Supply chain management has not gotten easier, despite ongoing advancements in technology.Most retailers and suppliers agree that supply chain reliability, transparency and resiliency continue to become more challenging - and the impact of not being able to sufficiently control supply chains is increasingly biting into sales and profits. Moving into 2022, the industry as a whole is hoping to move from survival mode to thriving, however the odds are that this year will be more of a transition year than a return to stability. Consumer demand remains uncertain and that will impact all aspects of the supply chain - from materials to shipping. One thing that we’ve learned is that there is no ‘new normal’. For most of 2022 supply chains are likely to remain unstable, with analysts advising executives to “stay flexible and stay in tune with where the business is heading today.” “It is not the strongest of the species that survives, nor the most intelligent that survives. It is the one that is most adaptable to change.” Charles Darwin According to research from Reuters and Blue Yonder, 63% of manufacturers and retailers, and 60% of logistics providers, believe their efforts to create end-to-end visibility are yielding the single greatest return on investment of all their execution strategies today.“Agility is founded on both capable processes and a strong culture of teamwork and collaboration, high-involvement problem-solving and bottom-up decision-making,” according to Rick Bohan, director, Chagrin River Consulting.“This will require digital technology to build new supply chain capabilities. In the short term, don’t expect that list to include technologies like artificial intelligence, machine learning, blockchain and the internet of things. While these advances are growing more prevalent in the global supply chain, they’re still a long way off from becoming the standard,” according to EY (Ernst & Young). Digital twins technology has provided heavy industry with real time predictive scenarios. This could be the next big thing for the apparel industry. Read 'A Digital Control Tower for Supply Chains' Putting a Little Spandex in Our Supply ChainsThe past year has shown more than ever that supply chains must be responsive and flexible in order to deal with market fluctuations and unforeseen outside influences. The days of reducing inventory to the furthest possible degree may be ending. Instead, organizations will need to respond to growing volatility in consumer behavior with “elastic” strategies - the flexibility to expand and contract capabilities to meet demand within a given time frame.Even if overall consumer purchasing were to remain at the same level as in 2021, the timing of that demand is likely to shift. Shopping is no longer centered around traditional holidays, seasons or times of the year. There’s a lot more fluidity to the long held retail calendar - with unexpected ebbs and flows. Companies must maximize their limited human resources but avoid exploiting this asset. The concept of elasticity is especially useful when companies come to recognize supply chain execution as an end-to-end process, starting with order entry and extending through procurement, manufacturing, inventory and warehouse management, and transportation and distribution. A successful elastic supply chain can scale up or down, even with the most unanticipated patterns of demand. It can help to reduce costs, improve service, minimize risk and enhance a company’s competitive edge.Going forward, chasing price will be replaced by pursuing better supply chain management. The industry’s leaders will be those who invest in both advanced technologies and highly skilled employees who can truly deliver the right products at the right time.