Article
Promoting the value of logistics to future business leaders: An exploratory study using a principles of marketing experience
Despite the increased importance and corporate visibility of logistics – and its concomitant opportunities – the demand for college educated entry-level logisticians continues to greatly exceed their supply. The current study, which responds to this persistent shortfall of talented students, was designed to investigate three primary issues: student familiarity with logistics vis-a`-vis other business disciplines; student perceptions of logistics in terms of academic and career issues; and the potential impact of promoting the value of logistics in a “principles of marketing” course. The findings suggest that students are relatively unfamiliar with logistics as a career choice and have a distinct level of neutrality towards many of the key “selling” points of the discipline. However, the findings also suggest that a focus on promoting the value of logistics in a “principles of marketing” course can have a significant impact on these perceptions. The study concludes with a discussion of the implications of these findings for various logistics constituencies along with suggestions for future research.