| Institute for Supply Management | |
|---|---|
| Abbreviation | ISM |
| Formation | 1915 |
| Type | Non-profit |
| Purpose/focus | Supply management |
| Location | United States |
| Region served | United States |
| Official languages | English |
| Website | Official website |
Founded in 1915, the Institute for Supply Management (ISM) is the first supply management institute in the world.
ISM is a not-for-profit educational association that serves professionals and organizations with an interest in supply management in more than 80 countries. ISM offers the Certified Professional in Supply Management (CPSM), Certified in Supply Management (CSM) and Certified Professional in Supplier Diversity (CPSD) qualifications and is a member of the International Federation of Purchasing and Supply Management (IFPSM).
ISM defines supply management as the identification, acquisition, access, positioning, and management of resources and related capabilities the organization needs or potentially needs in the attainment of its strategic objectives. (ISM Glossary of Key Supply Management Terms, Fifth Edition, Institute for Supply Management, 2009)
Components included under the supply management umbrella are: purchasing/procurement; strategic sourcing; logistics; quality; inventory control; materials management; warehousing; transportation/traffic/shipping; disposition/investment recovery; distribution; receiving; packaging; product/service development and manufacturing supervision.
Institute for Supply Management was founded in 1915 as the National Association of Purchasing Agents (NAPA). Prior to 1915, purchasing associations had formed in at least 10 major cities in the country, including one of the earliest and most active groups in Buffalo, NY, founded in 1904, and the New York Association, formed in 1913, which eventually became the nucleus of the national organization. The first local associations to affiliate with the new association were New York, New York; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania; and Columbus, Ohio in 1916. They were closely followed by South Bend, Indiana, Detroit, Michigan; and Los Angeles, California in 1917. Buffalo later affiliated with NAPA in 1918.
In 1968, the name of the organization was changed to the National Association of Purchasing Management, Inc. (NAPM). As the field continued to change, traditional “purchasing professionals” were becoming more responsible for the supply of goods and services instead of strictly purchasing. NAPM members voted in April 2001, with a name change taking place in January 2002 to Institute for Supply Management.
The ISM publishes the monthly publication Inside Supply Management, which includes the purchasing surveys Manufacturing ISM Report On Business and the Non-Manufacturing ISM Report on Business, which debuted June 1998.
The ISM releases its Purchasing Managers Index (PMI) on the first business day of each month. This can be found under "ISM Reports On Business" on the ISM home page.
ISM currently certifies the Certified Professional in Supply Management (CPSM), Certified in Supply Management (CSM) and Certified Professional in Supplier Diversity professional credentials.