The Thinking Supply Chain: Engaging A Smarter Supply Chain (Hardcover)

About The Book

Over the past five years, through my work in consulting and corporate training, I have had the opportunity to engage with leaders and professionals across a wide range of industries. These interactions have highlighted a consistent and important insight—while Artificial Intelligence (AI) is widely acknowledged as a strategic priority, there remains a significant gap in its practical understanding, particularly within supply chain functions.
AI continues to be surrounded by two contrasting misconceptions. On one hand, it is perceived as an overly complex, highly technical domain limited to specialists. On the other, it is often viewed as a fully autonomous solution capable of delivering outcomes without adequate human oversight. Both perspectives can impede meaningful adoption—either by creating hesitation or by fostering unrealistic expectations.
For supply chain leaders, this gap presents a critical challenge. As organizations accelerate their digital transformation initiatives, supply chains are expected to become more agile, data-driven, and resilient. AI has the potential to enable these capabilities by enhancing decision-making, improving forecast accuracy, and optimizing end-to-end operations. However, without a clear understanding of its practical applications and value drivers, these investments risk being underutilized.

This book is intended to address that need.
It offers a structured and pragmatic perspective on Artificial Intelligence, specifically contextualized for supply chain environments. The emphasis is not on technical complexity, but on strategic clarity—enabling leaders to understand where AI creates value, identify high-impact use cases, and make informed decisions on adoption and implementation.
The objective is to support supply chain professionals and decision-makers in moving beyond conceptual awareness toward confident, value-driven application of AI—positioning it as a practical enabler of operational excellence and sustained competitive advantage

About The Author

Ujjwal Basu brings over two decades of global experience in supply chain management, having worked across the India Subcontinent, Asia Pacific, the Middle East, and the United States territories. Over the course of his 24-year career, he has led complex transformation initiatives, including greenfield and brownfield projects, driving operational excellence across procurement, logistics, inventory management, and production planning for leading multinational organizations.
His professional journey reflects a rare combination of hands-on leadership and strategic vision. Having operated at the forefront of supply chain transformation, Ujjwal has consistently enabled organizations to enhance efficiency, build resilience, and scale operations in increasingly complex and competitive environments.
In the past five years, he has focused on corporate training and consulting, partnering with organizations and professionals to strengthen capabilities and prepare for the next phase of supply chain evolution. His work is grounded in practical application, helping teams translate strategy into execution with clarity and confidence.
Ujjwal’s current focus lies in advancing the need to Integrate Artificial Intelligence and emerging technologies within supply chain ecosystems. He is particularly passionate about demystifying AI for business leaders and enabling its adoption in ways that are both practical and value-driven.
Through this book, he draws upon his global experience and advisory work to provide a clear and actionable perspective—equipping professionals to navigate the intersection of technology and supply chain with insight, confidence, and purpose.