Inflation. Russia-Ukraine War. COVID-19. Slowing Economic Growth.
Did I miss anything?
It’s been an eventful first quarter of 2022, and the outlook for the rest of the year remains risky and uncertain (just like it’s been the past two years).
Could the Russia-Ukraine War turn nuclear? I pray that it doesn’t. Will a major cyberattack bring the world’s supply chains to a halt? Could an undetected asteroid smash into Earth? There’s always a chance, I suppose, but there’s no use worrying about it.
Long-term planning isn’t what it used to be. You still have to do it, but maybe long-term is no longer measured in years; maybe it’s just a quarter or two ahead now, maybe a year at most.
What I’m saying is that the “Best By” dates of supply chain plans are getting shorter and shorter.
Why? Because today (to borrow a phrase by former US Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld) there are many more “unknown unknowns” (“things we don’t know we don’t know”) than in the past.
Then again, what do I know?
The Quarter in Review
In case you missed them the first time around or want to read/view them again, check out the top posts and new episodes from the first quarter of 2022. After reading/watching them, share this post with your colleagues and social media followers, then post a comment and share your perspective on these topics!
Top Posts
- Supply Chain and Logistics Conferences to Attend in 2022
- Google Making Inroads Into Supply Chain and Logistics
- You’ve Been Hacked! The Growing Threat of Supply Chain Cyber Attacks
- Across the Pond: The European Transportation Market (March 2022)
- The Labor Shortage Problem: Why It’s Bigger Than You Think and How to Address It
- What’s Choking Food Supply Chains?
- Why Expand the Definition of Supply Chain Visibility?
- How to Sleep in a Supply Chain Storm
- Supply Chain and Logistics: What Will Stay the Same in 2022?
- How Technology is Transforming Transportation Procurement
New Episodes
- The Business Case For Digital Freight Apps
- How Technology Is Transforming Transportation Procurement
- 2022 Technology Trends
- Diving In: What Shippers Need to Know About 2022 Transportation Strategies
- The Labor Shortage Problem: Why It’s Bigger Than You Think And How To Address It
- The Role and Benefits of Warehouse Execution Systems
Indago Research Reports
This quarter we completed eight research surveys and donated a total of $725 to JDRF, American Logistics Aid Network, American Cancer Society, Feeding America, and Make-A-Wish.
- 3PL Best-of-Breed vs. One-Stop-Shop(March 2022): When looking for a 3PL partner, do you prefer a Best-of-Breed or a One-Stop-Shop provider? What factors are most important in your 3PL selection process?
- Fuel Surcharges in Truckload (March 2022): Do you have a standard fuel surcharge program with your truckload carriers? What changes, if any, do you plan to make in the future in how you structure/manage your truckload fuel surcharge program?
- Unified Transportation and Distribution Management (March 2022): How unified and synchronized are your transportation and distribution processes today? What are the main obstacles to enabling a unified and synchronized approach? What are the potential benefits of eliminating the silos between transportation and distribution?
- Russia-Ukraine Conflict (March 2022): Do you have operations in Ukraine or Russia? How big of an impact will this conflict have on your supply chain if it lasts for weeks or longer?
- Supply Chain Talent Management (February 2022): How would you characterize the current labor market? Do you agree that talent management will become a competitive differentiator moving forward? How would you rate your company’s ability to find, hire, train, and retain employees, particularly in support of your supply chain and logistics operations?
- COVID-19 Vaccine Mandates for Truckers (February 2022): How disruptive do you believe they will be for cross-border supply chains? Are you requiring drivers to be vaccinated to haul your freight?
- Preparing for Cyber Attack (January 2022): What is the probability that a major cyber attack will disrupt global supply chains this year? How prepared is your supply chain for a cyber attack?
- Returns Management / Reverse Logistics (January 2022): How would you rate your returns management / reverse logistics processes? Is improving these processes a priority this year?
If you’re a supply chain or logistics practitioner from a manufacturing, retail, or distribution company, I encourage you to learn more about Indago and join our research community. It is confidential, there is no cost to join and the time commitment is minimal (2-4 minutes per week) — plus your participation will help support charitable causes that need our help today more than ever.
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