How do you ensure your supply chain is flexible enough to adapt to disruptions? What role does agility play in quickly responding to sudden changes in availability, prices, or delivery times? Saving Changes...
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Pham Van PhuongProject Manager| FUJI CAC JOINT STOCK COMPANYHo Chi Minh, Viet Nam
Hi Aung Sint;
To keep the supply chain resilient in the face of disruptions, in my view companies should:
Diversify suppliers and logistics routes to ensure alternative options are always available.
- Maintain safety stock and transparent data sharing to stay in control of coordination.
- Run scenario planning and enable fast decision-making when sudden shocks occur.
That said, flexibility alone is not enough. Agility – the ability to respond quickly – is the decisive factor. Without timely action, the risk:
- Rising raw material and logistics costs compared to the original plan.
- Currency fluctuations that push actual payment costs beyond expectations.
Lesson learned (Vietnam case): In the past six months, the USD/VND exchange rate has risen from around 25,500 to 26,400 (a 3–4% increase). If an import contract was signed at the lower rate but settled at the higher rate, the company had to absorb a significant cost overrun.
Therefore, We need to combine flexibility (multiple options to adapt) with agility (speed of execution) to control costs and protect margins.
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Sergio Luis ConteHelping to create solutions for everyone| Worldwide based OrganizationsBuenos Aires, Argentina
Agile was created in 1990 to be applied to Manufacturing. It was inside the USA/DoD Agility Forum in Leihigh University. The forum is still active in the Lee Iaccoca Institute in the same University but it is not free for access. No matter that, you can find the papers in the internet where you can see that Agile is based on enterprise architecture, not in a mindset, not in using a method, not in creating software products only. I have applied it in construction.
Agile was created in 1990 to be applied to Manufacturing. It was inside the USA/DoD Agility Forum in Leihigh University. The forum is still active in the Lee Iaccoca Institute in the same University but it is not free for access. No matter that, you can find the papers in the internet where you can see that Agile is based on enterprise architecture, not in a mindset, not in using a method, not in creating software products only. I have applied it in construction.
FRANCA OHIENQuantity Surveyor| Sterling Oil Exploration and Energy Production CompanyLagos, Lagos, Nigeria
Sep 12, 2025 10:12 AM
Replying to Sergio Luis Conte
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Agile was created in 1990 to be applied to Manufacturing. It was inside the USA/DoD Agility Forum in Leihigh University. The forum is still active in the Lee Iaccoca Institute in the same University but it is not free for access. No matter that, you can find the papers in the internet where you can see that Agile is based on enterprise architecture, not in a mindset, not in using a method, not in creating software products only. I have applied it in construction.
Yes, agile can be applied to construction but not alone.
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1 reply by Sergio Luis Conte
Sep 20, 2025 8:40 AM
Sergio Luis Conte
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Because Agile is just a way of working creating to find something superior to Lean. Agile provides agility while Lean provides flexibility. In the same time agile was defined in Japan there was other way called Holonic Manufacturing. In fact, the name of the first paper about agile in the late 80 was Agile Manufacturing.
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Luis BrancoCEO| Business Insight, Consultores de Gestão, LdªCarcavelos, Lisboa, Portugal
Aung Sint A timely and essential question, especially in construction, where supply chain disruptions can derail entire project schedules.
In my experience, supply chain flexibility is no longer a “nice-to-have”.
It’s a strategic capability.
And agility is not just about speed, but about intelligent responsiveness.
What makes a real difference:
- Scenario-based planning → Preparing for variability, not just efficiency.
- Stronger supplier relationships → Moving from transactional to collaborative models.
- Real-time visibility → Using data to anticipate risks, not just to react.
- Decentralized decision-making → Empowering teams closer to the action to adapt in real time.
- RCPCV™-style cycles → (Re)gathering facts, consulting stakeholders, and making decisions iteratively as new conditions emerge.
Construction supply chains need more than contingency plans, they need cognitive agility supported by trusted partnerships and continuous learning loops.
Curious to hear: How are others designing adaptive governance around supply chain decisions?
Saving Changes...
Sergio Luis ConteHelping to create solutions for everyone| Worldwide based OrganizationsBuenos Aires, Argentina
Sep 20, 2025 1:39 AM
Replying to FRANCA OHIEN
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Yes, agile can be applied to construction but not alone.
Because Agile is just a way of working creating to find something superior to Lean. Agile provides agility while Lean provides flexibility. In the same time agile was defined in Japan there was other way called Holonic Manufacturing. In fact, the name of the first paper about agile in the late 80 was Agile Manufacturing. Saving Changes...
In the construction industry, integrating supply chain flexibility and agility is crucial for managing uncertainties and ensuring timely project delivery. Flexibility involves diversifying suppliers and logistics routes to provide alternative options during disruptions, while agility emphasizes the ability to respond swiftly to changes in material availability, prices, or delivery schedules. Combining these two aspects enables construction projects to adapt to unforeseen challenges, mitigate risks, and maintain cost control, ultimately leading to enhanced resilience and efficiency in project execution. Saving Changes...
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