AT&T, a pioneer and leader in the inclusion of minority, women and disabled-veteran owned businesses, sponsored a Telecom Supplier Diversity Task Force study to re-validate the critical role diversity suppliers play in more profitable supply chains. Though this study was originally completed in 2003, its findings are especially relevent in today's challenging economic times.
The study, "Revitalizing the Supplier Diversity Value Proposition Through Supply Chain Effectiveness," finds that in order for a supply chain to be competitive, it must have the right balance between customization and scale. This balance involves successfully integrating small businesses into the value-adding supply chains of larger firms in order to leverage the competitive advantage small businesses offer - responsiveness, customized services and lower costs.
The Telecom Supplier Diversity Task Force study was developed by many of the best minds in telecommunications and supplier diversity. Led by Dr. Alfred E. Osborne Jr., senior associate dean and associate professor of global economic management at the UCLA Anderson Graduate School of Management, the study provides 21 recommendations to improve both supplier diversity and supply chain management. These recommendations are complemented by practical and specific tools and processes, covering topics such as sourcing, risk mitigation, process quality and control, financial management, and collaboration. These tools and processes can strengthen and balance supply chains in the telecom and other industries.