Looking Forward to Supply Chain Management in 2014

It's been a busy twelve months in logistics and SCM, and the year to come seems set to be no less progressive. Technology, compliance, and data solutions are all likely to be at the forefront of supply chain practices as we move through the year.

To close out 2013, we've collected some of the predictions that the industry expects to see for supply chain management in 2014.

Logistics Industry Expectations for Supply Chain Management in 2014

• DC Velocity focuses greatly on the tech supporting logistics practices, from smartphone apps to manage back-end systems to more secure solutions for shipment and delivery data.
• Freightgate also makes mention of increasingly connected management systems, particularly in the areas of analytics and efficiency, but also makes mention of the need for robust compliance with standards and tighter security.
• The Dallas News specifically tunes into the holiday delivery issues faced by some organizations over this festive season, predicting significant changes to delivery guarantees for the holidays in 2014.
• Handfield leans heavily towards globalization as providing the biggest challenges for supply chain managers in 2014, including the potential for disruption in emerging markets and diverse regulatory requirements. Compliance is raised again, showing a repetition that will warrant attention from logistics professionals.
• Business News Daily sees upheaval in the retail sector, with all the implications that will bring to the supply chains that feed it. Ecommerce and mobile technology feature heavily again, increasing the potential for order taking and fulfillment but also placing increased requirements on the services that process these transactions.

In summary, supply chain management in 2014 is likely to focus heavily on business being done across international borders and the regulatory knowledge that comes with that, as well as the ongoing drive to new technologies. Supply chain managers will do well to read widely on mobile technology and security standards to keep abreast of what is available for their business and clients.

We'll be there to keep you updated as logistics trends and stories develop throughout 2014, so stay tuned to our Twitter, Facebook, and Google+ pages for all the latest articles.

On behalf of everyone at Capacity LLC, thanks for joining us in 2013 and a very Happy New Year to everyone!