As we all know, for years the bean counters have had the upper hand. They see stockpiling as an (unnecessary) expense.
They have preached the mantra that "just in time" (
aka "just too late") is the answer.
JIT relies on everything running well, with no glitches at any point(s) in the chain. That's especially risky when the chain extends around the globe, as we're now seeing. Who would have thought it?
Those of us who know better (generally based on sorry experience) - the logisticians and military types - tend to regard stockpiling as a prudent imperative.
On a happier note, perhaps we shall now begin to see the end of (or at least a massive reduction in) "globalization", and manufacturing (not to mention jobs) coming back "on shore".
