Supplying Support for European Growth

Central and Eastern European (CEE) countries like Poland face a threat to future prosperity — brain drain, especially in the area of logistics and supply chains, one of the key drivers of economic development in the region. As supply chains increasingly span the globe and compete on a greater scale, many firms have taken advantage of CEE supply markets. Global companies like Volkswagen and Amazon have established facilities in Poland, leveraging proximity to economic networks and highly skilled, cost-efficient labour. This trend has necessitated improvements in infrastructure over the last decade, yet significant improvements in business education and management research have not materialized. Simply put, the ties between higher-education institutions and the private sector in CEE nations must be strengthened.

Industrial firms, retailers, and third-party logistics providers — along with supply chain consultancies, after-sales service providers and IT solution providers — all benefit from the availability of professionals equipped with the latest knowledge, methods, and tools. But while these things are taught in logistics and supply chain management (SCM) courses at top universities elsewhere, there is much to be desired in management education in CEE nations. Investors and researchers from the international business community should be aware of the region’s growing market for logistics and SCM. Private-sector firms should consider making investments in thought leadership when outsourcing to CEE countries. Ensuring that the region’s next generations of researchers can work at home instead of having to spend their whole careers abroad would go a long way toward sustaining economic growth.