Companies have historically had access to far more supply-chain data than ever before; yet they still struggle to make the right call at critical moments. BRG's Nathan Cray and Ken Barbour explained in a Q&A that the real issue is not visibility but how organisations make decisions under pressure. According to the consultants, leading teams evaluate data differently and turn disruption into advantage.
Cray and Barbour observed that decision mechanisms slowed down and fragmented during recent major disruptions such as the pandemic, the Red Sea crisis, and the China-US trade war. Companies can collect data but struggle to translate data flows into action. A common trait of successful teams is decision-making from a single command centre, clarity across roles, and the flexibility to revise strategy within minutes.
The consultants offered four recommendations for typical organisations to resolve decision-making complexity: (1) defining decision authority in advance, (2) investing in playbooks that trigger under disruption scenarios, (3) simplifying communication channels between suppliers, customers, and internal teams, and (4) strengthening analyst skills to combine data with context. Cray and Barbour stressed that the decision culture supporting technology is far more critical than the investment in its sources.
Key Takeaways:
1. According to BRG, the real problem for supply chains is not data shortage but decision-making under pressure.
2. Decision mechanisms slow down and fragment during disruptions.
3. Successful teams are managed from a single command centre and can revise strategy within minutes.
4. Nathan Cray and Ken Barbour recommend pre-defining decision authority and building playbooks.
5. More than technology investment, the decision culture that supports it is critical.
