New concepts are disrupting business models in ways that make supply chain management more important than ever. As technologies evolve and companies adopt new strategies for reaching their customers, we find that consumers do not just choose between products; they also choose how to buy them. Customers have a choice of platforms from which to purchase, and sellers must provide a good experience through all of them. Managing the supply chain has become an essential element of the customer experience, but it is especially difficult as the multi-channel sales environment evolves. This event will provide a platform for senior leaders to discuss ideas with their peers to help them use supply chain management as a tool to grow their business.

This interactive roundtable discussion, moderated by Dr William Thomas, South-east Asia Director for the Economist Corporate Network, will bring together business leaders and experts in supply chain to discuss:

• how the planning and execution of the supply chain process helps satisfy customer demands
• new technologies, changing business models, and evolving customer expectations
• how to improve demand sensing with richer and faster data signals to react to demand changes, resulting in better inventory positioning
• how to facilitate real time visibility and analytics, providing one view of information across the extended value chain
• new expectations for, and methods of, sustainable logistics that reduce the impact on the environment

The goal is to help leaders create a more resilient and sustainable supply chain that is appropriate for their individual situation and meets customers' needs in a changing environment.

Background

Disruptions to the supply chain are the new normal. Some disruptions have an effect that builds over time, much as rising wages in China led to the shift of some manufacturing to Vietnam. Others may come out of nowhere and carry a long-term impact, such as a global pandemic, or an immediate effect, like a ship stuck in the Suez Canal. The word "disruption" can have a wide range of meanings, and companies need a wide range of responses.

Not all disruptions have to be negative. A regional trade agreement that tidies up a mix of bilateral relationships and creates a consistent system for the intermediate goods market is disruptive, but useful. New technologies are also disruptive, but provide opportunities for more transparency of fulfillment, better management of the "last mile" of delivery, and improved demand forecasting and customer satisfaction. Speaking of customers, their new buying habits have upended business models and supply chains, but have also created opportunities to reach new customers…if only companies can take advantage of them.

In the end, any disruption can be turned into an opportunity, and effective supply chain management can be a growth engine for your company. A seemingly negative disruption that affects an industry gives you a chance to pull ahead of your competitors, if you have the agility to respond quickly and effectively. A positive disruption can improve or create revenue streams, or perhaps allow you to reduce problems such as overstocking or out-of-stock issues. Are you ready to turn disruption into opportunity?

The challenge for companies, then, is to build a resilient supply chain that provides a consistent customer experience while being flexible enough to respond to disruptions. At the same time, it should consist of sustainable processes that help companies make the best use of valuable natural resources while minimizing damage to the environment.

Managing Supply Chain Disruptions event summary paper