Supply chain

From efficiency to adaptability: how to (re)design a successful supply chain

International survey highlights transition from efficiency models to adaptive strategies, with digitisation and sustainability at the core of future competitiveness

by Gianni Rusconi

15 December 2025

4' min read

Translated by AI

Versione italiana

4' min read

Translated by AI

Versione italiana

The scenario of uncertainty that has reigned on an international scale for years now is forcing business processes to rethink, and even the supply chain is not excluded from this principle. A recent recent study by BearingPoint, an independent multinational strategy consultancy, conducted on a global scale between July and August 2025 on a sample of 620 senior executives of large organisations operating in Europe, North America and Asia, has traced the dynamics of how companies - in an era of strong discontinuity - can find competitive advantage by taking targeted action on their supply chains. The picture that emerges shows, first of all, a clear trend away from efficiency-based models in favour of other adaptability-oriented models, with artificial intelligence and circularity among the main drivers of the next wave of value generation.

Between digitisation and nearshoring

In the scenario sketched by the survey, some evidence stands out that clearly portrays a situation in great flux. Slightly less than half of the executives interviewed (48% to be precise), are pursuing plans to regionalise or localise their supply chains, but high production costs and some supplier gaps continue to slow down progress in this direction. In contrast, 44% of companies see circularity as a strategic growth driver rather than a regulatory obligation. Regarding the use of new technologies, as many as 69% of companies list cloud platforms among their top three investments, confirming them as the main enabler of supply chain transformation, while only 8% have fully integrated AI and predictive intelligence solutions into their supply chain operations. In general, companies are showing more focus on designing supply chains that can reconfigure dynamically and in real time rather than preparing for occasional crises, confirming a clear shift towards a more adaptive approach, aimed at increasing responsiveness (to continuous market variables and changes in the regulatory framework) and accelerating decision-making. "Global supply chains - observed in this regard Claudio Brusatori, Partner & Practice Leader of BearingPoint Italy - are facing an unprecedented transformation: tariffs, geopolitical instability and new ESG regulations are forcing companies to rethink models historically based on efficiency, and our study confirms that only 10% of companies have truly integrated risk management into their supply chain governance". The road ahead is therefore long and for Italian companies, for whom quality and brand reputation are a distinctive trait, the challenge is twofold and involves protecting the value of their brand and business continuity. "In order to be able to overcome these challenges," Brusatori continued, "our companies must transform these critical issues into opportunities and growth levers, through more agile processes, digitalisation and near-shoring strategies capable of strengthening competitiveness without sacrificing excellence.

AI at the heart of transformation

According to the study, 90 per cent of managers are of the opinion that artificial intelligence will reshape supply chains within the next five years, precisely because the competitiveness of supply chains will depend more on adaptability to the context than on traditional cost rationalisation. To be able to seize this transformative advantage, however, digitally connected supply chains will need to be able to anticipate discontinuities rather than simply react to disruptions. This is where algorithmic technologies come in, which are enjoying great enthusiasm but still lack maturity in terms of adoption. In fact, only one in ten companies (8 per cent) have fully integrated AI solutions and applications into their operations, encountering obstacles such as fragmented data systems, poor visibility across global networks and a lack of scalable digital infrastructure. Companies that bridge this gap by investing in integrated platforms and data governance, reads the note accompanying the study, can gain a decisive advantage in terms of decision-making speed, operational efficiency and resilience.

Challenges and Opportunities

Although two-thirds of respondents state that localisation is a key step in enhancing resilience and reducing exposure to geopolitical risks, many organisations are struggling with the financial implications of restructuring their supplier network and the need to comply with evolving local compliance requirements. It is therefore not surprising that a pragmatic and phased approach to regionalisation strategies has emerged and taken hold, reinforced not only by the cost burden of producing locally but also by the data quality challenges required to adopt artificial intelligence and data analytics solutions.

For Italian companies, as BearingPoint's experts well explain, being characterised by complex supply chains and strong specialisation requires them to boldly rethink their operating model, focusing on predictive systems, collaborative platforms and an increasingly circular supply chain. The evolution towards more regionalised models is, however, increasingly intertwined with the drive for sustainability: 44% of the responding managers now consider circularity a strategic lever for growth, and not just a regulatory obligation. Reverse logistics, product-as-a-service vision and material recovery are becoming the key tools to reduce waste, create new value streams and strengthen brand positioning.

How to build super adaptive supply chains

Finally, the report identifies some key areas for action for organisations wishing to 'step change' in the name of greater adaptability. The first step is perhaps the most challenging and costly, and involves reconfiguring supply networks to ensure regional resilience and agility. The second calls for technology and involves building a digital backbone based on cloud and reliable data and scaling AI within the corporate nervous system to enable predictive orchestration models and real-time decision-making. And again: integrating circularity to unlock sustainable competitive advantage must be matched by developing adaptive leadership and enhancing a cross-functional orchestration mode. Companies, in other words, must evolve from static planning towards a model of continuous analysis, capable of guaranteeing timely and informed decisions; 'super adaptive' supply chains are, after all, based on technology enablement and revision of the operating model, as well as on principles of open collaboration within the ecosystem. From these assumptions, here is the final assumption to put on the agenda of the C-Suite and procurement managers: organisations that integrate adaptability at the core of their strategy (by investing in AI, sustainability and skills development) will be the ones best positioned to turn discontinuity into a lasting competitive advantage. For themselves and their supply chains.