Introduction
The Jetson’s – Star Trek – Blade Runner. For those familiar with these TV shows and
movies, they may be more like science fact than science fiction.
In the book, 100 of the Most Exciting Future Predictions, Alex Trost and
Vadim Kravetsky there are many possibilities for the future related to supply
chain.1 Here are just a few examples:
- Robots—capable of performing an expanded set human level jobs
- Automotive–Self-driving cars – self-healing roads
- Aerospace & Defense–exoskeletons and robots
Just as each of
the TV and movie examples alone is very different its viewpoint of the future,
the future of supply chain has alternatives.
These alternatives have implications on supply chain strategic plans
with tangible outcomes demonstrated in financial performance.
The outcome for supply chain leaders and organizations
will hinge on the ability not to just adapt to but to embrace and lead change
based on megatrends. Here in part one of
this two-part entry, four of eight megatrends will be outlined. In the future, will look at more specific
implications for supply chain specifically Design Anywhere, Manufacture
Anywhere, Service Anywhere (DAMASA).
8 Megatrends
There are eight megatrends that will impact supply chain
leaders over the next decade. Any one of
these topics could be written about at length. The point here is to pull together these
megatrends and being to explore their interrelationship and potential impact
for supply chain leaders.
Population growth
The current world population of 7.2 billion is projected
to increase by 1 billion over the next 12 years and reach 9.6 billion by
2050. Interesting is the distribution
and location of most of that growth. The
49 least-developed countries are projected to double in population from around
900 million people in 2013 to 1.8 billion in 2050.2 As organizations
think about go-to-market plans to these emerging markets, supply chain leaders
will need to define a profitable strategy to meet these new opportunities.
Environment
Political debates aside, data from NASA shows the earth
is getting warmer.3 With larger, more intense weather patterns,
supply chain leaders will need to have more robust risk plans in place to deal
with potential supply and delivery disruption. Sustainable solutions to produce
and deliver products are in discussion by leaders across industries and will
continue to gain momentum if the environmental trend continues on its current
trajectory.
Open Source Design
With the growing trend to share software solutions openly,
innovation is moving at a faster pace.
Free and open source software and hardware are opening the doors to new
innovative products. One example is a game console.4 Another example is a camera.5 Opportunities exist for supply chain leaders
to provide solutions for these burgeoning products to deliver them to
markets.
Crowdsourcing
Creative funding through crowdsourcing is also enabling innovation
and new product development. Procter
& Gamble actively crowdsources new brands through their program “Connect +
Develop.” When you consider open source design along with crowdsourcing,
innovation cycles can be compressed resulting in the need for supply chain to
be even more agile and responsive.
More to come in part two.
(3) GISS Surface Temperature
Analysis, National Aeronautics and Space Administration
(5) Elphel, Inc.
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