ASEAN’s supply chains face growing pressure to become more competitive, resilient, and sustainable. Yet new infrastructure and digital technologies do not automatically deliver these outcomes. Drawing on research on logistics costs, regional corridors, and supply chain resilience, this keynote asks a practical question: when does better connectivity actually reduce the cost and uncertainty of moving goods?
Competitive advantage depends on looking beyond the price of transport to the full cost of inventory, delays, transfers, and disruption. ASEAN’s opportunity lies in making existing and future connections work better through more effective coordination across firms, transport modes, borders, and public agencies. The test of any investment or innovation is whether it removes friction that supply chain users experience and whether that improvement can be measured.
