Podcast “From resilience to robustness: the key to supply chain success”
In today’s world of relentless disruptions – think global pandemics, geopolitical tensions, and natural disasters – “resilience” has become a buzzword in supply chain management. But what if we’re aiming too low? This provocative question is at the heart of a compelling discussion in the latest episode of the Supply Chain Brain podcast, featuring Alexander Tschentscher, Head of Supply Chain Excellence at Siemens Smart Infrastructure.
Tschentscher argues that while resilience – recovering quickly from challenges – is critical, it often comes at an unsustainable cost. The better approach? Robustness: designing supply chains to perform without failure across a wide range of conditions.
The case for robustness over resilience
Drawing from personal experiences and Siemens’ strategic insights, he illustrates how robustness goes beyond just reacting to crises. It’s about transforming people, processes, and systems to proactively withstand disruptions – without relying solely on costly emergency measures.
Key takeaways for a robust supply chain strategy
The episode explores actionable steps for transitioning to robustness, including:
- Shifting Mindsets: Resilience focuses on surviving the storm; robustness aims to avoid the storm altogether.
- Strategic Design: Decentralized operations, modular processes, and diversified supply chains are pillars of a robust approach.
- Empowering People: Robust ownership – combining empowerment, clear communication, and continuous training – is the cornerstone of supply chain success.
- Leveraging Data: Trust in data, transparency, and digital tools like digital twins play a critical role in building robustness.
Ready to redefine your supply chain?
Through vivid examples, the episode makes a persuasive case for why robustness is the future of supply chain strategy. Curious to dive deeper? This conversation goes far beyond definitions and into actionable steps that can redefine your organization’s supply chain. Listen to the full episode for real-world insights and strategies that could reshape your approach to logistics and risk management.
If you’re looking to navigate your business through the storm, check out Siemens Digital Logistics’ solutions, including the award-winning supply chain control tower and state-of-the-art digital twin that can help you efficiently plan, simulate and optimize your supply chain.
