The Supply Chain Shift from Cost Center to Profit Driver Data Study
A custom online survey to two audiences including 100 US C-levels, with influence over or oversight of supply chain decisions, with the following qualifying titles: CFO, COO, CSCO, and 100 US supply chain leaders, defined as supply chain, planning and inventory executives, with a minimum seniority of manager, working at discrete manufacturing companies.
Do you see potential supply chain consequences of tariffs implemented by the new US administration more as a threat or as a growth opportunity for your business?
C-Level Executives |
Supply Chain Leaders |
|
| Entirely a threat | 9% |
|
| Mostly a threat, but some opportunity | 26% |
|
| Equally a threat and an opportunity | 17% |
|
| Mostly an opportunity, but some threat | ||
| Entirely an opportunity |
Do you see potential supply chain consequences of tariffs implemented by the new US administration more as a threat or as a growth opportunity for your business?
Do you see potential supply chain consequences of tariffs implemented by the new US administration more as a threat or as a growth opportunity for your business?
| C-Level Executives |
Supply Chain Leaders |
|
| Entirely a threat |
9% |
|
| Mostly a threat, but some opportunity |
26% |
|
| Equally a threat and an opportunity |
17% |
|
| Mostly an opportunity, but some threat |
17% |
|
|
Entirely an opportunity |
31% |
Is supply chain in your organization seen more as a...
| C-Level Executives | Supply Chain Leaders | |
|---|---|---|
| Growth Driver | 70% | 85% |
| Cost Center | 30% | 15% |
How strongly do you agree or disagree with the following statement: "Leadership is skeptical of the link between supply chain resiliency and business growth."
| C-Level Executives | Supply Chain Leaders | |
|---|---|---|
| Strongly agree | 47% | 21% |
| Somewhat agree | 38% | 73% |
| Somewhat disagree | 5% | 5% |
| Strongly disagree | 10% | 1% |
How often do supply chain leaders at your company struggle to effectively communicate the business value that supply chain creates to company's business leadership?
| C-Level Executives | Supply Chain Leaders | |
|---|---|---|
| All the time | 14% | 9% |
| Often | 54% | 43% |
| Sometimes | 31% | 48% |
| Rarely | 1% | |
| Never |
In your opinion, what is the best way to bridge any divide between supply chain and the C-Suite?
| C-Level Executives | Supply Chain Leaders | |
|---|---|---|
| It’s on supply chain functional leaders to better communicate their value to business leadership | 55% | 61% |
| It’s on business leadership to understand the important value of the supply chain function and prioritize their needs | 45% | 39% |
What are the greatest risks of delaying operational innovations in your organization's supply chain? Please select all that apply.
| C-Level Executives | Supply Chain Leaders | |
|---|---|---|
| Increased risk of production disruptions or delays | 53% | 46% |
| Slower response to market fluctuations | 43% | 31% |
| Paying higher costs for inventory | 41% | 53% |
| Reputational damage and lost revenue | 39% | 53% |
| More challenging to stay in compliance with regulations | 37% | 50% |
| Falling behind competitors | 30% | 32% |
| None of these | 1% |
Do you see potential supply chain consequences of tariffs implemented by the new US administration more as a threat or as a growth opportunity for your business?
| C-Level Executives | Supply Chain Leaders | |
|---|---|---|
| Entirely a threat | 9% | 7% |
| Mostly a threat, but some opportunity | 26% | 29% |
| Equally a threat and an opportunity | 17% | 23% |
| Mostly an opportunity, but some threat | 17% | 23% |
| Entirely an opportunity | 31% | 18% |
Which of these are most likely to happen for your supply chain operational function over the next 12 months? Select all that apply.
| C-Level Executives | Supply Chain Leaders | |
|---|---|---|
| Increased visibility with C-Suite leadership | 46% | 37% |
| Increase staffing | 41% | 34% |
| An increase in investment | 38% | 37% |
| Expanding or diversifying supplier base | 37% | 42% |
| Adopt new digital tools or platforms | 34% | 49% |
| Focus on sustainability initiatives | 29% | 40% |
| Rely more on AI | 26% | 33% |
| Bring in consultant strategy help | 22% | 24% |
| Decrease staffing | 16% | 10% |
| None of these |
What supply chain challenges keep you up at night? Please select all that apply.
| C-Level Executives | Supply Chain Leaders | |
|---|---|---|
| Managing disruptions caused by material shortages or delays | 38% | 33% |
| Balancing sustainability goals with operational efficiency | 37% | 41% |
| Compliance and regulatory changes such as tariffs or environmental standards | 35% | 41% |
| Pressure to reduce costs without compromising delivery performance | 33% | 37% |
| Inaccurate or obsolete forecasting | 33% | 27% |
| Lack of visibility across sites and supply chain operations | 29% | 30% |
| Outdated tools that can’t keep up with inventory management | 24% | 31% |
| Poor supplier performance | 23% | 31% |
| Recruiting top-tier talent | 22% | 28% |
When do you expect to see a positive ROI from investments in AI and machine learning to your supply chain function?
| C-Level Executives | Supply Chain Leaders | |
|---|---|---|
| We’ve already seen a positive ROI | 11% | 10% |
| In the next 6 months | 13% | 5% |
| In the next year | 15% | 19% |
| 1-2 years from now | 48% | 55% |
| Longer than 2 years from now | 8% | 9% |
| We may never see a positive ROI | 5% | 2% |
| We have not invested in AI or machine learning for our supply chain function |
What are the most effective ways your company is improving its supply chain reliability? Please select all that apply.
| C-Level Executives | Supply Chain Leaders | |
|---|---|---|
| Implementing strategies for supply network synchronization | 41% | 39% |
| Enhancing visibility across sites and operations | 41% | 37% |
| Investing in AI and machine learning | 41% | 50% |
| Upgrading our data infrastructure | 39% | 39% |
| Creating a digital supply chain | 38% | 32% |
| Deploying holistic inventory optimization procedures | 35% | 33% |
| Diversifying or expanding the supplier base | 31% | 45% |
| Hiring more talent | 25% | 23% |
| Other | ||
| None of these |
How much more proactive do your organization's supply chain logistics need to be to maximize growth?
| C-Level Executives | Supply Chain Leaders | |
|---|---|---|
| Significantly more proactive | 29% | 22% |
| Somewhat more proactive | 48% | 56% |
| A little more proactive | 19% | 16% |
| We are already as proactive as we need to be | 4% | 6% |
Which best describes the role of the top executive who is primarily focused on supply chain?
| C-Level Executives | Supply Chain Leaders | |
|---|---|---|
| A C-suite role | 36% | 16% |
| A department head that reports to C-Suite leadership | 37% | 35% |
| A department head that reports to another department | 14% | 34% |
| A sub-department head that reports to their department head | 13% | 15% |
| We don’t have a top executive primarily focused on supply chain |
How much progress has your organization made towards digital supply chain synchronization?
| C-Level Executives | Supply Chain Leaders | |
|---|---|---|
| We have reached full synchronization | 19% | 18% |
| We are working steadily towards full synchronization | 57% | 51% |
| We have started the process but are still a ways away | 18% | 24% |
| We have not started the process but are planning on it | 6% | 5% |
| We have not started the process but are planning on it | 2% |
What are the most impactful positive benefits of digital supply chain synchronization for your organization? Please select all that apply.
| C-Level Executives | Supply Chain Leaders | |
|---|---|---|
| Enhanced supplier reliability | 54% | 53% |
| Increased growth and revenue | 51% | 53% |
| Improved on-time delivery | 48% | 49% |
| Freeing working capital | 38% | 43% |
| Minimizing risk from disruptions | 38% | 42% |
| Lowering operating costs | 38% | 42% |
| Other | 1% | |
| None of these |
How strongly do you agree or disagree with the following statement: "AI-driven insights for our supply chain are essential to predict and prevent supply chain disruptions."
| C-Level Executives | Supply Chain Leaders | |
|---|---|---|
| Strongly agree | 50% | 28% |
| Somewhat agree | 42% | 72% |
| Somewhat disagree | 8% | |
| Strongly disagree |
Methodological Notes:
The LeanDNA Survey was conducted by Wakefield Research among 100 US c-levels, with influence over or oversight of supply chain decisions, with the following qualifying titles: CFO, COO, CSCO, and also among 100 US supply chain leaders, defined as supply chain, planning and inventory executives, with a minimum seniority of manager, working at discrete manufacturing companies, between February 3rd and February 11th, 2025, using an email invitation and an online survey.