SEPTEMBER - 20238 logisticstechoutlook.comIn today's globalized world trade, not only are the four concepts VUCA ­ Volatile, Uncertain, Complex and Ambiguous ­ intensely lived, but a fifth and powerful variable came to play a determining role in recent years: The Imbalance. Like Yin-Yang, Day-Night, or Force-Darkness, demand and supply are interconnected in opposite ways to such a magnitude that a single shred of imbalance can impact not only locally but with more effects along supply chains around the world by spreading easily.Precisely, with the current context and in the face of several difficulties, it is important to recompose the plans and execution of the supply. To this end, the following points are highlighted as a practical guide to strategic review:1-Alignment and clarity. Trust starts at home. And for that it is important to have agility and effectiveness in the internal processes that lead to procurement decisions. Organizations must have absolute clarity on roles and responsibilities, internal response times, policies, deliverables, and the purpose of the sourcing process. Effectiveness is achieved when purchasing areas and user areas understand the reality of the context, work hand in hand and allow each step of the process to be executed flawlessly. 2-Understanding and visibility of the supply network. The consequences of imbalance or disruption of some global raw material, whether a commodity or large-scale supply, impact the entire global supply network. That is why it is essential to have a clear map of the raw materials and large-scale supplies that affect the value chains of the most important purchasing categories. This map directly illustrates risk exposure and dependence on lower-tier suppliers and countries of origin that have an important weight in their supply.3-Revalidation of purchase categories. It is vitally important to continue increasing redundancy and keep the sourcing and market validation processes active in the leveraged purchase categories. The competitiveness of the business will depend on continuing to explore and develop new sources of supply that mitigate the inflationary impact affecting current cost structures. Similarly, in the strategic categories where it is key to strengthen STRATEGIC SUPPLY MANAGEMENT IN TIMES OF IMBALANCESBy Juan Andrés Giraldo Monsalve, Supply Director C.I. Hermeco, OFFCORSS C.I. HERMECO S.A.IN MY OPINIONGord Campbell
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