Although today's supply chains are global, companies' supply chain management challenges and needs differ in important ways by region and country. In addition to the longstanding need to contend with an inherently complicated and fragmented home market, European companies are faced with new challenges, including the return of geopolitical turmoil, not just to Europe's borders, but to the heart of Central Europe; continued macroeconomic weakness and uncertainty in Europe; fundamental changes to global markets for energy and raw materials; the impact of technological breakthroughs in areas such as robotics and data analytics; the rising importance of emerging markets; and growing concern over the environmental impact of companies' supply chains.
The Changing Role of the Supply Chain Organization.