Supply Chain Hot Trends Q1 & Q2 2018

Undoubtedly, the supply chain is in the midst of unprecedented change.

Technology and consumer behavior have been prime culprits driving this evolution.

However, because of the pace and scale of change, for every advancement that can be truly classified as a disruption, there is a buzzword or trend grabbing the headline.

This report aims to tackle both the headlines and the disruption in order to better understand where supply chain practitioners are really paying attention, where investments are flowing and what trends need to be kept in sight.

This quarter, eft is exploring cross-border eCommerce, supply chain automation, and blockchain.

As eCommerce booms, cross-border commerce has grown in step. One of the driving forces for this has been consumer eagerness for seamless shopping. Effectively, consumers are looking for an online shopping experience with as little friction as possible. This is a challenge that has fallen on the shoulders of retailers and service providers to achieve.

Automation has certainly affected almost every facet of the supply chain, or so we have been told. But to what degree has automation taken place? And what type of automation? Effectively, the closer you look at automation, the more complex it becomes.

Blockchain has been the technology set to disrupt supply chain for years now. As we wait patiently for that to happen, we look for some of the signs that might suggest any real progress.

Supply Chain Hot Trends

• Cross-border eCommerce: What challenges do you face with your cross-border eCommerce (other than cost)?
• Supply Chain Automation: What level of automation does your supply chain have?
• Customer Experience: What are you using to keep pace with customer experience?
• Blockchain: Blockchain continues to be everywhere. Is anyone in supply chain actually taking it seriously?
• Conclusion: Did we choose the right trends?

In asking the respondents for the topics they have their eye on most as we enter 2018, we got some right and some wrong.

Finally, the report ends with some of the trends the wider supply chain community is following into 2018.