure on our internal margin,\u201d he explained.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Pilot\u2019s Energy Strategy<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Asked how Pilot is managing its legacy energy systems while exploring energy alternatives, Wright said, \u201cWhat butters our bread is diesel and gasoline, which will be the dominant fuel source for the next 50 years. But one of our strategic pillars is to shape the future of energy. We want to advance alternatives, bearing in mind our customers\u2019 preferences, the base technology and the business\u2019s performance.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">In line with shaping the future of energy, Guerra said Pilot is building a coast\u2011to\u2011coast electric vehicle (EV) charging network with partners like General Motors and EVgo, supported by federal National Electric Vehicle Infrastructure (NEVI) grants. Wright added that Pilot is partly offsetting declining gasoline demand with EV charging revenue.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Advantages and Obstacles of Transitional and Alternative Fuels<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Guerra emphasized the importance of biodiesel, renewable diesel and E15 ethanol. Biodiesel blends lower diesel costs and serve as a bridge fuel, while renewable diesel can replace diesel with no infrastructure changes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cThat is a complementary window, and we have done a good job to have that balance,\u201d he explained. \u201cWe\u2019re not forcing renewable diesel on our customers, but it\u2019s there if they feel comfortable.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Wright said Pilot\u2019s EV network is long-term focused and grows at the pace of demand, but the transition may be slower than some predicted. Pilot is working with Tesla, which knows the major hurdles (battery weight, payload loss and massive infrastructure needs) facing the transition, on its heavy\u2011duty EVs network. Wright also added that grants, policies and technology shift constantly.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cThe industry faces capital constraints, regulatory uncertainties, infrastructure gaps and sometimes misaligned incentives among stakeholders,\u201d Wright said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">When Autry asked about the fleets\u2019 stance on moving to alternative fuels, the executives said where there is predictability, there will be adoption, referencing the case of California, with unique regulations and government partnerships that can almost assure an ROI for green energy investments. Guerra noted that Pilot plays a major role in educating fleets and legislators about how transitional fuels lower cost impacts. He expressed surprise at how poorly legislators understand transitional fuels and how important tax credits are for them.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Public-Private Collaboration<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Autry posited that no one entity can solve the energy puzzle, so he inquired if it is possible to get all the stakeholders on one page to create the scale of infrastructure needed. On the federal level, Wright said tax incentives and grants for renewable energy already create meaningful collaboration, citing NEVI grants as an example. However, that is contrasted with the difficulties coordinating between private, municipal, state and federal levels for nationwide projects. The Pilot representatives did indicate, however, that regional projects show promise.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Retail and Customer Behavior<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The Pilot executives called Pilot \u201cfuel\u2011agnostic,\u201d offering whatever energy type customers need, with more than 900 locations providing a foundational network they can adapt and adopt. On the EV side, longer charging times create opportunities for retail sales.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cWhether it\u2019s marketing through geofencing or giving personalized offers to compel them to come in, we\u2019re meeting them where they are,\u201d Anderson said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Leadership and Talent at Pilot<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">When asked what qualities Pilot looks for in leaders, Wright emphasized sensitivity and connecting to people.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cI look for leaders who are authentic to who they are and who can make good decisions based on a piece of wisdom that says, \u2018In the multitude of counsel, there is safety,\u2019\u201d he said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Hard work, continuous learning and maintaining curiosity were qualities Anderson listed. Guerra shared advice he learned from Wright.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201c\u2019Argue like you\u2019re right, and listen like you\u2019re wrong,\u2019\u201d he recalled. \u201cIf you take that second part seriously, you get a really different perspective on being a leader.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Pilot\u2019s AI\/ML Deployment<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">When a forum attendee asked how Pilot is using AI and machine learning, Guerra explained that from its 65-year history, Pilot has extensive, granular data on its fuel distribution, which it has used to formulate delivery plans. Now, the company will add forecasting using predictive machine learning to calculate future variables. At this point in implementation, he said, Pilot is at two on a scale of 10.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cBy the end of the year, we\u2019ll probably be at an eight and then continue to improve,\u201d Guerra predicted. \u201cOver time, it will be a significant contributor in efficiency and value generation.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Anderson added that for their 900 locations, AI is already influencing fuel pricing, routing and partnership assessments. It\u2019s even automatically populating fuels prices in first drafts of his emails. This prompted Wright to advise maintaining the ability to think independently, saying AI will spit out data, but it can be unreliable.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cPrepare your repair folks to still think for themselves,\u201d he cautioned.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Organizational Alignment<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Another audience question focused on how the Pilot leadership team stays united in organizational vision and business transformation. Wright summarized it as running the business through their shared purpose, virtues, business ambition and long-term value, which drives working together through affinity, independence, ownership, risk and freedom. These all come into play in weekly meetings in which leadership ensures they are aligned on key performance indicators.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cWe plan, execute, measure and correct,\u201d Wright said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Geopolitical Volatility<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Toward the end of their session, the executives were asked to address how Pilot handles major geopolitical disruptions \u2014 such as international conflicts, rising energy costs and supply chain shocks \u2014 that can radically affect fuel supply lines.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Guerra replied that internet posts can now drive commodity prices, but the team has to ignore the noise, maintain agility and stay grounded in market fundamentals. Wright echoed this sentiment, saying things ebb and flow short term, but Pilot is focused on the long term, running its system and continuing to build its plans.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Save the Date<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The Fall Supply Chain Forum will be held <strong>November 10\u201312, 2026,<\/strong> at the Marriott Knoxville Downtown, and you won\u2019t want to miss it. The event is exclusive to the <a href=\"https:\/\/haslam.utk.edu\/supply-chain-forum\/ut-supply-chain-forum-partners\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">over 75 organizations<\/a> that partner with UT to learn, network, and recruit the best supply chain talent.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><em>If your company is not an SCF partner, <a href=\"mailto:gsci@utk.edu\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">contact us<\/a> to speak with a team member about either of our two corporate partnership options.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"At the Supply Chain Forum, company leaders shared how world affairs are impacting fuel supplies and freight movement.","protected":false},"author":18,"featured_media":20577,"template":"","department":[285,468],"class_list":["post-20575","news","type-news","status-publish","has-post-thumbnail","hentry"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the 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3PL Study Comes Home: A Research Tradition Relaunches at UT Knoxville"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">For more than three decades, the <a href=\"https:\/\/3plstudy.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Annual 3PL Study<\/a> has been the supply chain industry’s most consistent window into how shippers and third-party logistics providers build, measure, and improve their working relationships. This year, as the study enters its 31st edition, it comes home to the University of Tennessee, Knoxville.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The study’s founder, Professor Emeritus <a href=\"https:\/\/haslam.utk.edu\/news\/former-haslam-supply-chain-faculty-member-named-emeritus-professor\/\">John Langley<\/a>, spent 28 years on the UT faculty before becoming a supply chain faculty member at Georgia Tech\u2019s School of Industrial Engineering and, most recently, at Penn State University\u2019s Smeal College of Business. Following Langley’s retirement at Penn State, the research will now continue as a collaboration with the Global Supply Chain Institute.\u00a0UT\u2019s supply chain management programs have long been <a href=\"https:\/\/haslam.utk.edu\/gsci\/rankings-and-accolades\/\">recognized among the premier centers<\/a> of supply chain research and education in North America.<a id=\"_msocom_1\"><\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cI’ve been involved with this study for the past 30 years,\u201d Langley told attendees at UT’s Spring 2026 Supply Chain Forum. “We survey 3PLs and shippers, seeking a better understanding of how relationships can be formed, sustained, and made favorable. This study has a lot of legs. It’s still very strong and well received, and we’re going to keep it going with the University of Tennessee involved from here forward.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Each year\u2019s study focuses on the current state of how shipper and 3PL relationships are formed, sustained, and improved. With the rising perceived importance of supply chain management, these studies provide valuable perspectives on how these relationships may deal with new objectives, challenges, and disruptions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cThis study continues to be well-received, and our immediate objective is to keep it moving forward in collaboration with the University of Tennessee,\u201d Langley said. \u201cAs Professor Emeritus at the institution, I am honored that key faculty members will be involved with the upcoming studies.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-buttons is-content-justification-center is-layout-flex wp-container-core-buttons-is-layout-7460697f wp-block-buttons-is-layout-flex\" style=\"border-style:none;border-width:0px;border-top-left-radius:0px;border-top-right-radius:0px;border-bottom-left-radius:0px;border-bottom-right-radius:0px;padding-top:var(--wp--preset--spacing--20);padding-right:0;padding-bottom:var(--wp--preset--spacing--20);padding-left:0\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-button is-style-fill\"><a class=\"wp-block-button__link has-white-color has-river-background-color has-text-color has-background has-link-color has-medium-font-size has-text-align-center has-custom-font-size wp-element-button\" href=\"https:\/\/www.surveymonkey.com\/r\/2027-3PLSurvey_UT-GSCI\" style=\"padding-top:var(--wp--preset--spacing--40);padding-bottom:var(--wp--preset--spacing--40)\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><strong><em>Take the 2027 Annual 3PL Study Survey<\/em><\/strong><\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Why The Study Matters<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The 3PL Study began with a simple premise: when a shipper partners with a logistics provider, a relationship forms. How that relationship is structured, measured, and kept healthy over time has enormous business consequences. However, remarkably little formal research existed on the subject when Langley launched the study in the mid-1990s.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Today\u2019s landscape has grown far more complex. Shippers are consolidating their provider relationships, demanding AI-enabled capabilities, navigating freight fraud and cybersecurity risk, and renegotiating what a strategic partnership actually means. The study tracks all of it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Among the key findings from the 2026 Annual 3PL Study:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>88% of shippers report that their 3PL relationships are successful.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>50% of shippers are consolidating the number of 3PL partners they use, giving each remaining partner a larger share of business and changing the nature of those relationships.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Only 5% of shipper-3PL relationships are truly strategic\u2014even though 55% of shippers self-describe their relationships that way.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>74% of shippers say they would switch 3PL providers based on AI capabilities.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>What’s Ahead: The 2027 Study<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The 2027 study, which is underway, was shaped in real time with practitioners. At the Spring 2026 Supply Chain Forum, Langley led an interactive workshop to stress-test the survey’s focus areas before the questions were written. The conversation was substantive: participants raised real operational challenges around AI governance, relationship cadence, freight fraud, and geopolitical exposure.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Those discussions directly informed the four special topics the study will explore this year.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>1. AI Adoption Across Supply Chains and 3PL Networks<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">AI is reshaping how shippers select and evaluate logistics partners. Nevertheless, implementation remains uneven. The 2027 study will examine the barriers organizations most frequently encounter when adopting AI in supply chain contexts: data quality and availability, legacy system integration, talent gaps, unclear ROI, governance and security concerns, and the perennial challenge of change management. The goal is to move beyond headline statistics and understand where the friction actually lives.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>2. Alignment & Collaboration<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Strategic relationships don’t sustain themselves. The 2027 study will assess what shippers and 3PLs consider the true markers of a successful relationship, from strategic and cultural alignment to operational agility, innovation and digital maturity, and trust and open communication. The forum made clear that the gap between perceived and actual strategic depth is one of the study’s most persistent and important findings.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>3. Resiliency and Risk Mitigation in Shipper-3PL Relationships<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Supply chains are under simultaneous pressure from multiple directions: transportation capacity disruptions, supplier instability, cybersecurity threats, labor shortages, extreme weather, and regulatory change. The 2027 study will examine which risks generate the most concern, as well as the resiliency capabilities organizations have in place: multimodal strategies, inventory buffering, alternative sourcing, scenario planning, control towers, and formal business continuity plans.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>4. Global Conflicts & Geopolitical Disruptions Impacting Supply Chains and Logistics<\/strong><\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Geopolitical instability is a front-line supply chain concern. The 2027 study will probe which conflict-driven risks\u2014freight cost volatility, route availability, supplier reliability, insurance premiums, inventory positioning, and customer service impacts\u2014are weighing most heavily on shippers and their 3PL partners today. An open-response question will capture how leading organizations are actively responding.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Your Participation Shapes the Research<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The 3PL Study draws its value from broad, cross-industry participation. Responses come from shippers across consumer packaged goods (CPG), oil and gas, healthcare, and manufacturing, as well as from providers on both the asset-based and non-asset-based sides.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">“One of our highest priorities this year is to bump up our response rate,” Langley said. \u201cPractitioner input is exactly what helps us shape the direction of the research.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\" \/>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-buttons is-content-justification-center is-layout-flex wp-container-core-buttons-is-layout-7460697f wp-block-buttons-is-layout-flex\" style=\"border-style:none;border-width:0px;border-top-left-radius:0px;border-top-right-radius:0px;border-bottom-left-radius:0px;border-bottom-right-radius:0px;padding-top:var(--wp--preset--spacing--20);padding-right:0;padding-bottom:var(--wp--preset--spacing--20);padding-left:0\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-button\"><a class=\"wp-block-button__link has-white-color has-river-background-color has-text-color has-background has-link-color has-medium-font-size has-text-align-center has-custom-font-size wp-element-button\" href=\"https:\/\/www.surveymonkey.com\/r\/2027-3PLSurvey_UT-GSCI\" style=\"padding-top:var(--wp--preset--spacing--40);padding-bottom:var(--wp--preset--spacing--40)\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><strong><em>Take the 2027 Annual 3PL Study Survey<\/em><\/strong><\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><em>The Annual 3PL Study is affiliated with the University of Tennessee Global Supply Chain Institute. Participating organizations include Penske, NTT Data, and CSCMP. Findings will be presented at the CSCMP Edge Conference in Nashville in October 2026.<\/em> <em>All 30 years of Annual 3PL Study reports are available for free at <a href=\"https:\/\/www.3plstudy.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><strong>3PLStudy.com<\/strong><\/a>.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"The longest-running study of shipper-3PL relationships is entering a new chapter. The questions it’s asking have never been timelier.","protected":false},"author":18,"featured_media":20552,"template":"","department":[],"class_list":["post-20551","news","type-news","status-publish","has-post-thumbnail","hentry"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v27.9 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>Annual 3PL Study Returns to University of Tennessee<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"The Annual 3PL Study is now at UT. 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Moderated by <a href=\"https:\/\/haslam.utk.edu\/people\/profile\/yemisi-bolumole\/\">Yemisi Bolumole<\/a>, Haslam\u2019s <a href=\"https:\/\/haslam.utk.edu\/supply-chain-management\/\">supply chain management department<\/a> head and Ryder Professor of Supply Chain Management, the session included enlightening commentary on AI in supply chain, leadership, geopolitical volatility and more.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Gentry-Stuenkel began by explaining that the 101-year-old company is far more than excavators and engines. In addition to manufacturing construction and mining equipment, off-highway diesel and natural gas engines, cruise ship engines, industrial gas turbines and diesel-electric locomotives, it is also involved in autonomous hauling, data centers and financial products and sells its lifestyle brand products in major shopping malls across China.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>AI in Supply Chain<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The first discussion topic was AI in the supply chain. According to Gentry-Stuenkel, Caterpillar is deeply involved in AI initiatives, citing its tool Vision Work, which monitors customer equipment productivity, operational status and reliability.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cWe’re ingesting all of that data every day and feeding it back out through our 150 dealers globally, so they have the right part in the right place at the right time,\u201d Gentry-Stuenkel explained.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Bolumole then shifted to how AI and automation are impacting workers, asking, \u201cHow do you see automation and AI changing people\u2019s roles in the future?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Gentry-Stuenkel replied that in certain areas, lack of personnel, not parts, is Caterpillar\u2019s greatest constraint.   Of a needed 65,000 technicians, she is short by 35,000. So her mission, she says, is, \u201cHow do I make those technicians more efficient? \u201c<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The answer is with AI agents that track parts, supplier capacity and logistics risk, among other tasks. Gentry-Stuenkel noted that these advances free workers from boring tasks they don\u2019t like but acknowledged that, while she is confident Caterpillar will add jobs overall, positions will be lost to new technology, and some internal jobs will become outward-facing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cMore people will be in the field, interfacing with customers and understanding their problems, because our strategy is to solve our customers\u2019 biggest problems,\u201d she said. \u201cSome people can make that transition, but not all of them can.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Leadership<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Pivoting, Bolumole asked how Gentry-Stuenkel\u2019s leadership role has transformed as her career has grown. The senior vice president said her advice to single contributors early on focused on specific interactions, such as conflict management and feeling unheard by peers. Now her focus is more on reassuring her people that they are on the right track.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cAs I’ve gotten older, before I answer, I ask more questions to figure out the real question,\u201d she said. \u201cQuite often, it’s not the question on the surface. It’s something much deeper.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Career Advice<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Bolumole asked what advice Gentry-Stuenkel would have for early-career professionals seeking to demonstrate readiness for leadership. While many students want to start in corporate strategy, Gentry-Stuenkel recommends going into operations, as she did, where they will make decisions, solve problems and learn the business from the ground up.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Gentry-Stuenkel acknowledged she knew nothing about manufacturing when she started in operations as a line supervisor at age 18 with General Motors. She made many mistakes, but those taught her to embrace daunting circumstances. In her experience, high-level management pays attention to formidable situations and managing them well gets noticed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cThrough my career, I raised my hand to go to the ugly assignment,\u201d she says. \u201cWhen a particular position opened up, the CEO chose me, not because I’m any smarter than other people who could have done this job. He knew I get things done and could lead through a crisis.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Geopolitical Volatility<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Next, the discussion moved to Caterpillar\u2019s handling of geopolitical risk and volatility in its upstream supply chain. While Gentry-Stuenkel said tariffs are creating uncertainty and impairing Caterpillar\u2019s agility in planning investments, her main concern is for their customers, spread across 200 countries. Tariffs, embargoes and wars are complicating supporting them. There, however, the company can lean on its agility. As an example, she said Caterpillar is flying replacement parts into the Middle East to keep customers\u2019 equipment running.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cThe challenge to the team is, \u2018How fast can you react?\u2019\u201d she explains. \u201cHow do we maintain exceptional communication with the dealers, so they know we’re fighting for them?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Self-Management<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">On the topic of managing stress, staying motivated and maintaining momentum, Gentry-Stuenkel said that, early on, she mastered the skill of compartmentalizing, while complementing that with being intentional in how she spends her time. Sensible to the fact that some of her team members struggle more with stress, she reminds them that while their work is important, it is not the end-all of existence.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cAt this point in my career, I have more than 30 years of stories, so whatever is bad, usually I had something that was worse and got through that all right,\u201d Gentry-Stuenkel says.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image alignright size-large is-resized is-style-default\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"700\" height=\"467\" src=\"https:\/\/haslam.utk.edu\/gsci\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/05\/55224562602_2e4e18ad90_k-700x467.jpg\" alt=\"Yemisi Bolumole, Wendi Gentry-Stuenkel, and Hannah Clark group photo\" class=\"wp-image-20510\" style=\"aspect-ratio:1.4989430963050647;width:630px;height:auto\" srcset=\"https:\/\/haslam.utk.edu\/gsci\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/05\/55224562602_2e4e18ad90_k-700x467.jpg 700w, https:\/\/haslam.utk.edu\/gsci\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/05\/55224562602_2e4e18ad90_k-250x167.jpg 250w, https:\/\/haslam.utk.edu\/gsci\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/05\/55224562602_2e4e18ad90_k-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/haslam.utk.edu\/gsci\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/05\/55224562602_2e4e18ad90_k-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/haslam.utk.edu\/gsci\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/05\/55224562602_2e4e18ad90_k-120x80.jpg 120w, https:\/\/haslam.utk.edu\/gsci\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/05\/55224562602_2e4e18ad90_k.jpg 2048w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 700px) 100vw, 700px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Wendi Gentry-Stuenkel, the 2026 Outstanding Woman in Supply Chain recipient, with Yemisi Bolumole and student-leader Hannah Clark.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Problem-Solving<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">That recollection prompted Gentry-Stuenkel to view problem-solving as a form of stress relief, saying, \u201cThe excitement when you solve a problem you thought was unsolvable is like a rush.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">She describes a situation with a supplier who needed parts immediately to keep operating, which her company did not have on hand. With millions of dollars at stake, Gentry-Stuenkel would have to take a plant down and redo the line to make the needed part. Her executives asked her if she were sure it would work, expecting to hear, \u201cYes, absolutely.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cI said, \u2018No, but it\u2019s the best chance we have, so we are going for it,\u2019\u201d she recalls. \u201cAnd what’s amazing to me is how going through those tough experiences builds relationships that I treasure.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Imparting Leadership<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Bolumole termed this an example of transformational leadership and asked Gentry-Stuenkel how she uses these heads-on-fire moments to imbue leadership into her team.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Gentry-Stuenkel said she has led teams that were dithering between no good options. She would tell them to write down their least-bad options, and they would choose among them. Then, as leader, she would take responsibility for the outcome.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">She recalls saying, \u201cI know it’s not going to go perfectly, but lack of a decision is probably the worst thing that we can do. So we’re going to decide, and I’ll put my name on the decision.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">If she can get teams to keep a passion for customer service, that makes all the difference, she added.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Customer Service<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Bolumole turned to Caterpillar\u2019s promise of, essentially, everlasting service to its customers and asked, \u201cIf there is a 100-year-old product needing service, how does that happen?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Gentry-Stuenkel noted that Caterpillar employs engineers who reverse-engineer items, and it has remanufacturing operations that can resurrect parts, as well as suppliers that can custom-make parts based on old drawings. Its distribution centers also store old parts that aren’t often needed, which slows inventory turnover, but they usually opt to keep them available.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cA customer called a couple of weeks ago with an 86-year-old tractor they need a part for, and we said, \u2018We don’t have it; it’s going to be a couple of months,\u2019\u201d she said. \u201cThey were so happy to find somebody that could service it, they were okay with the delay.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Student Advice<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Gentry-Stuenkel\u2019s advice to students is to be proactive, be inquisitive and work to find solutions to problems, and if they find one, bring it forward. She also says students should use old-school technology for urgent matters.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cIf you want to stand out amongst your peers, get comfortable picking up a telephone, because it makes all the difference in getting results,\u201d she says.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>The Glass Ceiling in Supply Chain<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Bolumole\u2019s last question was, \u201cThe glass ceiling: How does one identify that it is inherently present and what to do about it?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cThrough most of my career in automotive and heavy construction, women are about 10 percent of the workforce,\u201d Gentry-Stuenkel said. \u201cSaying that from the standpoint of being very much in the minority, it is something that can be overcome. It’s okay to recognize it, but don’t let that hold you back. If you get too obsessed with it, it’s going to hold you back.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">She adds that when she earned her last automotive promotion, she received the best gift from her late father-in-law, whom she described as curmudgeonly. After the promotion, she saw him in the driveway smashing a piece of glass with a hammer. He then put the glass shards into a saltshaker he presented to her.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cHe said, \u2018You shook \u2019em up, girl, you broke the glass ceiling. I’m so proud of you.\u2019\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Gentry-Stuenkel concluded the session by saying, \u201cI’m just a girl from Indiana, no smarter or special than anybody else, but if I can do it, so can any of you.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Save the Date<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The Fall Supply Chain Forum will be held\u00a0<strong>November 10\u201312, 2026,<\/strong>\u00a0at the Marriott Knoxville Downtown, and you won\u2019t want to miss it. The event is exclusive to the\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/haslam.utk.edu\/supply-chain-forum\/ut-supply-chain-forum-partners\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">over 75 organizations<\/a>\u00a0that partner with UT to learn, network, and recruit the best supply chain talent.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><em>If your company is not an SCF partner, <a href=\"mailto:gsci@utk.edu\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">contact us<\/a> to speak with a team member about either of our two corporate partnership options.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"A fireside chat on leadership, decision-making, and managing supply chain complexity, with insights on AI, workforce challenges, and geopolitical volatility.","protected":false},"author":18,"featured_media":20511,"template":"","department":[285,468],"class_list":["post-20509","news","type-news","status-publish","has-post-thumbnail","hentry"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v27.9 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>Leadership Insights from Caterpillar VP Wendi Gentry-Stuenkel<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"At the Supply Chain Forum, Caterpillar\u2019s Wendi Gentry-Stuenkel shares insights on AI in supply chain, leadership, and geopolitical volatility.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/haslam.utk.edu\/gsci\/news\/caterpillar-supply-chain-leadership-insights\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Leadership 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Key Takeaways from the Spring 2026 Supply Chain Forum"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The Spring 2026 Supply Chain Forum brought together corporate executives and supply chain practitioners from more than 70 partner companies for three days of learning, networking, and recruiting at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville. From ocean freight and energy infrastructure to AI deployment and leadership under pressure, this year’s forum made one thing clear: the pace of change is no longer a warning \u2014 it’s the operating environment.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\" style=\"padding-top:0;padding-bottom:0\">Here are ten takeaways every supply chain leader should be sitting with.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" style=\"padding-top:var(--wp--preset--spacing--30);padding-bottom:var(--wp--preset--spacing--30)\"><strong>1. AI is already doing the work<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Across nearly every session, artificial intelligence moved from buzzword to business reality. At Caterpillar, AI agents now handle spot freight procurement, supplier outreach, and logistics risk identification\u2014tasks that previously required teams of analysts. At Kimberly-Clark, a deliberate AI maturity curve is driving investment in fast, accessible wins like chatbots and agentic tools while building toward larger enterprise solutions. At Pilot, agentic AI is already pricing fuel in real time across 900 locations. The message wasn’t that AI is coming. It’s that the companies pulling ahead are the ones that stopped waiting for perfect conditions and started building.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" style=\"padding-top:var(--wp--preset--spacing--30);padding-bottom:var(--wp--preset--spacing--30)\"><strong>2. Good data is the prerequisite nobody wants to talk about<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Every AI conversation eventually circled back to the same constraint: data quality. Bolting AI onto fragmented or unreliable data is a trap. The insights produced are only as good as the foundation beneath them. At Caterpillar, nearly a decade of investment in aftermarket data makes their AI agents trustworthy. The takeaway for partners: before asking what AI can do for your organization, ask whether your data is ready for it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote is-style-full-width-group has-gallery-background-color has-background is-layout-constrained wp-block-quote-is-layout-constrained\" style=\"padding-top:40px;padding-bottom:40px\">\n<p class=\"has-text-align-center wp-block-paragraph\"><strong><em>“An AI solution that sits on a pretty poor data architecture is, frankly, quite useless.”<\/em> <\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-center has-medium-font-size wp-block-paragraph\" style=\"padding-top:0;padding-bottom:0\">\u2014Sarah Haffer, VP of Digital Transformation, Kimberly-Clark<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" style=\"padding-top:var(--wp--preset--spacing--30);padding-bottom:var(--wp--preset--spacing--30)\"><strong>3. AI creates capacity. The hard part is what you do with it<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The most nuanced AI conversation at the forum wasn’t about technology. It was about people. The reality is candid: AI means fewer jobs in some organizations, and the leaders navigating this well are redeploying talent to customer-facing, judgment-intensive roles and investing in upskilling before the transition forces their hand. At Pilot, AI now handles complex fuel supply planning for thousands of daily deliveries, freeing teams to make the highest-risk decisions that still require human judgment. The cultural challenge is the same across industries. AI is changing what work looks like faster than most people are prepared for.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" style=\"padding-top:var(--wp--preset--spacing--30);padding-bottom:var(--wp--preset--spacing--30)\"><strong>4. The energy transition is real, but it’s moving on its own timeline<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The Pilot leadership team offered a grounded perspective: diesel and gasoline will remain dominant for decades; alternative fuels are gaining traction as complementary options; and the pace of change is being set by customers and capital economics, not by ambition. Biodiesel, renewable diesel, and E15 ethanol are practical near-term levers. Heavy-duty EV adoption faces steep infrastructure and capital hurdles. The advice for partners: plan for fuel costs to remain elevated and volatile, and build flexibility into your energy sourcing strategy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" style=\"padding-top:var(--wp--preset--spacing--30);padding-bottom:var(--wp--preset--spacing--30)\"><strong>5. Disruption is the new normal. Resilience is the new efficiency<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Geopolitical disruption is no longer a tail risk. By 2026, it\u2019s become a recurring operating condition. From ships trapped in the Gulf to parts being flown into conflict-adjacent markets to managing supply risk from the Strait of Hormuz, the lesson learned across years of black swan events is consistent: surety of supply means having backup options and knowing how to pivot. Single-source strategies and best-price-only negotiations are relics of a more stable era. Even college athletics has felt the force of overnight disruption, as NIL, revenue sharing, and the transfer portal have dismantled a stable, decades-old business model and required entirely new organizational capabilities built largely from scratch. The organizations managing disruption best have built agility into their networks before they needed it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote is-style-full-width-group has-gallery-background-color has-background is-layout-constrained wp-block-quote-is-layout-constrained\" style=\"padding-top:40px;padding-bottom:40px\">\n<p class=\"has-text-align-center wp-block-paragraph\"><strong><em>“Prepare your people to think for themselves. There’s no cheat code for that.”<\/em> <\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-center has-medium-font-size wp-block-paragraph\" style=\"padding-top:0;padding-bottom:0\">\u2014Adam Wright, CEO, Pilot<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" style=\"padding-top:var(--wp--preset--spacing--30);padding-bottom:var(--wp--preset--spacing--30)\"><strong>6. Predictability is a competitive advantage\u2014and it’s undervalued<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Before Hapag-Lloyd restructured its routing model, best-in-class ocean schedule reliability was around 55%. Their new hub-and-spoke approach has pushed on-time performance to nearly 90%. One Tennessee-based customer eliminated a seven- to nine-day inventory buffer worth $10 million simply because they could plan with confidence. Variability in ocean shipping doesn’t stay there; it ripples through every downstream decision, from inventory positioning to final-mile delivery. In a volatile world, the ability to deliver consistently and communicate transparently is a differentiator that compounds.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" style=\"padding-top:var(--wp--preset--spacing--30);padding-bottom:var(--wp--preset--spacing--30)\"><strong>7. End-to-end thinking unlocks value that functional excellence cannot<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The cost of optimizing in silos was a consistent theme. Individually sound decisions\u2014cheap ocean bookings into one port, urgent domestic trucking to make up the time\u2014can combine to produce a far more expensive outcome than anyone intended. The solution isn’t better individual decision-making but shared goals across every function, tied to the same customer outcomes. The Haslam undergraduate case competition reinforced the point: the strongest student solutions weren’t those that optimized a single mode but those that considered the entire network. The value is in the connections.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-group is-layout-constrained wp-block-group-is-layout-constrained\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-group is-style-default has-border-color has-gallery-background-color has-background is-layout-constrained wp-container-core-group-is-layout-c26b19ad wp-block-group-is-layout-constrained\" style=\"border-color:#ff8200;border-width:6px;border-top-left-radius:0px;border-top-right-radius:0px;border-bottom-left-radius:0px;border-bottom-right-radius:0px;padding-top:var(--wp--preset--spacing--30);padding-right:var(--wp--preset--spacing--20);padding-bottom:var(--wp--preset--spacing--30);padding-left:var(--wp--preset--spacing--20)\">\n<figure class=\"wp-block-gallery has-nested-images columns-default is-cropped wp-block-gallery-1 is-layout-flex wp-block-gallery-is-layout-flex\">\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"700\" height=\"467\" data-id=\"20402\" src=\"https:\/\/haslam.utk.edu\/gsci\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/04\/55224560712_e32004419a_k-700x467.jpg\" alt=\"Undergraduate Students visiting F1 Logistics\" class=\"wp-image-20402\" style=\"object-fit:cover\" srcset=\"https:\/\/haslam.utk.edu\/gsci\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/04\/55224560712_e32004419a_k-700x467.jpg 700w, https:\/\/haslam.utk.edu\/gsci\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/04\/55224560712_e32004419a_k-250x167.jpg 250w, https:\/\/haslam.utk.edu\/gsci\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/04\/55224560712_e32004419a_k-768x512.jpg 768w, https:\/\/haslam.utk.edu\/gsci\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/04\/55224560712_e32004419a_k-1536x1024.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/haslam.utk.edu\/gsci\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/04\/55224560712_e32004419a_k-120x80.jpg 120w, https:\/\/haslam.utk.edu\/gsci\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/04\/55224560712_e32004419a_k.jpg 2048w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 700px) 100vw, 700px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"700\" height=\"468\" data-id=\"20404\" src=\"https:\/\/haslam.utk.edu\/gsci\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/04\/55225460211_4ab1c0a4af_k-700x468.jpg\" alt=\"Students giving a presentation\" class=\"wp-image-20404\" srcset=\"https:\/\/haslam.utk.edu\/gsci\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/04\/55225460211_4ab1c0a4af_k-700x468.jpg 700w, https:\/\/haslam.utk.edu\/gsci\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/04\/55225460211_4ab1c0a4af_k-250x167.jpg 250w, https:\/\/haslam.utk.edu\/gsci\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/04\/55225460211_4ab1c0a4af_k-768x513.jpg 768w, https:\/\/haslam.utk.edu\/gsci\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/04\/55225460211_4ab1c0a4af_k-1536x1027.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/haslam.utk.edu\/gsci\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/04\/55225460211_4ab1c0a4af_k-120x80.jpg 120w, https:\/\/haslam.utk.edu\/gsci\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2026\/04\/55225460211_4ab1c0a4af_k.jpg 2048w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 700px) 100vw, 700px\" \/><\/figure>\n<\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading has-text-align-center\" style=\"padding-right:var(--wp--preset--spacing--30);padding-left:var(--wp--preset--spacing--30)\"><strong>From the Forum Floor: Undergraduate Students Take on F1 Logistics<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-left wp-block-paragraph\" style=\"padding-top:var(--wp--preset--spacing--30);padding-right:var(--wp--preset--spacing--30);padding-bottom:var(--wp--preset--spacing--30);padding-left:var(--wp--preset--spacing--30)\">Three teams of UT undergraduates, competing in GSCI’s inaugural case competition facilitated by faculty member Lance Saunders, were challenged to redesign the global logistics strategy for Formula One \u2014 24 races, 21 countries, five continents, zero margin for error. Each team tackled modal shift, container rationalization, hub strategy, risk mitigation, and sustainability, arriving at meaningful cost savings without sacrificing service levels. For GSCI partners, the competition offered a window into what UT supply chain students look like in action. The winner was announced at the evening reception at Neyland Stadium.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" style=\"padding-top:var(--wp--preset--spacing--30);padding-bottom:var(--wp--preset--spacing--30)\"><strong>8. The skilled trades gap is a supply chain problem<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The pipeline of welders, boilermakers, pipefitters, and general laborers is thin. The problem is structural, as American high schools have shifted away from vocational programs, leaving industries chronically short of skilled workers. At Caterpillar, approximately 35,000 technicians are needed globally. Those technicians, not parts, are the organization’s number one supply chain constraint. Workforce availability is a supply chain risk that deserves the same strategic attention as supplier relationships or logistics capacity.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" style=\"padding-top:var(--wp--preset--spacing--30);padding-bottom:var(--wp--preset--spacing--30)\"><strong>9. The best leaders create more leaders\u2014not more managers<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The leaders who build lasting organizations push decisions down, foster cultures of trust, and develop the people around them. The most effective leaders are deeply attuned to the people and environment around them, give their teams cover to make decisions in ambiguous situations, and understand a fundamental distinction: managers can only create managers. Technical skills get people in the door. The ability to develop other leaders is what scales an organization.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote is-style-full-width-group has-gallery-background-color has-background is-layout-constrained wp-block-quote-is-layout-constrained\" style=\"padding-top:40px;padding-bottom:40px\">\n<p class=\"has-text-align-center wp-block-paragraph\"><strong><em>“Managers can only create managers. They cannot create leaders.”<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-center has-medium-font-size wp-block-paragraph\" style=\"padding-top:0;padding-bottom:0\">\u2014Stuart Sandlin, President & CEO, Hapag-Lloyd North America<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\" style=\"padding-top:var(--wp--preset--spacing--30);padding-bottom:var(--wp--preset--spacing--30)\"><strong>10. Talent in the digital era requires new skills (and a new mindset)<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Data analytics skills are now table stakes. What’s growing in value: cross-functional communication, comfort with agile ways of working, and genuine curiosity. As AI handles more analytical heavy lifting, independent thinking becomes more valuable, not less. The professionals who will thrive are those who work fluently with AI tools while bringing judgment, context, and human connection that no model can replicate.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\" style=\"margin-top:var(--wp--preset--spacing--40);margin-bottom:var(--wp--preset--spacing--40)\"\/>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\" style=\"padding-top:0;padding-bottom:0\"><em>The conversations at the Spring 2026 <a href=\"https:\/\/haslam.utk.edu\/supply-chain-forum\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Supply Chain Forum<\/a> reflect what GSCI has long believed: the discipline requires continuous learning. The gap between good and great is almost always a question of talent and leadership. Looking to develop your talent? Consider the SCM Academies\u2014short, virtual courses in <a href=\"https:\/\/volsonline.utk.edu\/program\/microcredentials\/supply-chain-management-leadership-academy\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">leadership<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/volsonline.utk.edu\/program\/microcredentials\/supply-chain-management-finance-academy\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">finance<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/volsonline.utk.edu\/program\/microcredentials\/supply-chain-management-technology-academy\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">technology<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/volsonline.utk.edu\/program\/microcredentials\/supply-chain-management-planning-academy\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">planning<\/a>, and <a href=\"https:\/\/volsonline.utk.edu\/program\/microcredentials\/supply-chain-management-procurement-academy\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">procurement<\/a>\u2014returning this August through November. Dates and details are available on the GSCI events page. <\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\" style=\"padding-top:0;padding-bottom:0\"><em>The Fall 2026 Supply Chain Forum is scheduled for November 10\u201312. For more information, contact <a href=\"mailto:gsci@utk.edu\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">gsci@utk.edu<\/a><\/em>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><a id=\"_msocom_1\"><\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"What GSCI Partners Need to Know About AI, Energy, and Resilience from the Leaders Shaping the Future of Supply Chain Management","protected":false},"author":18,"featured_media":20406,"template":"","department":[],"class_list":["post-20383","news","type-news","status-publish","has-post-thumbnail","hentry"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v27.9 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>10 Takeaways from the Spring 2026 Supply Chain Forum<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Top insights from the Spring 2026 UT Supply Chain Forum, covering AI, energy transition, resilience, talent, and leadership.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" 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Haslam Graduate SCM Programs Place No. 2 in U.S. News Ranking"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The <a href=\"https:\/\/haslam.utk.edu\/supply-chain-management\/masters\">Supply Chain Management graduate programs<\/a> in the <a href=\"https:\/\/haslam.utk.edu\/\">Haslam College of Business<\/a> at the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.utk.edu\/\">University of Tennessee, Knoxville,<\/a> rose to No. 2 among U.S. public universities and placed at No. 8 overall in the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.usnews.com\/best-graduate-schools\/top-business-schools\/mba-rankings\">U.S. News and World Report 2026 Best Graduate Business Schools<\/a> specialty rankings. This marks the seventh consecutive year Haslam\u2019s graduate supply chain programs have placed in the top five among publics. Supply chain has been recognized in the top 10 for more than a decade.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Further, the Full-Time MBA program placed at No. 19 among public schools and No. 43 overall. The MBA program\u2019s entrepreneurship concentration was ranked No. 15 among publics and No. 33 overall. Additionally, Haslam\u2019s graduate accounting programs placed at No. 25 among publics and No. 48 overall; management placed at No. 26 among publics and No. 52 overall; marketing placed No. 28 among publics and No. 52 overall; finance ranked No. 29 among publics and No. 57 overall; and business analytics placed at No. 42 among publics and No 73 overall. The Executive MBA ranked No. 25 among publics and No. 46 nationally.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Graduate Programs that Deliver Excellence<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><a href=\"https:\/\/haslam.utk.edu\/people\/profile\/stephen-mangum\/\">Stephen L. Mangum<\/a>, Haslam\u2019s dean and Stokely Foundation Leadership Chair, said the college\u2019s multidisciplinary rankings are a source of pride for Haslam\u2019s administration, faculty and staff.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cWe are pleased with the supply chain graduate programs\u2019 presence in the top two of the U.S. News ranking among public schools, signaling its status as a trusted leader in the discipline to students, alumni and peer institutions and making Haslam a destination school for prospective supply chain students,\u201d he said. \u201cThat so many of our departments are recognized in the U.S. News specialty rankings speaks both to a quality academic experience that results in superior outcomes for all of our graduates and the impact our students make in industry after graduation.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The rankings also reflect the college\u2019s commitment to delivering a comprehensive, high-quality educational experience students have come to expect from Haslam, says <a href=\"https:\/\/haslam.utk.edu\/people\/profile\/amy-cathey\/\">Amy Cathey<\/a>, Haslam\u2019s associate dean for <a href=\"https:\/\/haslam.utk.edu\/graduate-executive-education\/\">Graduate and Executive Education<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cOur students thrive in an academic atmosphere that challenges and enriches them with experiential learning projects delivered by highly respected faculty who are thought leaders in their fields,\u201d Cathey said. \u201cThey benefit from relevant networking and internship opportunities from corporate partners that build real-world experience. This holistic experience ensures our graduates leave Haslam with the skills and business acumen to immediately contribute to the workforce.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>About the U.S. News & World Report 2026 Best Graduate Business School Specialty Rankings<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The U.S. News graduate business rankings are based on surveys sent to accredited MBA programs, of which 333 responded. The rankings consider such factors as recruiter reviews, job placement, graduates\u2019 starting salaries and bonuses, mean GMAT and GRE scores, peer reviews and more. Specialty rankings reflect the perspectives of business school deans and graduate program leadership regarding quality of graduate coursework and concentrations that award credit toward the MBA degree.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>About <\/strong><a href=\"https:\/\/haslam.utk.edu\/graduate-executive-education\/\"><strong>Haslam College of Business\u2019 Graduate & Executive Education<\/strong><\/a><strong><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Haslam offers graduate and executive education programs that prepare students to reach their full potential and advance their careers. At the master\u2019s level, these programs include the Haslam <a href=\"https:\/\/haslam.utk.edu\/full-time-mba\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Full-Time MBA<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/onlinemba.utk.edu\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Online MBA<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/haslamgradprograms.utk.edu\/programs\/mba\/professional-mba-promba\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Professional MBA<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/haslamgradprograms.utk.edu\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Executive MBA<\/a> (<a href=\"https:\/\/haslamgradprograms.utk.edu\/programs\/mba\/healthcare-leadership-emba\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Healthcare Leadership<\/a> and <a href=\"https:\/\/haslamgradprograms.utk.edu\/programs\/mba\/strategic-leadership-emba\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Strategic Leadership<\/a>), <a href=\"https:\/\/haslamgradprograms.utk.edu\/programs\/mba\/aerospace-defense?\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Aerospace and Defense MBA<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/haslamgradprograms.utk.edu\/programs\/mba\/physician-executive-pemba\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Physician Executive MBA<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/haslam.utk.edu\/accounting\/macc\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Master of Accountancy<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/haslam.utk.edu\/economics\/masters\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">M.A. in Economics<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/haslam.utk.edu\/business-analytics-statistics\/msba\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">M.S. in Business Analytics with AI<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/haslam.utk.edu\/management\/masters\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">M.S. in Management and Human Resources<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/haslam.utk.edu\/marketing\/ms-in-marketing\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">M.S. in Marketing<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/haslam.utk.edu\/supply-chain-management\/ms-scm-global\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">M.S. in Supply Chain Management (Global)<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/supplychainmanagement.utk.edu\/programs\/online-masters-in-supply-chain-management-msscm\/?_gl=1*19ynxnv*_gcl_aw*R0NMLjE3MTk4NTk2ODAuQ2p3S0NBandwNG0wQmhCQUVpd0FzZGM0YU8xZFJ4bW1mYmlQZVFyQW5yT0ZTRDhNc0ZqT21tM0IyNG5OazZLX3gzVm5VS2lsOGJSb19ob0NKSXNRQXZEX0J3RQ..*_gcl_au*MjA4MTQ1NTEwNy4xNzIzNjM4ODc1LjIzNTU4MDI0OS4xNzI1ODk2MzcxLjE3MjU4OTY5Mzc.*_ga*NTgzMTc4MTk1LjE2OTQ3MTM5Mjk.*_ga_QHRYV5S0YM*MTcyNjA2OTExNC4xNDYuMS4xNzI2MDY5MjY3LjQuMC4w\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">M.S. in Supply Chain Management Online<\/a> and <a href=\"https:\/\/msbc-online.utk.edu\/?_gl=1*z39qth*_gcl_aw*R0NMLjE3MTk4NTk2ODAuQ2p3S0NBandwNG0wQmhCQUVpd0FzZGM0YU8xZFJ4bW1mYmlQZVFyQW5yT0ZTRDhNc0ZqT21tM0IyNG5OazZLX3gzVm5VS2lsOGJSb19ob0NKSXNRQXZEX0J3RQ..*_gcl_au*MjA4MTQ1NTEwNy4xNzIzNjM4ODc1LjIzNTU4MDI0OS4xNzI1ODk2MzcxLjE3MjU4OTY5Mzc.*_ga*NTgzMTc4MTk1LjE2OTQ3MTM5Mjk.*_ga_QHRYV5S0YM*MTcyNjA2OTExNC4xNDYuMS4xNzI2MDY5MjY3LjQuMC4w\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">M.S. in Business Cybersecurity Online<\/a>. Haslam also offers a <a href=\"https:\/\/haslam.utk.edu\/phd\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">full portfolio of doctoral programs<\/a>. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Haslam\u2019s graduate programs address real-world challenges through an interdisciplinary approach that develops both analytical and leadership skills. Its <a href=\"https:\/\/haslam.utk.edu\/faculty-experts\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">faculty<\/a> are industry thought leaders, seasoned practitioners and accomplished researchers who work tirelessly to create dynamic, relevant and impactful learning experiences.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><em><a href=\"https:\/\/haslam.utk.edu\/news\/ut-haslam-graduate-programs-place-highly-in-u-s-news-ranking\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Originally written by Scott McNutt, senior business writer for the Haslam College of Business<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Haslam\u2019s supply chain, accounting, business analytics, entrepreneurship, finance, management, marketing, Full-Time MBA and Executive MBA recognized as top programs","protected":false},"author":18,"featured_media":20293,"template":"","department":[468],"class_list":["post-20292","news","type-news","status-publish","has-post-thumbnail","hentry"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v27.9 - 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With the first-place ranking, Haslam has now placed in the list\u2019s top five for the last 12 years. Making up the rest of the 2026 top five were: the University of Arkansas at No. 5, Michigan State University at No. 4, The Ohio State University at No. 3 and Arizona State University at No. 2.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>A Standard of Excellence in Industry and Academia<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><a href=\"https:\/\/haslam.utk.edu\/people\/profile\/stephen-mangum\/\">Stephen L. Mangum<\/a>, Haslam\u2019s dean and Stokely Foundation Leadership Chair, said the ranking reflects the college\u2019s excellence and productivity in the field as well as the dedication of its faculty.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cOur faculty\u2019s research has a substantial effect on industry as well as far-reaching societal impact,\u201d Mangum said. \u201cBeing ranked No. 1 nationwide for that research is a singular achievement, and I join with the entire college and the university in congratulating the supply chain management department for this well-deserved recognition.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><a href=\"https:\/\/haslam.utk.edu\/people\/profile\/chad-autry\/\">Chad Autry<\/a>, associate dean for faculty and research, Myers Distinguished Professor of Supply Chain Management and R. Stanley Bowden II Faculty Research Fellow, called the ranking a result of Haslam\u2019s long-standing tradition of attracting and retaining the brightest minds in the field and their commitment to academic achievement and practical problem-solving.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cFrom the days UT was known as a leader in transportation and logistics, supply chain management has been among UT and Haslam\u2019s top programs,\u201d Autry said. \u201cOur faculty\u2019s accomplishments in the field have deservedly earned the respect of their peers in academia. They also team with leading companies in multiple areas of the industry to resolve supply chain challenges, which benefits industry, academia and the community at large and is captured in their research.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><a href=\"https:\/\/haslam.utk.edu\/people\/profile\/yemisi-bolumole\/\">Yemisi Bolumole<\/a>, head of the SCM department and Ryder Professor of Supply Chain Management, praised the researchers for this accomplishment.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cSome of the world\u2019s foremost supply chain minds call Haslam home, and this ranking is a fitting testament to their exceptional capabilities,\u201d Bolumole said. \u201cThe pioneering scholarship they generate empowers supply chains to become more flexible and proactive. Our curriculum draws on their research, ensuring Haslam students graduate are well versed in the industry\u2019s most current advances in applications and thinking.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>About The SCM Journal List Ranking<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The SCM Journal List annually ranks universities\u2019 supply chain management analytical and empirical research output, drawing on articles in eight leading supply chain management journals. For the empirical ranking, those journals are Decision Sciences, Journal of Business Logistics, Journal of Operations Management and Journal of Supply Chain Management. Endorsed by 422 supply chain scholars globally, each year\u2019s ranking is based on the research published in these journals over the past five years. The SCM Journal List reevaluates these journals every four years to ensure their quality and focus remain consistent.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>About Haslam\u2019s Department of Supply Chain Management<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Haslam has one of the most comprehensive, forward-thinking and highly regarded <a href=\"https:\/\/haslam.utk.edu\/supply-chain-management\/\">supply chain<\/a> programs in the world, with Gartner and U.S. News & World Report consistently ranking it either first or among the top five programs. An advisory board of more than 40 industry professionals informs its curriculum. Students develop applied skills to help improve organizational performance through supply chain management.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><em><a href=\"https:\/\/haslam.utk.edu\/news\/ut-haslam-no-1-nationwide-for-supply-chain-management-empirical-research\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Originally written by Scott McNutt, senior business writer for the Haslam College of Business<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"This marks the 12th straight year the UT Haslam supply chain management department has placed in the top five of the SCM Journal List annual research ranking.","protected":false},"author":18,"featured_media":20257,"template":"","department":[468],"class_list":["post-20256","news","type-news","status-publish","has-post-thumbnail","hentry"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v27.9 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>UT Haslam No. 1 Nationwide for Supply Chain 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the Forecast: Rethinking Demand-Driven Planning"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">T<em>he forthcoming white paper, \u201cLove to Hate the Forecast: Segmenting Planning Demand Triggers to Drive Total Value,\u201d co-authored by Haslam College of Business faculty members Mike Burnette and <a href=\"https:\/\/haslam.utk.edu\/people\/profile\/lance-saunders\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Lance Saunders<\/a>, and edited by <a href=\"https:\/\/haslam.utk.edu\/people\/profile\/ted-stank\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Ted Stank<\/a> and <a href=\"https:\/\/haslam.utk.edu\/people\/profile\/dan-pellathy\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Dan Pellathy<\/a>, marks the 40th white paper released by the UT Global Supply Chain Institute.<\/em> <em>The paper will be released during the Spring <a href=\"https:\/\/haslam.utk.edu\/supply-chain-forum\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Supply Chain Forum<\/a> and be available for digital download.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><em>Read the first blog post about the <a href=\"https:\/\/haslam.utk.edu\/gsci\/news\/supply-chain-forecasting-failures\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">cultural roots of forecasting<\/a>.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image alignleft size-thumbnail is-resized\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"150\" height=\"150\" src=\"https:\/\/haslam.utk.edu\/gsci\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2025\/03\/michael-burnette-150x150.webp\" alt=\"Mike Burnette Headshot\" class=\"wp-image-14489\" style=\"width:150px;height:auto\" srcset=\"https:\/\/haslam.utk.edu\/gsci\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2025\/03\/michael-burnette-150x150.webp 150w, https:\/\/haslam.utk.edu\/gsci\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2025\/03\/michael-burnette-250x250.webp 250w, https:\/\/haslam.utk.edu\/gsci\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2025\/03\/michael-burnette-120x120.webp 120w, https:\/\/haslam.utk.edu\/gsci\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2025\/03\/michael-burnette.webp 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 150px) 100vw, 150px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Written by <a href=\"https:\/\/haslam.utk.edu\/people\/profile\/michael-burnette\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Mike Burnette<\/a><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">While inaccurate forecasts create service and inventory defects, the deeper issue is misalignment between demand signals and supply system capability. The solution is not eliminating forecasting altogether. Rather, it is segmenting demand triggers and applying forecasting only where it creates the highest total value.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The forthcoming Global Supply Chain Institute white paper, \u201cLove to Hate the Forecast: Segmenting Planning Demand Triggers to Drive Total Value,\u201d argues that the answer is not simply mathematical\u2014it is cultural.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Right-to-Left (RtL) Planning<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Leading-edge companies are adopting Right-to-Left (RtL) supply chain planning. RtL synchronizes activity as closely as possible to actual consumption. Instead of defaulting to forecast-based planning, organizations segment SKUs and apply demand triggers that best match variation patterns.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The vision is ambitious: provide consumers with the exact product they desire at the moment of next consumption, maximizing total value across the enterprise.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Understanding Variation<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Three sources of demand variation must be assessed:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Consumer demand variation<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Customer demand variation<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Company demand variation<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">In many systems, company-driven variation exceeds consumer-driven variation\u2014an indicator that internal behaviors are distorting the demand signal.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">When Forecasting Does Not Make Sense<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Forecasting begins to lose its value when the data reveals persistent structural bias. If monthly forecast results are biased high or low more than 60 percent of the time, the issue is not random error\u2014it is systemic distortion.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Another warning sign appears when customer service performance and inventory days on hand consistently lag competitors. In these environments, improving forecast accuracy alone rarely fixes the problem. Instead, the underlying demand signal is being influenced by internal behaviors.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Cultural signals are equally revealing. When sales rewards are tied to beating the forecast, when general manager compensation depends on forecast comparisons, or when ownership of revenue and inventory is split across functions without integrated accountability, forecasting becomes political rather than operational. Under these conditions, statistical refinement simply sharpens a distorted signal.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Additionally, when shipment patterns fail to follow clear regression-based slopes or when variation is driven primarily by internal promotions, pricing decisions, or end-of-quarter revenue management, the forecast becomes reactive to internal noise rather than consumer behavior.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">In short, forecasting is least effective when internal variation exceeds external demand variation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">When Forecasting Does Make Sense<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Forecasting remains valuable in specific contexts.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">It plays an essential role in long-range business planning, particularly in six-month to five-year horizons where strategic investment decisions must be informed by directional demand expectations.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">It is also indispensable for new-to-the-world product introductions, where historical shipment data does not yet exist. In these cases, statistical modeling, combined with structured assumption testing, provides necessary guidance.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Forecasting is most effective when consumer variation is the dominant source of demand fluctuation and when shipment patterns follow identifiable statistical slopes. In these environments, regression-based forecasting tools can meaningfully improve planning precision.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Equally important, forecasting works best in organizations that rigorously measure bias, detect minimal distortion, and operate without financial incentives tied to beating the forecast. When the organization embraces the forecast as a value-added tool, rather than a scoreboard, it regains its strategic relevance.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Case Study Results<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">A Fortune 500 CPG company reduced finished goods inventory from 180 days on hand to below 100 after implementing a produce-to-shipment RtL trigger, while improving service performance for 48 consecutive months. A regional food manufacturer identified unused capacity and reduced inventory by 25\u201330% without sacrificing service. An electronics company implemented a rate-based trigger and reduced safety stock by approximately 20% while maintaining service levels.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">These examples demonstrate that forecasting should be applied intentionally, not universally.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Supply chain leaders must segment SKUs, assess variation patterns, eliminate cultural distortions, and build capabilities that move planning closer to actual consumption.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\" \/>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><em>Written by UT professors in collaboration with GSCI partners, our <a href=\"https:\/\/haslam.utk.edu\/gsci\/research\/white-papers\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">white papers<\/a> translate rigorous research into practical insights for business leaders. The institute\u2019s applied research has been featured in Forbes, Harvard Business Review, Supply Chain Management Review, and The Wall Street Journal.<\/em> <em>To learn more about how your company can partner with us to explore advanced supply chain management concepts, visit\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/haslam.utk.edu\/gsci\/advanced-supply-chain-collaborative\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">ASCC<\/a>.<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Benchmark supply chains are shifting from internally driven planning to a Right-to-Left model synchronized with actual consumption. The result: lower inventory, stronger service, and measurable gains in total value.","protected":false},"author":18,"featured_media":20219,"template":"","department":[467,465],"class_list":["post-20218","news","type-news","status-publish","has-post-thumbnail","hentry"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v27.9 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>Beyond the Forecast: Demand Triggers and Supply Chain Planning<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"When does forecasting help in supply chains\u2014and when does it hurt? 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Cultural Roots of Forecasting Failures"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><em>The forthcoming white paper, \u201cLove to Hate the Forecast: Segmenting Planning Demand Triggers to Drive Total Value,\u201d co-authored by Haslam College of Business faculty members Mike Burnette and <a href=\"https:\/\/haslam.utk.edu\/people\/profile\/lance-saunders\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Lance Saunders<\/a>, and edited by <a href=\"https:\/\/haslam.utk.edu\/people\/profile\/ted-stank\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Ted Stank<\/a> and <a href=\"https:\/\/haslam.utk.edu\/people\/profile\/dan-pellathy\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Dan Pellathy<\/a>, marks the 40th white paper released by the UT Global Supply Chain Institute.<\/em> <em>The paper will be released during the Spring <a href=\"https:\/\/haslam.utk.edu\/supply-chain-forum\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Supply Chain Forum<\/a> and be available for digital download.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image alignleft size-thumbnail is-resized\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"150\" height=\"150\" src=\"https:\/\/haslam.utk.edu\/gsci\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2025\/03\/michael-burnette-150x150.webp\" alt=\"Mike Burnette Headshot\" class=\"wp-image-14489\" style=\"width:150px;height:auto\" srcset=\"https:\/\/haslam.utk.edu\/gsci\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2025\/03\/michael-burnette-150x150.webp 150w, https:\/\/haslam.utk.edu\/gsci\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2025\/03\/michael-burnette-250x250.webp 250w, https:\/\/haslam.utk.edu\/gsci\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2025\/03\/michael-burnette-120x120.webp 120w, https:\/\/haslam.utk.edu\/gsci\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/2\/2025\/03\/michael-burnette.webp 300w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 150px) 100vw, 150px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Written by <a href=\"https:\/\/haslam.utk.edu\/people\/profile\/michael-burnette\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Mike Burnette<\/a><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">I have been actively involved in supply chain work since 1980, across Procter & Gamble, consulting, lecturing, and conducting applied research at the University of Tennessee. During these decades, I have interfaced with hundreds of supply chain organizations. In the last 20 years, virtually all the company leaders I\u2019ve interviewed have included forecasting issues as a top-five improvement opportunity. Despite continuous investment in systems and analytics, forecasting remains a widely recognized barrier to achieving business goals and a significant source of organizational frustration.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Why is forecasting such a persistent obstacle?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The forthcoming Global Supply Chain Institute white paper, \u201cLove to Hate the Forecast: Segmenting Planning Demand Triggers to Drive Total Value,\u201d argues that the answer is not simply mathematical\u2014it is cultural.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">A professional, robust corporate volume forecasting process has been in place in leading supply chains since the 1960s. In the 1980s, organizations began formally documenting forecasting systems and measuring results. Statistical regression methods became commonplace tools for improving accuracy. Over five decades, SKU-family level MAPE\u2014Mean Absolute Percentage Error, a common forecasting metric\u2014has improved incrementally. Yet forecast bias has not improved at the same rate.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">This reality forces us to examine two foundational questions: Are forecasts negatively impacted by organizational and functional cultural norms? And are statistical forecast models appropriate for all demand patterns?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Cultural Influencers<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Historically, supply chains have created at least two\u2014and sometimes as many as four or five\u2014aggregated forecasts covering a 1-to-12-month planning horizon. One forecast (often conservative) is shared externally with enterprise owners or shareholders. A second forecast\u2014typically higher\u2014is deployed internally as the business commitment. In some organizations, additional forecasts exist to support functional reward systems.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Through monthly forecast deployment, the supply chain is tasked with creating a supply plan that delivers the aggregate commitment while meeting customer service, inventory, and cost objectives. Historically, the internal business commitment is \u201cbias high\u201d\u2014in other words, consistently exceeding actual demand\u2014more than 90% of the time.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">In response, many supply chains create their own SKU-level forecast through a process known as Left-to-Right (LtR) planning. LtR planning incorporates supplier capability, operational efficiencies, cost targets, and safety stock into the demand signal. Inventory buffers are built to protect against variation in demand, cycle time, lead times, and operational reliability.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">While rational, LtR planning shifts the system\u2019s focus from delivering actual consumer demand to managing internal efficiency and protection. Over time, this dynamic generates waste.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Normalized Dysfunction<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Unproductive behaviors often become normalized. Inventory is added to SKUs experiencing service issues. Inventory is reduced across the board during cash crises. Sales rewards are tied to beating the forecast. General manager compensation may be linked to forecast comparisons. When service or inventory targets are missed, forecast accuracy becomes the convenient explanation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">When forecasting is not working, several warning signs typically appear:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Monthly forecast results are either bias low or high more than 60% of months<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Customer service results lag competition<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Inventory days on hand lag benchmarks<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>High level of demand variation is driven internally<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">In these environments, the forecast is not the root problem but a symptom of deeper organizational defects.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">The Role of Demand-Supply Integration (DSI)<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">True Demand-Supply Integration is focused on creating a single-number business plan that every function executes. Demand plans must be based on unconstrained consumer demand; supply plans must reflect demonstrated capacity. Leadership\u2014across demand, supply, finance, and general management\u2014must own the process. DSI must be a disciplined decision-making drumbeat, not a reporting ritual.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Changing the culture is the first step toward eliminating waste from forecasting systems. Without eliminating internal variation and aligning incentives, new tools will simply reinforce old dysfunction.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">In Part 2, we examine how leading-edge companies are moving beyond forecasting as the default demand trigger.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"\/>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><em>Written by UT professors in collaboration with GSCI partners, our <a href=\"https:\/\/supplychainmanagement.utk.edu\/research\/white-papers\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">white papers<\/a> translate rigorous research into practical insights for business leaders. The institute\u2019s applied research has been featured in Forbes, Harvard Business Review, Supply Chain Management Review, and The Wall Street Journal.<\/em> <em>To learn more about how your company can partner with us to explore advanced supply chain management concepts, visit\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/supplychainmanagement.utk.edu\/research\/advanced-supply-chain-collaborative\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">ASCC<\/a>.<\/em><a id=\"_msocom_1\"><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"While forecast accuracy metrics have improved incrementally over five decades, bias and dysfunction persist. Leading-edge supply chains are discovering that the solution begins with organizational realignment.","protected":false},"author":18,"featured_media":20212,"template":"","department":[467,465],"class_list":["post-20209","news","type-news","status-publish","has-post-thumbnail","hentry"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v27.9 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>Supply Chain Forecasting Failures and Organizational Culture<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"New supply chain research shows culture, incentives, and planning systems often drive bias and poor forecast accuracy.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/haslam.utk.edu\/gsci\/news\/supply-chain-forecasting-failures\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta 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Institute"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/haslam.utk.edu\/gsci\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/"},"sameAs":["https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/GlobalSupplyChainInstitute","https:\/\/x.com\/GSCInstitute","https:\/\/instagram.com\/utkgsci","https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/company\/globalsupplychaininstitute"]}]}},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/haslam.utk.edu\/gsci\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/news\/20209","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/haslam.utk.edu\/gsci\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/news"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/haslam.utk.edu\/gsci\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/news"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/haslam.utk.edu\/gsci\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/18"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/haslam.utk.edu\/gsci\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/news\/20209\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/haslam.utk.edu\/gsci\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/20212"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/haslam.utk.edu\/gsci\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=20209"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"department","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/haslam.utk.edu\/gsci\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/department?post=20209"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}},{"id":20189,"date":"2026-03-09T12:31:24","date_gmt":"2026-03-09T12:31:24","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/haslam.utk.edu\/gsci\/?post_type=news&p=20189"},"modified":"2026-03-16T18:45:08","modified_gmt":"2026-03-16T18:45:08","slug":"platform-promotions-research-free-helps-competition","status":"publish","type":"news","link":"https:\/\/haslam.utk.edu\/gsci\/news\/platform-promotions-research-free-helps-competition\/","title":{"rendered":"When Free Helps the Competition: New Research on Platform Promotions"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Conventional wisdom says competitors should lose sales. But new research from University of Tennessee, Knoxville, supply chain management scholar <a href=\"https:\/\/haslam.utk.edu\/people\/profile\/seongkyoon-jeong\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Seongkyoon Jeong<\/a> suggests something far more surprising.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">In a recent study published in <em>Production and Operations Management<\/em>, Jeong and his coauthors analyze a common tactic used in digital platform competition: giving away products to attract users. Their findings reveal that, in some cases, these promotions can actually increase sales for rival platforms.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The research focuses on the PC video game marketplace, where two platforms dominate distribution: Steam and Epic Games Store. Since its launch in 2018, the Epic Games Store has pursued a growth strategy centered on weekly promotions that make popular games free for a limited time. The expectation with such a strategy is simple: if gamers can download a title for free on Epic, fewer people should purchase the same game elsewhere.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">But that\u2019s not what the data shows.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Using sales data from more than 5,000 games and 270 promotion events, Jeong and his fellow researchers found that when Epic Games Store offered a game for free for one week, sales of that same game on Steam increased by nearly 60% during the promotion period.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">In other words, a free promotion on one platform sometimes helps its competitor sell more.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">The \u201cSpillover\u201d Effect of Platform Promotions<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The research identifies this phenomenon as a cross-platform spillover effect. In digital marketplaces, promotions do more than change prices\u2014they also increase awareness.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Platforms today host enormous catalogs of products, from games to apps to digital media. Many customers don\u2019t know that most of these products exist. A high-profile promotion can suddenly bring attention to a product across the entire ecosystem.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Epic\u2019s free-game campaign acts as a discovery engine. Gamers see the promoted title, become curious, and start searching for it elsewhere. That curiosity can lead them to purchase the game on Steam instead, even when a free version is available elsewhere.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The researchers describe this process using the classic Attention-Interest-Desire-Action (AIDA) model of consumer decision-making. Promotions generate attention first, then curiosity and search behavior, which can ultimately lead to purchases on competing platforms.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Why Consumers Still Buy<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">So if a game is free on Epic, why would someone pay for it on Steam?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The study highlights several factors that influence this decision.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">First, platform ecosystems matter. Steam offers features such as multiplayer interaction, friends lists, and a broader range of downloadable content to enhance the gaming experience.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Second, the price difference may be less important than the network of players and products surrounding the game. Gamers often want to play with friends or access add-on content within a particular platform.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Finally, many users \u201cmulti-home,\u201d meaning they use more than one platform. When promotions increase awareness of a game, some consumers opt to purchase it on the platform where they already play most often, not necessarily where it is available cheapest.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Implications for Platform Strategy<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">For businesses operating digital platforms\u2014from marketplaces to streaming services\u2014these findings challenge a long-held assumption.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Promotions are often designed to take market share from competitors. But in platform markets where customers can easily move between ecosystems, promotions may expand the overall market instead of simply shifting demand. That insight has implications for pricing strategies, promotion timing, and platform partnerships.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Strategic promotions can serve as a market-expansion tool, increasing product awareness and stimulating activity across an entire ecosystem. On occasion, this benefits competitors.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Applied Research in Platform Competition<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Jeong\u2019s work reflects the kind of relevant research, both academic and applied, that helps firms navigate today\u2019s increasingly complex digital marketplaces. As platform competition intensifies across industries, whether gaming, retail, or logistics, understanding how actions ripple through interconnected ecosystems becomes critical.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The study offers a clear reminder: in digital platform markets, competition doesn\u2019t always behave the way traditional economics predicts.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Sometimes, giving something away for free helps everyone sell more.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\" \/>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><em>Access an online version of \u201c<a href=\"https:\/\/journals.sagepub.com\/doi\/full\/10.1177\/10591478261421045\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Cross-Platform Spillover Effect of Promotion: Evidence from the PC Game Market<\/a>\u201d from Production and Operations Management. Learn more about the range of expertise present among UT\u2019s highly regarded <a href=\"https:\/\/haslam.utk.edu\/gsci\/supply-chain-experts\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">supply chain management faculty<\/a>.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"What happens when companies give away their product?","protected":false},"author":18,"featured_media":20195,"template":"","department":[470],"class_list":["post-20189","news","type-news","status-publish","has-post-thumbnail","hentry"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v27.9 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>When Free Helps Competitors: New Research on Platform Promotions<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"New research from the University of Tennessee shows promotions on digital platforms like the Epic Games Store increase competitors' sales.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" 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