Newswise — "The industrial revolution was inherently flawed from a supply chain perspective" says Patrick Penfield, assistant professor of supply chain practice in the Whitman School of Management at Syracuse University. "The U.S. supply chain processes in business have been developed on the basis of an inexhaustible supply of resources and a total disregard of waste products. We in essence have created a 'disposable society.'
"Society cannot afford to continue going down this road of excess. We face a serious threat of resource scarcity, population growth, and climate change that needs to be addressed as soon as possible. All businesses must 're-create' their supply chains, and these changes will require the elimination of waste within the process, transformation of used or spent products into new goods, and using renewable power supplies that will allow us to replenish what we need without depleting the Earth's eco-system. The time to re-invent the supply chain and make it sustainable is now."
Professor Patrick Penfield teaches supply chain management at the Whitman School of Management at Syracuse University. He specializes in supply chain sustainability, purchasing, and materials management.
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