Indigenous Supply Chain - Intelligence v/s Intuition

Supply Chains need data driven decision making. This has been the hypothesis basis which Supply Chain Intelligence has been the "core" area. Supply Chain Intelligence naturally can be enhanced through better Software application, Digitization initiatives & Organization process architecture which ensures improves MIS systems. Supply Chain data analytics is an evolving domain with a lot of Management focus. All the efforts are to improve Supply Chain "Intelligence".

While there is nothing inappropriate in attempting to improve "Intelligence" the primary assumption is Supply Chain decisions can be an outcome of "Modeling" the data using "all the parameters" needed for decision making. Second, implied assumption also is that the Supply Chain Professional may lack the needed insight of the dynamic situation hence may not make the right decision. Situations like Covid-19 change this permanently. And till a new system of modeling is not evolved "Intelligence" plays a very limited role.

The basic contradiction of "Intelligence" is Supply Chains are run by People. And people are not mechanical. Secondly, in the desire to make "Process" driven Supply Chain Models the inherent advantage of Humans is lost. One likes it or not, leveraging "Intuition" is lost.

In Indian context of Supply Chain, Indian professionals by and large are adept at "Intuition". As a society, over years, Indians develop Intuition as part of their upbringing. Indians love the idea of "Heuristics". This is a great advantage. Indian Supply Chain environment is beyond "Dynamic', it is close to "Chaotic". So Intuition plays a very important role in Indian Supply Chain environment than the close to "mechanized" way of operating a Supply Chain in a developed or a Western country. Indigenous Supply Chain Practices need to maintain & during Covid-19 probably promote "Intuition" in Supply Chain.

Covid-19 has changed the context & no amount of Technology can facilitate Supply Chain Strategic Planning. Even the Tactical level plans for Short to Medium term are going to pass through a lot of turmoil. Under these circumstances Intuition shall play an important role. Intuition in terms of appreciating long term Strategic Changes, Intuition for next period Supply Chain planning, Intuition for placing Purchase Orders or even Intuition for Transporters honouring the pick-ups & deliveries. "Intuition" is more important than "Intellect" and Covid-19 helped appreciate that.

Indigenous Supply Chain practices need to evolve on a path that may not overlap with the Western or Developed nations Supply Chain practices. "Intuition" is one dimension to be appreciated of the Indigenous Supply Chain.


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