Purpose -In the last decade there have been dramatic impacts on, and changes within, the field of purchasing/supply management. Given supply management's new strategic role, this research seeks to examine the key skills and knowledge necessary for firms to improve in order to maximize the purchasing function's contribution to the organization. The research also aims to identifies the major shifts in supply management that have occurred in the last decade. Design/methodology/approach -A qualitative study was conducted with a series of focus group meetings with 54 executives across the USA in order to construct theoretical relationships with which to develop a grounded theory of supply management skills evolution in a changing business environment. Findings -The implications from this research indicate that supply management professionals will assume a more strategic role in the future. The data indicate that there are strong trends underlying this movement. These include the need for building strategic relationships, focusing on total cost and strategic cost reduction, yet collaborating and integrating with suppliers. While in the past these efforts may have appeared to be contradictory, with proper strategic planning they can be complementary. Originality/value -Supply managers of the future need to acquire strategic skills that add value and enable effective alignment with key business functions at a senior decision-making level. Additional research is needed in the area to determine how best to recruit and train managers in these skills to move forward.

Supply managers must manage many risks in their increasingly competitive environments. Traditionally this meant buffering against uncertainties, which sub-optimized operational performance. Risk management can be a more effective approach to deal with these uncertainties by identifying potential losses. This conceptual study proposes that situational factors-degree of product technology, security needs, the relative importance of the supplier, and the purchasers' prior experience with the situation should be taken into consideration when determining the level of risk management in the supply chain. Doing so can avoid unforeseen losses and lead to better anticipation of risks.

The authors examine and take stock of the changing nature and landscape surrounding supply chain management, and the related disciplines of purchasing, operations management, logistics and marketing channels of distribution. They identify, describe and synthesize the nature of research in those academic disciplines that are identified to be some of the objectives with respect to supply chain management's integration goals. Their examination highlights the considerable evolution and significant advances occurring within and among these disciplines. Additionally, they find this new landscape to provide both insights and issues for scholarship to those attempting to understand the evolving nature of supply chain management and its related fields. Such insights and issues suggest a number of proposals for progress with regard to SCM's future development.

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