Page 31 - Msingi Afrika Magazine Issue 17
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Economy Leadership
SUPPLY CHAIN
MATTERS
Chioma Phillips
certain cars or laptops or video ic over dry ice or carbon dioxide
ll this talk about global games, because there are no chips (which is in the air all around us)
supply chain issues has available – even if they have all been points to the fact that outsourcing
me thinking. Some peo- manufactured. The world is now has led to a form of global laziness,
Aple are saying the global so interlinked that it can even be ineptitude and stagnation, as basic
supply chain is failing (of course it’s deemed an act of hostility to change skills that people should have within
just being manipulated), others are prices of basic components, because their borders, are virtually non-ex-
panicking because they ‘suddenly global economies depend heavily istent. An overspecialization has led
realized’ that Taiwan and South on systems that – if there is a slight to a situation where simple tasks are
Korea had the monopoly on the change – can cause major surges ‘left to the experts’, where people
manufacture of critical chips, others and shifts and problems across the have ceased to exercise their minds
are freaking out because medica- board. to try to solve problems or innovate,
tion they needed was manufactured I guess the panic that is being felt but would rather pick up the phone
by China and just was not being by the likes of Elon Musk, with and ‘call a guy I know’ in order to
shipped ‘because of Covid’ and regard to production for Tesla, is the resolve things. This leaves them and
recently the UK was almost beside world’s way of acknowledging that their countries and families vulner-
itself because they were running it made stupid mistakes in setting up able.
out of carbon dioxide to make their the system that it has. There are so That’s the most useless and impris-
fizzy drinks and dry ice to preserve many vulnerabilities in supply chain oning strategy that any country or
their frozen foods with. (At the logistics that it requires that every government can create for its people
same time as Iceland is turning on a single person on earth be on their to live by. How can you, in this day
carbon sequestering machine – the best behavior so as not to destabilize and age of so much global insanity,
world makes less and less sense as the global economy or poison each think it wise to leave yourself in the
the days go by.) other to death. Now, with countries hands of a system that is so easily
Let’s get back to the supply chain. like America constantly flexing their manipulated and contaminated?
The world went and created a muscles against others – and vice Then act shocked when everything
system for the manufacture of versa – there is no such thing as goes awry?
necessities and luxury items that ‘best behavior’ and manufacturing But even in this, there is opportunity
depend on several different nations has become like a war where threats for a thinking Afrika to shore up its
each providing components that and intimidation are used to keep basic skills and make sure its people
go towards the assembly and/or outsourced businesses (or rather are able to handle all the necessary
construction of the final product. their governments) in line, so that tasks to keep things moving even in
Therefore, if there is a crisis in Tai- life can move along on an even keel the midst of global confusion.
wan, as an example, no one would around the world. And Afrika must seize this opportu-
be able to move forward and create But there is another problem. For nity like a drowning man grabs hold
the UK to be in a state of pan- of a plank of wood - or else!
WWW.MSINGIAFRIKAMAGAZINE.COM ISSUE 17 | NOVEMBER 2021 31