Global Supply Chain Trends 2011

PRTM Management Consultants recently published a report titled Global Supply Chain Trends 2011. The authors observe that “[h]igh volatility, huge swings in customer demand, and uncertainty in supply have created a new reality for global supply chain executives” and they make us aware of the significance of flexibility in the supply chain. This reminds me both in a statement made by Simchi-Levi (“With the increasing level of volatility, the days of static supply chain strategies are over”) and the “era of turbulence” proclaimed by Christopher and Holweg. The PRTM report contains five interesting recommendations to supply chain leaders: (1) They must focus on supply assurance and proactive capacity management for critical resources; (2) they must relentlessly engage in collaborative end-to-end demand and supply planning; (3) they must more tightly integrate their own and their partners’ supply chain architectures; (4) they must tear down the wall between supply chain management and product development/engineering; and (5) they must relentlessly drive superior collaboration maturity.