IT BUDGETS
TECHNOLOGICAL INNOVATION IN THE SUPPLY CHAIN
World-class consultants , software companies and supply chain experts discuss trends in the industry amid a widespread tech evolution
WRITTEN BY : ALEX TUCK
According to Knut Alicke , partner at McKinsey & Company , since the COVID-19 pandemic , companies have “ grappled with one disruption after another – from natural disasters to cyberattacks – that their supply chains were not built to withstand ”.
Alicke suggests that supply chain leaders began to implement resilience levers in 2020 , such as shifting from optimising “ just in time ” delivery to preparing for “ just in case ” demand scenarios . Despite this shift , many of the strategies only partly addressed the challenges operators face .
“ As the frequency and severity of disruptions increase , the era of neglecting supply chains , trusting suppliers , and optimising for cost is probably over ,” says Alicke . “ We ’ re entering a new age of supply chain management , where sourcing capabilities are king and digital innovation is the bridge to resilience .”
“ In a survey of supply-chain leaders , the latest in a series , 80 % of respondents said that , as of March 2022 , they have implemented ‘ dual sourcing ’ – up from 55 % just a few months ago . New sources may work for some industries , but not all .
142 July 2022