Articles
Good Question
What Would You Put in a Supply Chain Time Capsule to be Opened in 2050?
From a toy forklift to a conveyor belt to paper documents, here are the relics from 2025 that our readers say will amuse and surprise supply chain professionals in 2050.
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What’s Your Supply Chain Resolution for 2025?
Advance claims compliance to further supply chain visibility. Using standardized data sharing and RFID enables swift product identification and streamlines claims-related exchanges, helping stakeholders reduce manual effort. –Jonathan Gregory Director of Global Standards GS1 US Boost supply chain agility with enhanced demand forecasting and automated replenishment as 2025 will come with global trade uncertainty and […]
Read MoreWhat Logistics Function Will AI Have the Most Profound Impact On?
Expert insights on the functions and solutions most ripe for AI impact.
Read MoreWhat Supply Chain Term Will Be Top of Mind in 2025?
Convergence because we can’t afford to have planning and operations working in their separate silos where plans can’t be executed or if they can they are very expensive to execute. Good companies plan. Great companies execute. –Tom Moore Founder & CEO ProvisionAi Optimization. 2025 will be a year of optimization as companies look to offset […]
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What’s the First Thing You Would Do to Combat Cargo Theft?
Cargo theft is surging as thieves get more strategic and steal cargo from warehouses, parking lots, truck stops, roads, and yards. Readers share the impactful actions that could deter thieves and protect shipments.
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What Song or Lyric Best Describes Your Supply Chain Experience or Approach?
From Beatles classics to pop hits, here are the tracks that capture supply chain professionals’ experience and work approach. Tune in:
Read MoreWhat Supply Chain Practice or Belief Would You Declare Dead ?
Is just-in-time no more? Time to put globalization norms to rest? Our readers share the supply chain practices that should be deemed defunct and the strategies that are approaching obsolescence.
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What Grade Would You Give Brands on Reverse Logistics Operations?
I would give a range of grades from A to F for how brands are handling reverse logistics. There is still a lot of variation in this area—from consumer spending to B2B direct spend. A stellar reverse logistics program can lower the bar to buy. It’s so much easier to make a purchase decision when you know you can send the product back if needed, with no hassle. This is an area for improvement.
–Doug DeLuca
Product Marketing Manager
SAP Business Network, SAP
Artificial Intelligence in Supply Chain Management: What’s One Human Capability AI Can’t Match?
Are there limits to what artificial intelligence can achieve in supply chain management? Readers share the uniquely human skills that AI can’t yet (or ever?) replicate.
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How Would You Complete This Sentence? Supply Chain Professionals Would Make Great __________.
From filmmaking to crisis negotiation to climbing Mt. Everest, here’s where supply chain professionals could apply their unique skillsets.
Read MoreWhat’s One Supply Chain Misconception That Needs to Be Cleared Up Now?
A lights-out supply chain? A systemic truck driver shortage? Cost-prohibitive sustainability? Readers tackle these misconceptions and more.
Read MoreHave Companies Made Progress Toward Supply Chain Resilience Since the Pandemic?
Most readers agree supply chains have become more resilient since the pandemic. But some note caveats and potential pitfalls.
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You’re Writing a Book About How to Manage Supply Chains in 2025. What’s the Longest Chapter?
Readers reveal the most voluminous chapters of their imaginary supply chain management manuscripts.
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GOOD QUESTION: True or False? Managing Supply Chains Is More Challenging Than Ever
Is supply chain management the toughest it has ever been? Or are tech tools so advanced they’re alleviating the uncertainty and guarding against disruptions? Industry insiders have a lot to say.
Read MoreGOOD QUESTION: What’s One Underrated Skill in Supply Chain Management?
From composure to the ability to handle objections, these skills may not be part of curriculums but they make for great supply chain managers.
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GOOD QUESTION: How Will Artificial Intelligence Impact Supply Chain Management in the Next Five Years?
Who’s scared of artificial intelligence? These human experts weigh in on how AI will affect supply chain management in the coming years, with answers ranging from “cataclysmic” to “game changing” to “meh.”
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GOOD QUESTION: What’s One Transportation Metric Shippers Should Pay More Attention To?
While on-time delivery remains a top answer, industry insiders point out other transportation metrics that merit attention and closer consideration.
Read MoreGOOD QUESTION: What’s Your Controversial Take on a Supply Chain Issue?
Industry insiders share their controversial opinions on supply chain topics.
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GOOD QUESTION: Who Would Be Your Lifeline During a Logistics Crisis? Why?
Dwight D. Eisenhower. I make use of the Eisenhower Matrix (pictured). I would want to have heard from the man himself. Planning, preparing, and executing a moment in history like the Normandy invasion puts any logistics crisis in perspective. Do everything in your power to prepare. And at a certain point you need to have confidence in that preparation—and your people—to get on with the task at hand.
–Richard Kohn
Director, Global Logistics & Optimization
SeaCube Containers
GOOD QUESTION: What one supply chain adjustment would make the biggest impact on ESG?
Mature your data so you can use it like Google Maps. Sustained ESG marries continuous improvement with reporting and analysis—predicated on trustworthy data. Every company has a different origin, destination, and journey. Equip your organization with dependable navigation skills by building data intelligence and embedding a culture of data-driven action.
–Michael Ochi
Sr. Manager, Sustainability and Digital Manufacturing
QAD