Welcome to the NextGen Supply Chain. Are you ready?

There's nothing quite like a new venture. There is so much opportunity for everyone. And that is certainly the case with this first issue of NextGen Supply Chain from Supply Chain Management Review.

This monthly newsletter is all about the impact of the next generation of supply chain technologies on how you and your supply chain work. Some are already mainstream (automation including robots) while others are coming along (artificial intelligence and the Internet of Things). Still others are in early stages (augmented reality and blockchain). Between these six technologies and all the others (there are close to 50 in all), there's a lot to keep up with these days.

We all talk about the rate of change being greater than ever before. In many ways, the NextGen Supply Chain is already here. But there's more change coming.

“We're moving into a world where machines and software can analyze (see patterns that were always hidden before); optimize (tell a plane which altitude to fly each mile to get the best fuel efficiency): prophesize (tell you when your elevator will break and fix it before it does); customize (tailor any product or service for you alone); and digitize and automate just about any job.”

That's New York Times columnist and bestselling author Thomas Friedman's take on how every industry, not just supply chain, is being transformed by technology these days. He calls it a “climate” change in technology. Who's to argue.

The world of emerging supply chain technologies is a new venture for all of us. But there is much more here than some tools for geeks. These are true innovations that bring entirely new capabilities to the practice of supply chain management at breakneck speed. Overlook them and you will be left behind. Guaranteed.

NextGen Supply Chain is the only publication dedicated to putting you on top of these technologies, their capabilities and how they are transforming the supply chain.

The focus of this first issue is innovation. What better place to start!

Along with a piece on the importance of innovation to the supply chain, there is an interview with a leader in the field - Jim Rice of MIT's Center for Supply Chain Technology and Logistics. To round out the issue are several stories about specific technologies and their importance to the supply chain.

So, let the fun begin. And as you read through this and future issues, ask yourself this: Are you ready for the NextGen Supply Chain?

Gary Forger is the contributing editor of NextGen Supply Chain. He can be reached at [email protected].

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