Fronetics Logo - navy
Contact Us
5 TED Talks for the Supply Chain Industry

5 TED Talks for the Supply Chain Industry

by | Jan 3, 2025 | Leadership, Supply Chain

From the rise of AI-driven logistics to sustainability challenges, supply chain professionals face unprecedented opportunities and obstacles. To help navigate this evolving landscape, we’ve curated five thought-provoking TED Talks for the supply chain industry that offer fresh perspectives and innovative solutions for the industry. Whether you’re a seasoned logistics expert or new to the field, these presentations deliver valuable insights into the future of supply chain management, featuring speakers who are reshaping how we think about everything from last-mile delivery to circular economy principles.

Here are 5 TED Talks for the Supply Chain

1) How to Fix Broken Supply Chains

By Dustin Burke

Supply chain challenges are real, but they’re not new, says global trade expert Dustin Burke. In the face of disruptions ranging from natural disasters to pandemics, how do we make sure supply chains can keep up? Burke offers a combination of solutions — from companies sharing risk to better forecasting disruptions — to help create a more resilient, efficient tomorrow.

Listen now >>

2) How Supply Chain Transparency Can Help the Planet

By Markus Mutz

Given the option, few would choose to buy products that harm the earth — yet it’s nearly impossible to know how most consumer goods are made or where they’re sourced from. That’s about to change, says supply chain innovator Markus Mutz. He shares how he used blockchain technology to track Patagonian toothfish on their journey from ocean to dinner plate — and proved it’s possible to offer consumers a product they can trust.

Listen now >>

3) Overcoming Fear in Manufacturing

By Katie Armstrong

Manufacturing has used relatively the same methodologies for improvements since the 1940s. There is a huge emphasis on quality in highly regulated industries such as semiconductor and automotive manufacturing. In recent years, these industries have struggled to keep up with the innovation pace that the market demands. These industries are starting to be driven by a fear of failure rather than a passion for creating value for the customer. What would the world look like if we stopped letting fear dictate our decision-making? Katie Armstrong is pursuing a part-time MBA at Bentley University and is the graduate winner of the 2022 BentleyU TEDx speaker competition. She currently works as a supplier quality engineer in the semiconductor industry and has experience working in automotive manufacturing as well. Katie is passionate about technological innovation and the positive benefits of change in manufacturing. When not working or at school, Katie enjoys hiking, rock climbing, backpacking, and anything else outdoors. This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently organized by a local community.

Listen now >>

4) The Next Wave of Innovation in Freight

By Oren Zaslansky

Throughout the U.S., millions of freight trucks are buzzing goods across state lines, producing massive amounts of greenhouse emissions — and some of them are only half full. Working to make this 400-billion-dollar-a-year supply chain process as efficient and sustainable as possible, freight expert Oren Zaslansky digs into the logistics of filling these trucks to their maximum capacity through algorithmic carpooling (think: ride-sharing your freight) — bringing with it the potential of a more transparent and eco-friendly global supply chain.

Listen now >>

5) Why Rivals Are Working Together to Transform Shipping

By Bo Cerup-Simonsen

What would it take to make global supply chains cleaner and greener? Bo Cerup-Simonsen — who’s helping decarbonize the maritime industry as CEO of the Mærsk Mc-Kinney Møller Center for Zero Carbon Shipping — discusses why tenacious collaboration is key to orchestrating systemic change. In conversation with TED’s Lindsay Levin, he shares important lessons on collective problem-solving and decision-making that could benefit any industry making a green transition.

Listen now >>

Each of these TED Talks for the supply chain brings unique insights to the complex world of supply chain management. By incorporating these diverse perspectives – from technological innovation to human psychology – supply chain professionals can build more resilient, sustainable, and efficient operations for the future.

Read more:

5 More TED Talks for the Supply Chain

5 More TED Talks for the Supply Chain

by | Oct 18, 2016 | Blog, Logistics, Manufacturing & Distribution, Strategy, Supply Chain

These TED Talks, which cover issues from technology to business strategy, will be of interest to companies in the supply chain.  

Back in December, we wrote about 5 TED Talks that might be of interest to the supply chain. Since that time, the popularity of the site has continued to grow, and it continues to add more interesting and thought-provoking content.  

Here are 5 more TED Talks from 2016 that companies in the supply chain and logistics industry will want to see. They cover a range of topics, from technology to business strategy.

TED Talks the supply chain will want to watch

1. The Next Manufacturing Revolution Is Here

By Oliver Scalabre, Senior Partner and Managing Director, BCG – Paris

Economic growth has been slowing for the past 50 years, but relief might come from an unexpected place — a new form of manufacturing that is neither what you thought it was nor where you thought it was. Industrial systems thinker Olivier Scalabre details how a fourth manufacturing revolution will produce a macroeconomic shift and boost employment, productivity, and growth. Watch

2. The Jobs We’ll Lose to Machines — and the Ones We Won’t

By Anthony Goldbloom, Co-Founder and CEO of Kaggle

Machine learning isn’t just for simple tasks like assessing credit risk and sorting mail anymore — today, it’s capable of far more complex applications, like grading essays and diagnosing diseases. With these advances comes an uneasy question: Will a robot do your job in the future? Watch

3. Two Reasons Companies Fail — and How to Avoid Them

By Knut Haanaes, Professor of Strategy and International Management, IMD

Is it possible to run a company and reinvent it at the same time? For business strategist Knut Haanaes, the ability to innovate after becoming successful is the mark of a great organization. He shares insights on how to strike a balance between perfecting what we already know and exploring totally new ideas — and lays out how to avoid two major strategy traps. Watch

4. How to Build a Business that Lasts 100 Years

By Martin Reeves, Director of the BCG Henderson Institute

If you want to build a business that lasts, there may be no better place to look for inspiration than your own immune system. Join strategist Martin Reeves as he shares startling statistics about shrinking corporate life spans and explains how executives can apply six principles from living organisms to build resilient businesses that flourish in the face of change. Watch

5. Shape-Shifting Tech Will Change Work as We Know It

By Sean Follmer, Assistant Professor of Mechanical Engineering, Stanford University

What will the world look like when we move beyond the keyboard and mouse? Interaction designer Sean Follmer is building a future with machines that bring information to life under your fingers as you work with it. In this talk, check out prototypes for a 3D shape-shifting table, a phone that turns into a wristband, a deformable game controller and more that may change the way we live and work. Watch

Related posts: