Partnerships and Collaboration as Competitive Advantage

In this episode of Supply Chain Now, host Scott Luton and special guest co-host Maria Villablanca welcome Dr. Dinesh Davè, Professor & Director of Supply Chain Management at Appalachian State University, and Evan Junker, Chief Growth Officer at SPARQ360, to unpack insights from the 2025 Supply Chain Trends and Attitudes Report. The annual study, conducted by Appalachian State and SPARQ360, surveys hundreds of supply chain managers across the U.S. to reveal where leaders are investing, from AI and visibility platforms to sustainability and risk management.

Together, the panel discusses how familiarity and adoption of AI are rising, why the “ambition-action gap” still challenges sustainability progress, and what’s driving executives to balance cost efficiency, resilience, and environmental responsibility. They also explore how partnerships, collaboration, and customer-centered priorities are emerging as the new competitive advantage. Packed with practical insights and forward-looking data, this conversation offers a clear snapshot of where supply chain strategy is heading in 2025 and beyond.

Jump into the conversation:

(00:00) Intro

(01:08) Survey overview and key findings

(02:47) Fun warmup: favorite food and drink spots

(05:52) Appalachian State University supply chain program

(07:37) SPARQ360 and its role in the supply chain

(13:30) AI in supply chain: priorities and challenges

(19:03) Broader technology investments and priorities

(24:21) Data transformation and security

(24:37) Sustainability initiatives and drivers

(26:09) Political and regulatory impacts

(26:52) Statistical analysis and findings

(27:48) The ambition-action gap

(28:38) Technology’s role in sustainability

(29:01) Tariffs and geopolitical shifts

(33:16) Survey surprises and observations

(42:00) Future directions and international expansion

(43:10) Connecting with the panel

Resources:

• Connect with Dr. Dinesh Davè: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dr-dinesh-dave-a85b6713/ 
• Learn more about Appalachian State University: https://www.appstate.edu/academics/majors/id/supply-chain-management 
• Connect with Evan Junker: www.linkedin.com/in/evanjunker 
• Learn more about SPARQ360: https://luna-resume.com/
• Connect with Maria Villablanca: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mariavillablanca/
• Explore Maria’s website: https://www.mariavillablanca.com/ 
• Learn more about Transform Talks: https://futureinsights.org/transform-talks/ 
• Read the 2025 Supply Chain Trends and Attitudes Report: https://sparq360.com/trendsandattitudes/ 
• Connect with Scott Luton: https://www.linkedin.com/in/scottwindonluton/
• Learn more about Supply Chain Now: https://supplychainnow.com 
• Watch and listen to more Supply Chain Now episodes here: https://supplychainnow.com/program/supply-chain-now  
• Subscribe to Supply Chain Now on your favorite platform: https://supplychainnow.com/join  
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This episode was hosted by Scott Luton and Maria Villablanca and produced by Trisha Cordes, Joshua Miranda, and Amanda Luton. For additional information, please visit our dedicated show page at: https://supplychainnow.com/survey-results-2025-trends-attitudes-report-supply-chain-sustainability-1504