5 Supply Chain Trends Happening Now

This is an excerpt of the original article. It was written for the March-April 2017 edition of Supply Chain Management Review. The full article is available to current subscribers.

March-April 2017

Supply Chain Management Review, which is celebrating its 20th anniversary with this issue.Twenty years after the premier issue, our goal remains the same: To present thought leadership around best practices in supply chain fundamentals, publish case study examples of what leading companies are doing in their supply chains and keep our finger on the pulse of emerging trends and technologies that will shape the future. While Frank’s essay looks to the past and brings us to the present, we also have essays from four experienced supply chain professionals looking to the future of supply chain management.

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If the last 20 years have shown anything, it’s that the supply chain profession is in a state of constant change. Supply chain professionals who once viewed themselves as cost managers are now managing relationships with key stakeholders, the risks in their supply chains and are increasingly responsible for financial management. What’s more, new trends arise almost daily that affect how supply chains are designed and managed.

This article describes five trends that are affecting the design and management of supply chains right now. They have been identified through primary and secondary research, conversations with supply chain professionals—and, perhaps most importantly, working closely with executive leaders at a Fortune 50 company.

While it is unlikely that everyone in the supply chain community will ever agree on the impact of every trend, the five presented here will likely affect the supply chain world for the foreseeable future. Understanding them—and how they might have an impact on your organization—can mean the difference between demonstrating leadership and surrendering to forces beyond your control.

Trend No. 1

Supply chain talent management is becoming a strategic necessity

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