Are You Building a Cookie Cutter Supply Chain?

In my work life, I believe that I am dealing daily with a type of cookie cutter.  It is the design of a supply chain that is stamped or molded routinely without thinking about form and function.  I am going to call it the supply chain cookie cutter syndrome.  I feel that this syndrome is becoming more acute.

Cookie cutters come in all shapes and sizes.  When I looked up the term in Wikipedia, I found an interesting antidote: "Cookie cutter," when used as an adjective, is defined as a "lack of originality or distinction" - a reference to the uniformity that results from the use of a cookie cutter. An example might be a reference to a suburban subdivision's housing, all looking pretty much alike, as "cookie cutter homes".

I thought hmmm.  I am seeing more and more cookie cutter supply chains.  What happened to the understanding of the basics?

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