Antifragile Supply Chains: Building Resilience Through Better Strategy and Stronger Relationships is a must-read for supply chain leaders navigating today’s rapidly evolving landscape.
In the past five years, supply chains have faced more disruption than in the previous four decades combined. From geopolitical upheavals and economic uncertainty to the rise of AI and automation, the industry is transforming at an unprecedented pace. Traditional supply chain resilience strategies are no longer enough. The goal is not just to survive disruption—but to thrive because of it.
In Antifragile Supply Chains: Building Resilience through Better Strategy and Stronger Relationships, veteran supply chain expert Anna McGovern provides a step-by-step roadmap to achieving antifragility—a state where supply chains become stronger under stress. You’ll learn how to:
- Rethink inventory management to balance agility and efficiency
- Leverage AI and emerging technologies to predict and mitigate disruptions
- Build a strategy that turns volatility into a competitive advantage
Whether you’re a supply chain executive, operations leader, or procurement professional, this book will transform how you approach supply chain management in an era of continuous disruption.
Your supply chain isn’t just a cost center—it’s your greatest strategic asset. Learn how to make it antifragile.
“I’ll admit—I wasn’t initially eager to read another supply chain book, as the field evolves so rapidly that books often become outdated. However, after seeing *Antifragile Supply Chains* by Anna McGovern, CPIM, CSCP gaining traction on LinkedIn, I decided to check it out.
And I must say—**this book is phenomenal!** 🚀 McGovern lays out forward-thinking supply chain best practices, highlighting the value of:
🔹 **DDP** as developed by Carol Ptak and Chad Smith
🔹 **SRM & supplier collaboration**
🔹 **Postponement strategies** for flexibility
🔹 **Supply chains as ecosystems** (systems thinking)
🔹 **The evolving role of procurement**
But where the book truly **shines** ✨ is in its deep dive into **anti-fragile supply chains**. McGovern presents thought-provoking perspectives on how AI will **transform** the industry—including which supply chain roles **WILL** (not might, but WILL) be replaced by AI in the future.
One of the most compelling takeaways?
💡 **Competitive advantage is often borne from addressing weaknesses.** McGovern brilliantly outlines the distinctions between **fragile, resilient, and anti-fragile** supply chains—and how companies can position themselves to **thrive in disruption** rather than simply withstand it…
Overall, *Antifragile Supply Chains* **expands the horizon** of what’s possible in supply chain strategy. McGovern makes a powerful case that:
**”Supply chains are more than a series of transactions; they are ecosystems of trust, innovation, and shared purpose.”**
🔥 **Highly recommend** this read to anyone navigating the future of supply chain strategy!
– Kathleen D Allen, M.S. GSCM, CPSM, CPS
Read Kathleen’s full review here.
A deep, wide and brilliant overview about supply chain management in the current VUCA context. With clear and direct style the author guides us toward a simple but powerful truth:
“…𝘎𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘵 𝘴𝘶𝘱𝘱𝘭𝘪𝘦𝘳 𝘳𝘦𝘭𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯𝘴𝘩𝘪𝘱𝘴 𝘢𝘳𝘦𝘯’𝘵 𝘫𝘶𝘴𝘵 𝘢𝘣𝘰𝘶𝘵 𝘤𝘰𝘴𝘵-𝘤𝘶𝘵𝘵𝘪𝘯𝘨; 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘺’𝘳𝘦 𝘢𝘣𝘰𝘶𝘵 𝘤𝘰-𝘤𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘪𝘯𝘯𝘰𝘷𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯. 𝘍𝘰𝘳𝘸𝘢𝘳𝘥-𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘬𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘤𝘰𝘮𝘱𝘢𝘯𝘪𝘦𝘴 𝘶𝘯𝘥𝘦𝘳𝘴𝘵𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘴𝘶𝘱𝘱𝘭𝘪𝘦𝘳𝘴 𝘣𝘳𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘷𝘢𝘭𝘶𝘢𝘣𝘭𝘦 𝘦𝘹𝘱𝘦𝘳𝘵𝘪𝘴𝘦 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘤𝘢𝘱𝘢𝘣𝘪𝘭𝘪𝘵𝘪𝘦𝘴 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘤𝘢𝘯 𝘧𝘶𝘦𝘭 𝘨𝘳𝘰𝘸𝘵𝘩 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘥𝘪𝘧𝘧𝘦𝘳𝘦𝘯𝘵𝘪𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯.
𝘗𝘳𝘰𝘤𝘶𝘳𝘦𝘮𝘦𝘯𝘵 𝘪𝘴 𝘯𝘰𝘸 𝘳𝘦𝘤𝘰𝘨𝘯𝘪𝘻𝘦𝘥 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘪𝘵𝘴 𝘢𝘣𝘪𝘭𝘪𝘵𝘺 𝘵𝘰 𝘥𝘳𝘪𝘷𝘦 𝘷𝘢𝘭𝘶𝘦, 𝘯𝘰𝘵 𝘫𝘶𝘴𝘵 𝘵𝘩𝘳𝘰𝘶𝘨𝘩 𝘤𝘰𝘴𝘵 𝘳𝘦𝘥𝘶𝘤𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯𝘴 𝘣𝘶𝘵 𝘣𝘺 𝘦𝘯𝘢𝘣𝘭𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘪𝘯𝘯𝘰𝘷𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯, 𝘴𝘶𝘴𝘵𝘢𝘪𝘯𝘢𝘣𝘪𝘭𝘪𝘵𝘺, 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘳𝘦𝘴𝘪𝘭𝘪𝘦𝘯𝘤𝘦 𝘢𝘤𝘳𝘰𝘴𝘴 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘰𝘳𝘨𝘢𝘯𝘪𝘻𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯…”
–
A must-read for any SCM
This book provides useful insight into the steps each SCM needs to take to stay resilient and enable their supply chain to become anti-fragile to support a growth agenda.
Excellent guide on proactive management of supply chain disruption
I really enjoyed this book It clearly explains how to build supply chains that excel during disruptions of proactive planning and a strong ecosystem of suppliers. Packed with practical insights and real-world examples, it’s a must-read for leaders aiming to future-proof their operations. Highly recommended!
Book Review: Antifragile Supply Chains by Anna McGovern
I’ll admit—I wasn’t initially eager to read another supply chain book, as the field evolves so rapidly that books often become outdated. However, after seeing Antifragile Supply Chains by Anna McGovern, CPIM, CSCP gaining traction on LinkedIn, I decided to check it out.
And I must say—this book is phenomenal! McGovern lays out forward-thinking supply chain best practices, highlighting the value of:
- DDP as developed by Carol Ptak and Chad Smith
- SRM & supplier collaboration
- Postponement strategies for flexibility
- Supply chains as ecosystems (systems thinking)
- The evolving role of procurement
But where the book truly shines is in its deep dive into anti-fragile supply chains. McGovern presents thought-provoking perspectives on how AI will transform the industry—including which supply chain roles WILL (not might, but WILL) be replaced by AI in the future.
One of the most compelling takeaways?
Competitive advantage is often borne from addressing weaknesses.
McGovern brilliantly outlines the distinctions between fragile, resilient, and anti-fragile supply chains—and how companies can position themselves to thrive in disruption rather than simply withstand it.
The only point where I might differ is her reference to the Gartner Top Supply Chain rankings—I believe the methodology used by Lora Cecere for determining the Supply Chains to Admire offers a more insightful evaluation. Cecere’s framework uses orbit charts to visualize long-term performance trends across key financial and operational metrics, providing a more dynamic assessment of supply chain excellence.
Overall, Antifragile Supply Chains expands the horizon of what’s possible in supply chain strategy. McGovern makes a powerful case that:
“Supply chains are more than a series of transactions; they are ecosystems of trust, innovation, and shared purpose.”
Highly recommend this read to anyone navigating the future of supply chain strategy!
– Kathleen D Allen, M.S. GSCM, CPSM, CPSD, Supply Chain Strategist
True SME
Fantastic insight from a very talented Supply Chain expert…read and learn! And in today’s atmosphere, a super strong anti fragile supply chain is a must.
ABOUT ANNA
Anna McGovern is the founder and managing director of Pondview Consulting, LLC. She is a supply chain and procurement executive with front-line experience in supply chain, procurement, and value chain analysis, with a concentration on identifying margin enhancement opportunities.
Her journey from a hands-on operator in the corporate world to an independent consultant has been filled with learning, growth, and immense satisfaction. Having navigated through the complexities of large-scale operations and strategic procurement, she has a deep understanding of the intricacies and challenges that businesses face today. She has seen firsthand how the supply chain and procurement landscape has evolved, adapting to technological advancements, market shifts, and global trends.
With experience spanning over three decades, Anna has worked in local, regional, and international supply chains. Her global perspective enables her to provide insights that are broad in scope and equips her to offer tailored solutions for diverse business needs.
Working with Anna means partnering with someone who knows what works and what doesn’t, and who can foresee challenges and opportunities. She is committed to leveraging her experience to help your business navigate its supply chain and procurement challenges with strategic foresight and operational excellence.
Anna has previously served as the CSCO for Food Bank For NYC, the VP of Supply Chain and Procurement for Arcade Beauty, and Global Senior Director and Chief Procurement Officer for Global Personal Care for Unilever. She has also trained and worked in all facets of supply chain planning, including setting up sales and operations planning models, demand and supply planning, and leading new product development and innovation planning. She is active in the supply chain industry and serves as secretary of the board and a member of the executive committee for CONNSTEP. Anna earned her MBA from Sacred Heart University and earned certification in Designing Competitive Supply Chains from Penn State University. She has earned CPIM and CSCP certifications from the Association for Supply Chain Management.
