Wizarding And Supply Chain Management

Jo Rowling has given us some really useful insights in her Harry Potter saga.  The big one for me has been the clear message that Harry, even as The Chosen One, couldn't hope to fight - let alone conquer - Lord Voldemort without the strength of his relationships, and the special advantages they contributed to his mission.  Dumbledore, Hermione Granger, Ron Weasley, the Order of the Phoenix - they and others all brought something vital to the eventual victory.

The lesson gets reinforced when we see Catherine Zeta-Jones sing I Can't Do It Alone in Chicago, or hear the Beatles or Joe Cocker doing With A Little Help From My Friends.  And so it goes in the universe of supply chain managemnt, in which we must rely on the capabilities and execution of our upstream and downstream partners for both long-term survival and eventual success.

Curiously, though, the entertainment world is dominated by  a star syndrome.  In the supply chain world, solo acts tend to flame out early.