Collaboration in the Supply Chain: Companies Rely on Cooperation

The vast majority of the companies surveyed for the 17th Hermes Barometer have recognized the high potential of cross-company collaboration and operational networking within the supply chain. Thus, 65 percent of the decision-makers believe that efficiency increases in the supply chain will only be possible in the future through cooperation and data exchange with business customers and suppliers. In larger companies with 250 to 1,000 employees, all respondents share this assessment. Moreover, 68 percent have already implemented intensive cooperation with customers and suppliers in their daily business.

Companies assess personal contact and exchange between the various partners as a significant advantage of collaborative cooperation. About nine out of ten supply chain managers (88 percent) attribute importance to this. In companies with 50 to 250 as well as 250 to 1,000 employees, 89 and 83 percent of respondents confirm the relevance of cross-company communication in the supply chain.

Free Download!

Respondents rated the transparency enabled by a shared view of the supply chain as significant. Three-quarters of respondents assess this effect of cooperation as crucial for success, with 83 percent confirming this in companies with 250 to 1,000 employees. "Transparency is both a prerequisite and a result of collaborative processes – especially when they are digitally supported," says Moritz Gborglah, Division Manager and Expert in Digital Transformation at Hermes International, a division of Hermes Germany. "Sharing data and information enables joint management, and shared use, in turn, promotes the collection of high-quality data material. This allows for the continuous optimization of cooperative processes."