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