ISM conference speakers advice for coping with the downturn

We've all read books or seen films where stormy, unsettled weather acts as a less-than-subtle metaphor for tempestuous plot twists or character behaviour. Well, the lightning storms that battered Charlotte, North Carolina, during the Institute for Supply Management (ISM) conference in the US last month could have come straight from the Hollywood cliché department. They were the perfect backdrop for delegates grappling with the turbulent forces of the global economic downturn.

It dominated the four-day event - many sessions dealt with the topic specifically (dealing with supplier bankruptcy, leadership in challenging times, and more).

And it wasn't just the content; the event itself was smaller than in 2007 and 2006. There were still plenty of people there, but nowhere near the 3,000 who have attended in recent years.

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