Building Resilient, Future-Proof Supply Chains

The global supply chain is always subject to disruption, with global pandemics, tariffs, trade wars, and natural disasters as some of the higher-profile events that put these critical networks at risk. As most organizations are learning as a result of the current crisis, keeping supply chains operating as planned requires a combination of resilience, visibility, and tenacity.

Defined by IDC as the ability to ensure and preserve the continuity and consistency of product supply—and meet business obligations for product delivery and service to customers—through the anticipation of strategic disruptions, supply chain resiliency has come to the forefront in today’s business environment. By identifying and mitigating global risks; deploying supply chain orchestration platforms; and creating win-win relationships with trading partners, companies can improve their resilience and emerge stronger when disruption strikes.

To learn more about companies’ current supply chain challenges and the roadblocks to resiliency, Peerless Research Group conducted a reader survey on behalf of Logistics Management for MPO. This study was executed in July/August of 2020 and administered online to current Logistics Management subscribers. The survey’s findings are based on information collected from 251 individuals involved in warehouse or distribution center operations decisions. Respondents are employed in the manufacturing, consulting, transportation, warehousing, and distribution for the automotive, food, beverage and tobacco, computer and electronics, industrial machinery, chemicals, and electrical equipment sectors (among others). The study represents companies of all sizes and paints a current picture of their supply chain practices and reaction to disruptions.