1.15.2016

In the just released Global Risks Report by the Word Economic Forum, supply chains are characterized as one of several crucial networks consisting of highly interdependent relationships, all of which are in need of attention and any of which might serve to differentiate resilience from catastrophe. The authors write:

...a renewed focus on prevention, preparedness and resilience, rather than reaction and compliance, would likely improve security actors’ ability to manage known and unknown security risks. There exists important know-how and resources in the private sector that can improve preparedness and mission-critical planning processes in a global security context – using data to track the progress of risk factors, sharing information on where and when crimes occur, and establishing mechanisms for harnessing industry supply chains during complex emergencies – are a few examples of how security arrangements could be updated. Rather than wait for crises to happen, or sleepwalk into the dystopian scenarios described above, it is critical to identify potential inflection points and focus on finding solutions rather than just containing problems, and adapt relevant structures accordingly. 

It can be helpful to state what ought be obvious, but is too often neglected.  The author also write,

The resilience of any individual business depends heavily on the resilience of its suppliers and purchasers, whose supply chains can span many countries. Increasingly, businesses need to strengthen their scenario and emergency planning capacity to analyse complex and often uncertain interdependencies if they are to build resilience to global risks. 

The scenarios offered by the Global Risks Report are, as noted above, dystopian.  If the WEF reflects the worldview of the so-called One Percent, they envision an increasingly risky world.


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