Ash should not cloud supply chain vision

The point is that without good data, businesses will tend to make the obvious or easy choices, rather than the best ones. But providing that data quickly and reliably means investing in IT. It also means investing in IT now, as when a disaster does strike, it will be too late.

At least, as AMR's O'Marah emphasises, IT investments are cheap, at least in the context of the other measures companies can take to reduce supply chain risks.

The benefits are also much quicker to realise, with a supply chain or retail analytics project taking six to 18 months, against three years or more to build a new plant.

And, if companies have good data on their demand and from their supply chains, there will be something concrete to discuss in those fancy new telepresence suites we're being encouraged to order this week.

Stephen Pritchard is a contributing editor at IT PRO.

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