Signal WEF Global Value Chains Outlook 2026 — Resilience Over Efficiency

Summary

The World Economic Forum's Global Value Chains Outlook 2026, produced with Kearney and released around Davos 2026, finds that global supply chains have entered an era of structural rather than cyclical volatility, driven by geopolitical fragmentation, rapid technological change and resource constraints. Nearly three in four business leaders, 74%, now see resilience investment as a key driver of growth, and the report finds that 60% more business leaders view resilience and agility as core to competitive advantage than five years earlier. The report frames success around companies acting as supply chain "orchestrators" rather than operators, actively synchronizing capabilities across suppliers, technology providers, logistics partners and contract manufacturers. Technological acceleration led by AI, quantum computing and automation is described as redefining productivity and reshaping industry competition. Separately, 95% of firms reported business growth from AI and process automation according to a distinct survey; a direct link between this figure, a Camunda source, and the WEF report could not be independently confirmed in available coverage.