When it comes to learning the ins and outs of this industry, there is no substitute for hands-on experience.
Such is the conviction of Dr. Gregory Maloney, director of Florida International University College of Business master’s program in logistics and supply chain management. To be sure, Maloney and his colleagues at FIU Business provide students with a far-reaching, theoretical understanding of supply chains. But this big-picture approach is supplemented with students’ development of real-world business acumen and industry connections.
“We’re trying to generate this next level of managers and executives that are going out into the world with skills to be able to not just do the things needed to run a business,” Maloney said of FIU’s programs, “but also the understanding to oversee the entire scope of their business.”
For many small and independent owner-operators, this comprehensive approach to the business side of trucking might not be instinctively appreciated. Education is thus key for these drivers, which is why FIU Business offers its programs in both online and hybrid formats to provide the requisite flexibility for those spending life on the road.
As for the road ahead, Maloney is eager to stress the importance of embracing changes in the industry’s use of technology and data. Contrary to the popular view of replacing people wholesale with artificial intelligence, Maloney argues that the roles and responsibilities of workers will shift toward implementing and managing evolving technologies.
He contends that data is similarly vital for success. “Companies that know how to take data and use it to make better, fact-based decisions to drive their business forward and make more money for them and for their partners are the companies that will be at the top of their class.”
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