
Building rebalanced and resilient supply chains
Not only is Asia Pacific’s booming middle class getting larger and wealthier – it is also becoming more demanding.
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Businesses across the region must accelerate their digital adoption in order to stay competitive. This will require identifying the right areas for digitalisation and prioritising technological solutions at appropriate places in their value chain. However, the ensuing security and data-related risks will require business and government to enhance data privacy and cyber-security policies.
With rising global uncertainties, enterprises must proactively expand their regional presence to benefit from the growing opportunities across Asia Pacific. This will be even more relevant with the recent signing of the world's largest trade agreement, the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP). Operational performance, product and process innovation, and go-to-market excellence will be crucial, with regional expansion in the services sector and growing digitalisation being high-potential areas.
Businesses must seize this moment to restructure their global supply chains and transition to new regional networks. This rapidly changing environment will allow nations to develop hubs in which corporations and start-ups, collaborating with academia and governments, work together to drive innovation.
The region needs a workforce equipped with advanced and relevant skillsets for its near and long term future. Businesses should reskill employees’ for their entire careers through effective partnerships, whilst governments need to develop new long-term growth goals and identify the tomorrow’s jobs before revising their education strategies. This needs to be done with the support of business and local communities to develop the necessary talent for future growth.
Asia Pacific is highly vulnerable to climate change and should take a leadership role in creating a net-zero future. Actors throughout the region must collaborate in the construction of a circular economy, while enhancing food security with innovative agritech solutions across the developed and developing parts of the region.
These report addendums contextualise our report, Asia Pacific's Time, for the relevant market. We will be adding new markets to the addendums in the coming week.
Not only is Asia Pacific’s booming middle class getting larger and wealthier – it is also becoming more demanding.
As the power of traditional drivers of growth fades, companies need to develop more resilient and rebalanced supply chains to keep the region moving forward.
The need to upskill and reskill the workforce has never been more urgent. Everyone should be able to live, learn, work and participate in the digital world. Learn more about PwC's upskilling programme.
Sridharan Nair
Asia Pacific Chairman, PwC Malaysia