The increasingly complex global trade environment presents significant challenges for businesses worldwide. Tariff barriers, supply chain disruptions, and geopolitical risks all threaten to erode profit margins. Yet within these challenges lie opportunities—and new research reveals how supply chain leaders are leveraging technology to drive growth.
A recent study by Descartes Systems Group found that 74% of the 978 supply chain executives surveyed view technology as a critical component of their growth strategy. Even more striking, among companies expecting over 15% growth in the next two years, this figure jumps to 88%. These findings demonstrate that in today's volatile market, technology has transitioned from optional to essential for sustainable growth.
The Most Valued Supply Chain Technologies
The research identified three key technologies that supply chain leaders prioritize:
- Global trade intelligence (36%) leads as the most valuable technology, providing real-time insights into policy changes, competitor activity, market opportunities, and supply chain risks.
- Global trade analysis (27%) helps organizations analyze vast trade datasets to identify patterns, optimize logistics, predict demand fluctuations, and improve efficiency.
- Supply chain mapping (26%) offers end-to-end visibility across supply networks, enabling businesses to identify vulnerabilities and enhance resilience.
Why These Technologies Matter
Global trade intelligence transforms raw data into actionable insights, allowing companies to make informed decisions that optimize operations while mitigating risks. The technology's ability to monitor regulatory changes and market shifts in real time proves particularly valuable for manufacturing, wholesale, financial services, and retail sectors.
Trade analysis tools go beyond data collection by uncovering hidden trends and inefficiencies. Organizations using these solutions report improved route optimization, demand forecasting, and overall supply chain performance.
Supply chain mapping addresses one of the most persistent challenges in global trade—lack of transparency. By visualizing every node in their supply network, businesses gain critical awareness of potential bottlenecks and single points of failure.
The study's conclusion is clear: in an era of mounting trade complexity, technological adoption separates industry leaders from competitors. Companies implementing these solutions demonstrate greater agility, risk awareness, and operational efficiency—key advantages in today's challenging business environment.