74% of Business Leaders Prioritize Supply Chain Resilience

DAVOS-KLOSTERS, Switzerland - Global supply chains have entered a period of sustained structural volatility, prompting companies and governments to reassess their investment and production strategies, the World Economic Forum said in a report released Monday.

The report found that 74 percent of business leaders now prioritize resilience investments and view resilience as a growth driver.

The study, titled "Global Value Chains Outlook 2026: Orchestrating Corporate and National Agility," was developed in collaboration with consulting firm Kearney.

It examines how companies and governments can maintain competitiveness amid geopolitical fragmentation, technological disruption, and resource constraints.

Tariff escalations between major economies affected more than $400 billion in global trade flows in 2025, the report stated.

Container shipping costs rose 40 percent year-on-year due to disruptions across major shipping routes, according to the data.

Manufacturing output across advanced economies is growing at its weakest pace since 2009, the Forum said.

More than 3,000 new trade and industrial policy measures were introduced globally in 2025, representing more than three times the annual level recorded a decade earlier, the report stated.

The Forum launched the Manufacturing and Supply Chain Readiness Navigator, a digital tool for strategic decision-making on industrial policy and the design of manufacturing footprints.

The tool draws on global indices to help governments identify competitiveness gaps and assist companies in assessing infrastructure readiness for location and investment decisions.

The report cited national approaches to manufacturing competitiveness, including Ireland's Skillnet Ireland, which links government, business, and educators to deliver subsidized training aligned with industry needs.

China has invested in digital infrastructure through its New Infrastructure initiative, enabling real-time industrial connectivity via 5G deployment, while Qatar has implemented a national dashboard to track essential food items in real time, strengthening supply security.