APICS has launched self-study courses for the APICS Certified in Production and Inventory Management (CPIM) program and the "Which Program is Right for Me?" education selector tool for all APICS designations.

The use of external labor is widespread, comprising as much as 30 percent to 50 percent of the total global workforce. Companies of all sizes, and in all industries and geographies, have a large flexible workforce on the ground around the world, including contingent workers, independent contractors, workers engaged through Statements of Work (SOWs), offshore resources and those involved in a variety of other project-based services.

Analyst Insight: Supply chain organizations over the past several decades have experienced the structural pendulum as it has swung from one extreme of specialization and parallel silos of expertise to another of all generalists with relatively limited experience in a number of organizations. New findings from a number of highly regarded supply chain organizations and research enterprises show the need for a balanced approach of specialists and generalists for truly world-class performance. - Michael G. Hasler, Ph.D., The University of Texas