Looking back in trends

Why does life seem to go faster as you get older? That question from Dutch professor Douwe Draaisma shot through me as I looked back in January at the 15 years that had passed since Supply Chain Media was founded by me. Scouring through old magazines, I read all kinds of obvious and also exaggerated predictions by analysts and consulting firms for 2025. But I was actually most curious about what were seen as the most important trends in supply chain in 2010.
The most important trend at that time, though, was the permanently increased volatility and uncertainty in the supply chain, due to decreased customer loyalty. Sustained growth required a global customer and supplier base. And increased market dynamics required a regional configuration of an end-to-end optimised supply chain. Furthermore, risk management had to encompass the entire supply chain, including all strategic partners. And finally, all the different supply chain functions had to be integrated internally in the company. Looking back at these five supply chain trends, little has changed in the past 15 years.
Modern tools
But with the corona pandemic, the war in Ukraine, the battle in Gaza, increased geopolitical tensions and tariff wars, the entanglement of Big Tech in politics, increasing social polarisation, the rapid rise of Artificial Intelligence and extreme climate fluctuations, the world has only become even more complex and sometimes chaotic for companies and their supply chains. To manage supply chains effectively and efficiently in this confusing world, professionals need more and more modern tools. Fortunately, the younger generation very easily embraces all kinds of new tools for creating necessary overviews and for smart analyses around quick decisions, I notice in my own practice.
TikTok
The answer to Professor Draaisma’s intriguing question is that older people have experienced most events before. They therefore need to actively seek out new experiences. A supply chain executive from a large multinational company told me that she does this by sending around a personal video of her own inspiration from the past week to all her employees every Friday via TikTok. A short review to move forward.
Martijn Lofvers, Chief Trendwatcher Supply Chain Media
martijn.lofvers@supplychainmedia.nl