Nine areas are surveyed in the MHI report on supply chain technologies, says Thomas Boykin, specialist leader in Deloitte's supply chain operations practice. The report is available at www.mhi.org.

Cloud computing and storage, industrial internet phase, robotics and automation, autonomous vehicles and drones, artificial intelligence, blockchain and mobile wearables are among the technologies the report defines as “leading” based on their capability to dramatically impact the supply chain.

Findings are based on a survey that tracked adoption rates of the technologies as well as barriers to investment in them, Boykin says. “We survey every year between 1,000 and 5,000 supply chain executives on their level of adoption.” Approximately 1,100 were interviewed for this year’s report. The respondents worked across all industries, and their companies represented a cross-section of all sizes.

The report, available to all, typically is accessed by tens of thousands, Boykin says. Generally, only supply chain professionals download it. “But as we know, supply chain has been in the news of late. So, we expect interest from all walks of life.”

The primary intent of the report is to educate supply chain professionals and the public about the technologies’ capability to influence or impact supply chains now and in the future, says Boykin. Second is to track the level of impact that these could have on supply chains. Third is to track the level of adoption and investment companies have. And fourth is to understand the barriers to adoption that companies are facing.

Each year, feedback on the report begins shortly after its release. Work on the following year’s release begins in August. Survey questions are finalized and submitted to respondents. Results are analyzed and insights are “crystallized” by March. The report is released at either the Modex or ProMat trade shows.