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New Book on Mastering Business Volatility to Preview at 2009 Council of Supply Chain Management Professionals' Annual Meeting

Presentation Highlights Findings from Groundbreaking Book, Including Strategies, Toolsets and Simulations Designed to Help Organizations Manage Risk in Global Supply Chains

CHICAGO, Sept. 21 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- A new book, to be released in early 2010 by the University of Maryland's Robert H. Smith School of Business, Sterling Commerce and the Council of Supply Chain Management Professionals (CSCMP), gives supply chain managers an innovative tool set for managing risk in today's dynamic global marketplace. The book, "X-Treme Supply Chain Management: A Guide to Mastering Business Volatility," will preview this week at the Annual Global Conference of the Council of Supply Chain Management Professionals in Chicago.

The preview will take place on Wednesday, September 23, from 8:00 - 9:30 a.m. CT in a session titled "X-Treme Supply Chains: Managing in Times of Upheaval." The session will include live gameplay from a real-time supply chain simulation that pits teams of U.S. and European players against each other - battling for market and financial dominance.

"We are excited to unveil this groundbreaking work at our annual conference," said Rick Blasgen, President and CEO of CSCMP. "CSCMP's goal is to provide a forum to help supply chain professionals from around the world stay abreast of trends, best practices and thought leadership in their field. By tackling the challenges of volatility, this book not only supports this goal, but addresses issues that will be top-of-mind for corporate leadership for years to come."

The global financial crisis and resulting economic downturn signaled a needed change in the way supply chains are managed, shifting from models based on assumptions of relatively stability to the realization that risk and volatility must be taken into account. The book analyzes the rapid increase in business volatility and risk created by global economic pressures. It provides best practices and managerial tool sets with which to mitigate operational risks of all forms across physical, cyber, financial and service supply chains. It also gives managers access to a supply chain risk simulation game and predictive analytic software models.

Spearheaded and edited by Sandor Boyson, Lisa Harrington and Thomas Corsi, the book includes co-contributors from some of the industry's leading corporations and organizations. Boyson and Corsi are research professors at the University of Maryland's Robert H. Smith School of Business and co-direct the school's Supply Chain Management Center, at which Harrington is a senior research fellow. Sterling Commerce, an AT&T company, is the project's technology sponsor and a co-contributor.

The book and toolkit, slated for release in first quarter 2010, will be published by Routledge, a member of the Taylor & Francis Group.

About the Council of Supply Chain Management Professionals

Founded in 1963, the Council of Supply Chain Management Professionals is the leading worldwide professional association dedicated to education, research, and the advancement of the supply chain management profession. With over 9,000 members globally, representing business, government, and academia from 63 countries, CSCMP members are the leading practitioners and authorities in the fields of logistics and supply chain management. More information can be found at www.cscmp.org.

About the University of Maryland's Robert H. Smith School of Business

The Robert H. Smith School of Business is an internationally recognized leader in management education and research. One of 13 colleges and schools at the University of Maryland, College Park, the Smith School offers undergraduate, full-time and part-time MBA, executive MBA, executive MS, PhD and executive education programs, as well as outreach services to the corporate community. The school offers its degree, custom and certification programs in learning locations in North America and Asia.

About Sterling Commerce

Sterling Commerce, an AT&T Inc (NYSE:T) company, helps companies optimize and transform their Business Collaboration Network to accelerate revenues and reduce costs. Sterling Commerce provides more than 30,000 customers worldwide applications and integration solutions to connect, communicate and collaborate inside and outside their enterprise. More information can be found at www.sterlingcommerce.com.

For more information, contact:

Carrie Handwerker, Robert H. Smith School of Business, University of Maryland, (301) 405-5833, chand@rhsmith.umd.edu

Julie Redard, Sterling Commerce, (978) 513-6386, julie_redard@stercomm.com

Kathleen Hedland, Council of Supply Chain Management Professionals, (630) 645-3463, khedland@cscmp.org

SOURCE Robert H. Smith School of Business