Supply chain laggards are missing out on growth opportunities

Three-quarters of executives and their companies are supply chain laggards, according to a report by Accenture.

In a survey of 1,350 business executives, Accenture found that only 22 per cent are making smart moves in three areas — digital investments, customer-centricity and ecosystems. This is enabling them to shift their supply chain strategy from driving cost efficiencies to powering growth opportunities and achieving competitive agility.

And it warned that the laggards need quickly to transform the supply chain and operations function into a collaborative engine of growth and innovation or else they risk their future success.

The report “From inventory to influencer: the mover becomes the shaker” includes responses from 1,350 executives across a range of discrete and process producers in 12 countries and across 17 industries.

“We’ve discovered that a small set of companies have supply chain and operations executives who are using digital with a purpose and collaborating across the C-suite, and other business functions, to create and implement customer-centric strategies that enable growth,” said Don Schulman, senior managing director in Accenture’s Supply Chain and Operations group.

“As a result, the supply chain and operations executives at these companies are taking a more influential role at the board table and adding a new unique perspective.”