The worlds foremost authority in benchmarking, best practices,

process and performance improvement, and knowledge management.

RECENT SUPPLY CHAIN TRENDS

How Priorities and Opinions Changed
Between 2015 and 2016

TABLE OF CONTENTS
o
o
o

2016 APQC. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

Introduction
Key Comparisons Between 2015 and 2016
Survey Results
Additional Reading

INTRODUCTION

In early 2015 and 2016 APQC surveyed supply chain

professionals to determine supply chain priorities,
performance, and trends.
For both years, a diverse group of respondents participated
in the survey.

In 2015, there were 95 respondents representing 34 industries.

In 2016, there were 155 respondents representing 37 industries.
In both years, respondents came from a variety of company sizes and
geographic regions.

Overall, the results from these surveys indicate that:

2016 APQC. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

Top priorities for supply chains are not changing

Budgets and positive attitudes about strategies are levelling off
Organizations are emphasizing technology when selecting areas of
focus for the next three years

KEY COMPARISONS BETWEEN 2015 AND 2016

Top Priorities
Supply Chain Budgets
Strategy and Direction
Product/Service Innovation
Future Priorities

TOP PRIORITIES

Customer satisfaction was

the top priority for
respondents in both 2015
and 2016.
In fact, the amount of
respondents rating this
extremely or quite a bit of a
priority increased over
6 percent.

N = 94

Respondents rating customer satisfaction quite a bit

or extremely a priority

In both 2015 and 2016, cost and efficiency were rated as

extremely or quite a bit of a priority by more than 7 in 10
respondents.

2016 APQC. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

N = 151

SUPPLY CHAIN BUDGETS

In 2015, slightly more than half

of respondents expected their
supply chain budgets to increase
compared to the previous year.
In 2016, only 45% expected their budgets to increase.
Correspondingly, more respondents in 2016 expected their
supply chain budgets to stay the same.
N = 95

N = 153

2016 APQC. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

N = 95

N = 153

STRATEGY AND DIRECTION

In 2016, fewer respondents felt positive or very positive

about their supply chain management strategy or direction.

In 2015, 54% indicated they felt positive or very positive

In 2016, this number dropped to 46%
How positive do you feel about the strategy and direction of your
organization's supply chain management efforts?
50.0%
41.1%
40.0%

32.0%

32.7%

30.0%
17.9% 17.0%

20.0%
10.0%

21.1%
12.6% 13.7%

7.4%

4.6%

0.0%
Not at all positive

Slightly positive

Moderately
positive

2015 (N = 95)

2016 APQC. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

2016 (N = 153)

Positive

Very positive

PRODUCT/SERVICE INNOVATION

Product and service innovation has remained important to

supply chain functions.
In both 2015 and 2016, nearly two-thirds of respondents
indicated that it is important or very important to their
supply chains success.

N = 94

2016 APQC. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

N = 153

FUTURE PRIORITIES

When considering organizational priorities in the next

3 years, respondents in 2016 were more focused on
technology than respondents in 2015.
However, the top priority for the next 3 years remained
capturing supply chain performance through benchmarking.

2015

2016 APQC. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

2016

ADDITIONAL READING

ADDITIONAL READING
For the full results of APQCs 2015 and 2016 supply chain trends
surveys and additional insights, see the following content:

Supply Chain Management Trends 2015: Survey Summary Report

Supply Chain 2016 Outlook: Survey Summary Report
Big Data and Analytics in the Supply Chain

2016 APQC. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.

11

The worlds foremost authority in

benchmarking, best practices,
process and performance improvement,
and knowledge management.

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