Flexibility key skill in supply chain

R4TLI logistics study identifies need for work force database :

A serious lack of management skills could hold back the country's plan to turn itself into a maritime and logistics hub, according to a recent industry study which highlights the competencies needed by businesses to navigate towards that goal and turn ambition into reality.

The research, based on perceptions of shipping lines and logistics firms reveals that the skills available in the industry are not sufficient. Much has to be done to improve language and computer skills and develop other professional attributes such as team work spirit and right attitudes among the professionals.

The skills needed by shipping lines for different agency functions would differ; and lack of skills and attitudes could affect performance. The agents are instrumental in adding value to the logistic services within the region. To meet that competition, it is essential to train the human resource cadre to match those quality service to customers, it adds.

The research on 'Skill Requirement for the Realization of Maritime Hub Status in Sri Lanka' has been done by two experts of the industry - M. H. S. Dilrukshi and I. W. Rathnayaka of the University of Colombo.

Research papers

They suggest as a measure to improve human resources, the industry should recruit people with professional qualifications or a degree for executive level positions.

This research paper was presented at the inaugural conference on Research for Transport and Logistics Industry (R4TLI). The R4TLI conference is a humble, yet significant beginning to harness the synergies of academia and industry to improve the performance of the transport and logistics industry in Sri Lanka and other developing countries.

The conference which attracted research papers from senior academics as well as young researchers from Sri Lanka and the region, is a validation of the potential for research and development.

The government should take measure to improve the industry's skills as this is a key area for quality job creation. The study says: "The Sri Lankan shipping industry awaits qualified and competent candidates. Skill development programs have to be expanded and upgraded. Sustainable systems that continuously assess the requirement of skills in line with new challenges in the industry have to be put in place.

"A better institutional setting which provides maritime education of quality and international standing is essential. Not only English literacy but also computer literacy should be developed among students. The students ought to be trained to acquire evolving attributes demanded by the global industry."

This study also recommends developing a comprehensive work force database for the maritime industry, which may prove beneficial in realizing the maritime hub vision.

The global maritime sector has been growing rapidly to meet the increasing demands of world trade.

This rapid development in world trade has led to interdependency among countries and to an increased competition among different of the logistics chains. In this context, Sri Lankan ports play a major role in connecting the sub-continental region in view of supporting the local transshipment business, and the Sri Lankan government is looking to transform the country into a strategically important economic centre by developing the island into a maritime hub.

Skilled and knowledgeable personnel are among the key factors of achieving greater productivity, and thereby the attractiveness, of any logistics supply operation, making human resource development a vital requirement for the country to realize hub status.

Planning for human resources, in today's context of the rapid advancement of technology and the emergence of concepts like globalization, is not only concerned with hard skills but also with soft skills such as creativity, flexibility, risk attaining, innovativeness, and problem solving. Competitive knowledge and skills are needed for the labour force to become effective.

The present study aimed at identifying the perceived skill requirements of Sri Lankan enterprises involved in the ports and shipping industry, and at evaluating the existing labour force characteristics against the real demands stimulated by the desire to achieve maritime hub status.

Methodology

Data and information on internationally-demanded managerial skills the maritime labour force is expected to possess were gathered by surveying secondary sources and literature. Information pertaining to the current maritime work force and the human resource requirements of enterprises were gathered through semi-structured interviews conducted by administering a questionnaire.

Information also was collected through a survey among pioneers engaged in the maritime sector in Sri Lanka. The sample was selected with the help of maritime directory of Sri Lanka 2012-2013. This study, being a qualitative research, non-probabilistic sampling method was adopted, while data gathered were tabulated and analyzed using Excel.

Findings

Agents being the entities linking the logistics chain, the first phase of this research attempted to identify the preferable recruitment criteria adopted by the agents operating in the maritime sector.

The findings revealed that 70% of the respondents do not consider gender as an important criterion in recruiting employees. But, 65% of the companies give preference to the age category of 24- 27 years. According to the respondents, this age group is believed to physically strong, more efficient, and more educated on average than the other age groups.

About 95% of companies preferred single persons over married candidates at the point of recruitment. The second phase of the research focused on identifying the duties of agents in the Sri Lankan maritime sector in view of perceiving the skills that are considered necessary to carry out the duties involved.

According to the findings, a majority demand employees with a reasonable educational background and professional qualifications. A significant share (55%) of the employers reported that they preferred to recruit graduates.

The respondents assigned high priority for team work, listening skills, being polite to customers and management skills. Self-confidence, problem solving skills and relationship building also were highly preferred by the shipping agents. 80% of respondents indicated these skills are required in order to realize maritime hub status. 70% of respondents reported flexibility also as an essential quality in this sector as not always does the shipping business run smoothly.

These attributes are thus likely to be sought from applicants for executive jobs. Managers of almost all companies considered computer and internet skills as important; those being necessities in the modern online work environment, particularly to monitor the day to day operation of organizations.

English literacy is considered important with 75% of respondents assigning high priority to it. At managerial level, senior managers gave priority to skill types such as intuition and forecasting, delegation of work, computer and internet skills, creative thinking, analytical thinking and accuracy of work.