If you were writing a book or a song about supply chain and logistics in the first quarter of 2024, what would its title be?
Here are some ideas:
- “New Year, Same Sh*t”
- “The Unbearable Heaviness of Being a Supply Chain Executive”
- “The 7 Habits of Highly Effective Robots”
- “Baby, Can You Drive My Truck?”
- “The Bridges of Baltimore County”
- “Party Like It’s 2029”
- “Pirates of the Red Sea”
- “Another (Supply Chain Plan) Bites the Dust”
The truth is I’m having a hard time characterizing this year so far. We’re arguably in a less stressful and disruptive environment today than we were in late 2020 and 2021, but it’s not all sunshine and roses either. Plenty of challenges and uncertainties remain, such as labor constraints, geopolitical risks, cyberattacks, and many others.
Back in December 2023, we asked members of our Indago supply chain research community — who are all supply chain and logistics executives from manufacturing, retail, and distribution companies — “Overall, are you feeling optimistic or pessimistic about the year ahead from a supply chain management perspective?”
Most of our member respondents said they were “Optimistic” (65%) or “Very Optimistic” (4%) about the year ahead; only 4% said they were “Pessimistic.”
Are you still feeling optimistic today? How would you characterize the first quarter of 2024? Post a comment and share your perspective!
In the meantime, here are some Talking Logistics and Indago highlights for Q1 2024.
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 2024. 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 New Year’s Resolutions: Things to STOP Doing in 2024
- Learning to Sit With Uncertainty
- Labor Shortages: What Are the Challenges for Supply Chain and Logistics?
- U.S. E-commerce Logistics Report: Overcoming Barriers and Seizing Opportunities
- Another Reason to Expand Definition of Supply Chain Visibility
- What is the Size of the Transportation Management Systems Market?
- Can You Have Too Much Supply Chain Visibility?
- Do We Have Enough Electricity to Power the Future of Supply Chains?
- Supply Chain Software In The Cloud
- What’s Happening in the Robotics Market?
New Episodes
- Labor Shortages: What Are the Challenges for Supply Chain and Logistics?
- Parcel Shipping Best Practices
- How Can B2B Distributors Improve Fleet Performance?
Indago Research Reports
This quarter we completed six research surveys and donated a total of $893 to JDRF, American Logistics Aid Network, American Cancer Society, Feeding America, and Make-A-Wish.
- Do You Have A Stock Throughput Policy? (March 2024): This week’s survey question comes from an Indago transportation executive member: “We are considering adding a [Stock Throughput Insurance Policy] to our overall risk management plan. What practical experiences could you share around sourcing, implementation, and ongoing operation? It would be interesting to know how this fits into your risk strategy.”
- Would You Buy Software From Walmart? (March 2024): Would you procure supply chain/logistics software from Walmart? What would be your main concern? Would you procure supply chain/logistics software from Amazon, Target, Facebook, or other “nontraditional” providers?
- How Stressful Is Working In Supply Chain Management? (March 2024): How stressful is working in supply chain management? What are the main sources of stress? What strategies do you use to prevent burnout and maintain mental health?
- Satisfaction With TMS Software (March 2024): How satisfied are companies with their investments in Transportation Management Systems (TMS) and/or other logistics software? How do you measure/quantify satisfaction? As logistics software providers promote their Generative AI and Machine Learning capabilities, how satisfied are you with the progress they are making in these areas?
- China’s Role In Your Supply Chain (February 2024): In the past 3 years, has your company increased or decreased its reliance on China for manufacturing or product/material sourcing? When it comes to realigning global supply chains away from China, what do you view as the biggest hurdle? What countries do you plan to add to your global supply chain in the next 3 years?
- Revisiting Returning to the Office (February 2024): Is your company requiring employees to return to the office? Do you believe offering remote work options is imperative to hire and retain employees, especially younger workers?
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.
Reminder: There are many ways to stay connected with Talking Logistics and Indago throughout the year — choose all the options that you prefer:
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