Collaboration between partners can be one of the important elements of modern supply chain management. Companies that can move in tandem with their partners and support one another are well-prepared to react to sudden shifts and market forces. According to Supply Chain Digest’s Dan Gilmore, the coming year will be a big one for cooperation.
Gilmore stated that the outlook is good for joint processes in the supply chain, describing it as one of the overarching trends for the next year. He found that many supply chain managers are hard-pressed to draw further efficiency out of their own systems and therefore see the mutual benefits of partnerships.
Working closely with another company could be difficult without a strong B2B integration presence. Companies that know how to communicate quickly and efficiently and have the software to support the effort may be uniquely well placed to collaborate.
The cloud could be critical in enabling this new era of teamwork. Tech Week Europe reported that IBM’s Smarter Commerce program recently received cloud-infused upgrades to its collaboration tools. Companies can now exchange information quickly online. These moves are meant to make companies faster and preparing them for uncertain market forces.