MOVING

Openly collaborative through cloud-based commerce networks

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“Thinking” Supply Chain

Supply Chains Face a World of Change

Digital Transformation Drives Disruption

The Benefits of a Thinking Supply Chain

How to Proceed

Today’s supply chains need to be more customer-centric. Top drivers of future change are:

Selling directly to the consumer with data driven,

demand-aware precision.

Fostering growth by responding quickly to change with accuracy

and integrity.

Seizing new markets and opportunities with

collaboration at the forefront of business.

Driving visibility and disruption

mitigation e�orts.

Leveraging new technology for complete digital

transformation.

Source: IDC’s 2018 Supply Chain Survey

Source: IDC’s 2018 Supply Chain Survey

will �nd their business disrupted by digitally-enabled competitors by the middle of 2019, according to IDC.

of manufacturers

Success in the digital era requires a “thinking” supply chain, one that is:

Enabled with comprehensive and

fast analytics

Conscious of cyber threats

AI-enabled deep insights and

predictive capabilites

Able to learn from past actions

Easy for people to interact with

Without a digitally-enabled supply chain, companies may �nd themselves out of business.

will come from manufacturers with business model and

customer capabilities founded on digital

competencies.

IDC believes the supply chain must become "thinking," one that is intimately connected to disparate internal and external data sources such as social sentiment and the IoT, enabled with comprehensive and fast AI-driven analytics, openly collaborative through cloud-based commerce networks, conscious of cyberthreats, and cognitively interwoven.

The thinking supply chain must seamlessly move across applications and in how it leverages data sources.

Technologies like AI and blockchain have moved from the research lab to become

practical for the supply chain.

The notion of a thinking supply chain is a powerful one that o�ers the prospect of a self-learning, collaborative system.

Technology partners will be key.

of manufacturers are outsourcing or looking at outsourcing their B2B backbone as a precursor for digital transformation.

In 2018 particularly we are seeing investments in blockchain initiatives to elevate how companies collaborate with partners for accuracy, e�ciency.

Yet only about 25% of manufacturers have adequate documentation and knowledge retention plans.

Think of supply chain transformation as a “journey” – decide where to focus �rst based on your business needs and strategy.

of companies believe their data analytics capabilities to be less than best-in-class.

Sources: IDC conversations with manufacturing companies; IDC estimate

TO A

of companies

Supply chains that embrace traditional data sources such as

say it has already happened, as of mid-2018.

ERP and CRM and emerging sources such as social and sensor data have a competitive edge.

still cite their analytics capabilities at just average or below.

50%

of industry growth in the next 5 years

Curating knowledge is important as baby boomers retire.

Think platform but engage with applications.

25%

An IDC Infographic, sponsored by IBM

22%

Almost

80%

74%

53%17%