The Essential Fundamentals of Supplier Development

The size and scope of upcoming and existing tariffs on imported goods and components is changing rapidly as President Donald Trump's administration makes bold announcements followed by pauses and policy changes as it negotiates with targeted countries.

While administration officials say the rapid changes should benefit manufacturers in the long term by making it cheaper to produce things internally instead of importing them from overseas, the constant upheavals make planning difficult for manufacturers in the U.S. that rely on materials and components from foreign suppliers.

Discussing how companies can manage their supply chains during the back-and-forth of changing policies from Washington and abroad are:

• Darrell Edwards, a University of Tennessee System supply chain professor and a former chief supply chain officer and chief operating officer at La-Z-Boy Incorporated
• Ji Li, a supply chain advisor for J&J Investment and Consulting and a former supply chain director for Boeing
• Laura Putre, IndustryWeek's senior editor for leadership topics