Page 5 - Case Study Annual 2018
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Chairman’s Address
Judging panel
chairman’s address
By Charles Dey
Rebuilding the future of South Africa through supply chain management lessons.
ON BEHALF of the judging panel, I would like In this context, are there lessons from LAA
to thank all of the LAA 2018 participants for 2018 that could be applied in the rebuilding of
the invaluable lessons that we judges were this country? I believe that these are the most
privileged to learn at your figurative feet. important:
There is no university or college in • Accountability is key: At the core of every
the world that can rival the powerful entry was a realisation on the part of those
demonstrations of how to make things work responsible that there are no job descriptions;
than those we were shown: These lessons everybody made sure that what needed to
have enabled each of us to up our own game, happen, happened.
and for that we are grateful to you. • People matter and diversity succeeds: A
Some years ago, the Bidvest Group striking feature of this year’s solutions is that
adopted the rallying cry, “We refuse they were a lot less about technology than
to participate in the recession.” The they were about people – how to change
extraordinary ways in which the LAA 2018 behaviour and improve people performance
entrants lived up to this motto shows through training, through incentivisation,
that there’s a power at work here: It’s the through teambuilding and, even more simply,
power of different people with different through showing that the organisation cares.
qualifications and backgrounds uniting to • Supply chain management is pervasive. There
achieve outstanding results. It’s the power was a huge diversity in the scope of entries –
within those organisations that are prepared from delivering a houseboat against impossible
to challenge the status quo which uplifts their odds to making sure there’s enough ice for the
people to aspire to new heights. It’s the power sundowners to optimising driver performance
that inspires individual people to achieve and safety. And yet, each entry represented
results way beyond their previous perceived the achievement of the same basic objective –
limitations. the right goods, to the right place, at the right
Many would have us believe that we are an price, at the right time, every time.
inextricably divided society that will never be Can we use such lessons in the wider context?
able rise above its differences. Such people Sure:
would do well to experience the forces that • As each is prepared and able to stop the blame
have welded each of the teams together who game in South Africa, we all win;
produced the exceptional results that we see • As each South African is able to look at
in LAA 2018. another in the eye and REALLY see how we
And, to those who despair that there are depend on each other, we all win;
no returns on investment in SA Ltd, we would • And, as each South African learns that it’s the
urge them to look at the case studies of this customer who pays the bills, we all win.
year’s LAA entries – solid, measurable results And so, in conclusion, we take from LAA 2018
based on innovative solutions and dedicated synergies, working models and examples of a
teamwork. leadership ethos in a number of spheres. By
This leads to a very important sharing these, the LAA 2018 entrants have not
consideration: Compared to this time last only strengthened their own organisations, they
year (remember this time last year?), we have provided huge inspiration to those who are
have at last some reason to be cautiously prepared to apply their lessons.
optimistic about South Africa into the future. Long may this continue. •
The Logistics News Case Study Annual 2018 3
