In any line of business, costs can be a concern. For manufacturers, however, reducing those supply chain costs are a top concern, according to a recent survey by IDC Manufacturing Insights titled “Business Strategy: 2012 Supply Chain Survey — Manufacturing Priorities and New Technology Adoption.” The survey stated that 82 percent of respondents rate reducing overall supply chain costs as the No. 1 supply chain priority in the coming year.
The survey also found that nearly 55 percent suggest supply chain agility as the second priority, and 52 percent suggest improving product quality and safety as the third most important priority. Respondents also were asked to rate the level of importance of new technology areas. Big data/analytics was named the top technology followed by mobility, cloud computing/software as a service and social business tools.