An assessment of the skill gap of the logistics professionals - a Case of Bangladesh

Aim/Purpose: The objective of this study is to identify the relevant skills and their relative importance that logistics professionals in Bangladesh required and to investigate areas for further improvement. Design/methodology/approach: A total of fifty skill items were identified through extensive literature review. Using a survey questionnaire, data were collected from fifty one managers who participated at the day-long industry round table against fifty skill items. Using expert opinions these skill items were grouped to create two higher-level logistics skill categories: a soft skill category and a hard skill category. Then, an importancecompetence matrix analysis was conducted on these higher-level skill categories to assess the strengths and weaknesses of these skills. Findings: The analysis revealed that in order to prepare logistics professionals to face future challenges, they need to further develop their competency in skills such as demand forecasting, inventory management, customer service, people skill, understanding of the supply chain orientation, and ability to manage risk. Originality/Value: To the best of our knowledge this is the first attempt to assess the skill gap in the context of logistics professionals in Bangladesh. The proposed recommendations could provide guidelines for the academic and training institutions to develop more targeted programs for efficient and effective delivery of logistics services. Research limitations/Implications: This study is based on a relatively small sample size and, hence, the results should be considered exploratory. Future research should consider a large sample size. Practical implications: From the practical perspective, the results could be used by firms as a guideline for recruiting right professionals and areas for further skill development in Bangladesh.