شایستگی مدیران در لجستیک عمل زنجیره تامین  Manager competences in logistics and supply chain practice

1. Introduction As part of efforts to achieve a more processual approach to business research in a world of continuous change, a paradigm shift is under way, from stating terms in the form of nouns to stating them as verbs. Thus, studies talk about organizing instead of organization and strategizing instead of strategy (Weick, 1969; Whittington & Melin, 2003). In line with this movement, research on managerial work advances the study of managing rather than management. An extensive and growing body of knowledge describes managerial work as a complex, dynamic, and situation-dependent phenomenon. Mintzberg (1973) compares managerial work to conducting an orchestra, while Carlson (1991) uses the analogy of being a puppet in a marionette theater. By focusing on what managers do rather than what management is, one can ask what competences are necessary to do what they do. According to Luthans, Hodgetts and Rosenkrantz (1988), successful and effective managers spend far less time on traditional management activities, such as planning, decision making, and controlling, in comparison with the average manager. Instead, effective managers spend more time on networking, routine communications, and human resource management (Luthans et al., 1988). Mintzberg (2009) acknowledges this multifaceted role and presents personal, interpersonal, informational, and actional competences as appropriate attributes for a manager. Although scholars study managerial competence extensively (Boyatzis, 2011; Chong, 2008, 2013; Collin, 1989), the topic in the context of logistics and supply chain management (L&SCM) is still in its infancy. This deficiency is rather surprising, since research evidence shows that L&SCM competence has a substantial effect on business performance and financial competitiveness (Aquino & Draper, 2008; Bowersox, Closs, Stank, & Keller, 2000; Ellinger et al., 2011). In addition, the requisite logistics and supply chain (L&SC) manager competences have changed in recent decades owing to profound business transformations in the field, for example, the globalization of supply chains, continued outsourcing, and the widespread adoption of lean practices (Christopher, 2012). Considering the effect of manager competences on business performance in L&SCM, as well as the scarcity of research in the field, this topic deserves a more detailed exploration.