INDUSTRY WATCH to drive efficiency and agility. Additionally, predictable and ethical behavior from AI solutions will be a focus.” said Paxton.
Inflation and Economic Uncertainty Top the List of Key Trends Impacting Supply Chains in 2025
According to this year’ s respondents, the top five most impactful supply chain trends are: inflation( 38 %); economic uncertainty( 37 %); workforce and talent shortages( 35 %); supply chain agility and resiliency( 28 %); and inventory challenges( 25 %).
The Next Five Tech-Specific Trends Shaping Supply Chains
In addition to the five trends noted above, this year’ s survey identified five additional tech-specific trends that are having a major impact on supply chain strategy and operations.
These key tech trends are:
1. Cybersecurity and Data Security For many businesses, the supply chain is a leading source of cybersecurity risk – and with supply chains’ growing reliance on technology and digitization, data security is sure to become an increasingly vital issue.
2. Demand for Real-Time Data Lack of access to accurate, real-time data is an ongoing barrier to achieving the vision and benefits of supply chain digitization and end-toend orchestration.
3. Digitization and the Pace of Technology Adoption The dizzying pace of technological change in supply chains can be daunting for supply chain leaders and professionals alike. Yet, the pace will likely only accelerate as supply chain operations embrace AI in the pursuit of improved visibility, transparency and efficiency.
4. Ecommerce Growth Ecommerce growth is showing no signs of slowing. This is driving companies to find new and better ways to anticipate changes in demand and fulfill orders more quickly and accurately.
5. Sustainability Although supply chain sustainability is not strictly a technical issue, it remains a high priority and strategic differentiator for many firms.
“ Leaders must ensure seamless integration of all supply chain components to enhance efficiency and meet customer expectations to further drive innovation, reduce redundancies and deliver superior value,” said Wanda Johnson, Supply Chain Technology Fellow, Deloitte Consulting.
The findings of the 2025 report are based on survey responses from over 700 manufacturing and supply chain industry leaders from a wide range of industries at the end of 2024. Eighty-three percent of respondents hold executive-level positions such as CEO, Vice President, General Manager, Department Head, or Engineering Management. Participating companies range in size from small to large, with 53 % reporting annual sales of more than $ 50 million, and 21 % reporting $ 1 billion or more.
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