Every supply chain executive continues to face the daunting task of trying to navigate the current situation, while trying to build greater supply chain resiliency to mitigate future crises. According to a new Gartner report, the latest series of disruptions and the growing reach of external shocks are forcing companies to reassess their focus on resilience as a core competitive advantage. “Resilience” is becoming more difficult to achieve in the current supply chain environment, especially when you are trying to manage costs and work in an industry that is seasonal. “Achieving a resilient supply chain that maintains the ability to execute and thrive under stress will be impacted by how well the executive achieves alignment across business peers in the executive suite and their ability to synthesize digital and physical business worlds,” according to a new report from Gartner. <h3><b>No Time for Recovery</b></h3> Supply chain and sourcing executives have had to face one disruption after another over the past two to three years, without much time to recover from any of them. As a result, a growing number are finding that their ability to respond effectively has been depleted, the cost of recovery is constantly increasing and their focus is misdirected by concentrating on solving the most immediate and simplest issues time and again, said Gartner. As risks arise more frequently and with wider reach and urgency, executives are often unable to learn from past issues to effectively plan, implement or execute any lessons learned holistically to prevent future disruptions causing similar issues, according to Procurious. Amid continual disruptions, executives can’t devise long-term strategies for dealing with a disruptive world. <h3><b>The Need to Stay Alive vs The Space to Plan</b></h3> The need to do a lot more firefighting these days, leaves little or no time for strategic planning and longer-term problem solving. It also precludes executives from thinking beyond procurement to “envision products and innovations that can be manufactured despite disruption, and contemplate investment in processes providing a competitive edge, according to Supply Chain Management Review. Even in the midst of the current disruption there are steps that executives can take to not only cope with the challenges at hand but to plan for the future. The key is to take a “bigger picture” look at their supply chain operations, collaborate with other stakeholders and develop solutions that impact the whole enterprise - from design to fulfillment, and the reverse. <h3><b>3 Steps to Take Now</b></h3> Executives who want to ensure that their supply chains remain both operational and competitive despite the constant disruptions being put in front of them can consider three tactics: <ul> <li aria-level="1"><b>Manage and mitigate risks beyond just the impacted area, </b>by taking a view of future fragilities across the entire organization. “Business areas not affected should also be evaluated and adjusted because unexpected developments could turn into vulnerabilities,” the research firm says.</li> <li aria-level="1"><b>Turn all disruption and response lessons into preventive measures </b>designed to improve risk management’s response to future disruptions. “Connect supply chain risk management to business continuity management,” Gartner advises, “and regularly review and test business continuity plans when risk management responses fail.”</li> <li aria-level="1"><b>Use emerging technologies and digital business platforms </b>to augment operational excellence. “Adopt a practice of exponential investment,” it concludes. “This creates an outside-in supply ecosystem that helps organizations create their own markets and robust demand with innovation.”</li> </ul>