738 - SUPPLY CHAIN EM UM MUNDO FRAGMENTADO: CULTURA E CONFLITOS | THIAGO BARRETO

The global supply chain has never been so exposed. Geopolitical tensions, wars, logistical disruptions, and freight volatility are reshaping flows and decisions. But there is a less visible and equally critical factor: culture. Differences between countries influence negotiation, execution, and trust. In a fragmented world, leading global supply chains requires more than operational efficiency. It requires context reading, cultural sensitivity, and adaptability. Today, we will explore how culture and conflicts silently shape the performance of operations. Let's reflect on this fascinating and important topic here at Prosa com Bertaglia, where education and business go hand in hand to bring inspiration to your journey. Summary 🌍 Supply chain has become a business strategy Thiago Barreto explains that, after the pandemic, the supply chain ceased to be just an operational area focused on efficiency and began to occupy a strategic position within companies. Today, supply chain professionals need to understand production, sales, finance, logistics, and geopolitics at the same time. According to him, many executives in the area are reaching CEO positions precisely because they have an integrated vision of the business. 🤝 Culture is no longer a “soft skill” One of the central points of the conversation is that cultural differences directly impact negotiations, project execution, and trust building. Thiago comments that working with teams from Asia, Europe, and the United States requires constant adaptation. A “yes” in a meeting can mean different things depending on the culture. Leading globally requires cultural sensitivity, context reading, and the ability to align different people around the same strategy. 🌏 Cultural Differences Affect Decisions The executive compares cultural styles around the world: Eastern cultures value long-term relationships and trust built over time. The English tend to be more diplomatic and mediating. The French are more direct and combative in discussions. Americans prioritize speed and quick execution. He states that Brazilian professionals tend to adapt very well to multicultural environments because they already live in scenarios of instability and diversity. ⚠️ Pandemic Permanently Changed the Supply Chain Before the pandemic, geopolitical conflicts were treated as exceptions. Today, they have become part of strategic planning. Wars, changes in maritime routes, increased transit times, and freight volatility directly impact company inventories, cash flow, and margins. Thiago highlights that the current major challenge is making good decisions even without having all the available information. 📦 Resilience versus efficiency The conversation explores the dilemma between creating extremely efficient supply chains and maintaining operational resilience. Very lean supply chains can become fragile in the face of global disruptions. Thiago advocates for a balance between risk and return: increase inventories when necessary, anticipate purchases, reduce dependence on single suppliers, and diversify production regions. The goal is to prevent a crisis from destroying the entire operation. 🚢 Freight has become a strategic variable Freight is no longer just an operational cost. Today, fuel, wars, container shortages, and logistical instability directly impact the competitiveness of companies. Thiago argues that transport companies should not be viewed solely by price, but by added value. A "cheap" freight can generate greater losses later if the service is not reliable. 🇧🇷 Brazilians have a global competitive advantage One of the most striking parts of the interview is when Thiago states that Brazilians are "forged in chaos." According to him, economic and social instability has developed in Brazilian professionals: resilience, creativity, agility, rapid adaptation, and the ability to work under pressure. He believes that this characteristic helps Brazilians stand out in global companies, especially in times of crisis. 🧠 The main competence of the modern leader For Thiago, leaders prepared for a fragmented world need to: interpret complex scenarios, connect cultures, balance risk and return, make decisions under pressure, and integrate people, processes, and technology. He emphasizes that artificial intelligence alone does not solve problems. The technology only amplifies the quality—or the errors—of human decisions.