.png)
Chain Reaction
Chain Reaction is the podcast 'All About Supply Chain Advantage' with Tony Hines containing regular audio snippets relevant to C suite executives, supply chain professionals, researchers, policy makers in government, students, media commentators and the wider public. New episodes each week discuss hot topics in the news and supply chain ideas relevant to everyone involved in supply chain management. There are special editions too.
Our goal is to keep our listeners updated and informed about the various factors that can influence the dynamics of supply chains. As the world continues to evolve, so too do the complexities of global supply chains. By keeping an eye on these global events, we can anticipate potential challenges and opportunities, and navigate the ever-changing landscape of supply chains with agility and insight.
Episodes
342 episodes
Black Friday Without The Blindfold
Your inbox is shouting “40% off,” but your gut says something’s off. We dig into the Black Friday spectacle and show how urgency, scarcity, and anchoring combine to sell ordinary prices as once-a-year steals. With clear stories from the front l...
•
10:29
.png)
Signals In The System
Trade is no longer a straight line from factory to port to shelf—it’s a living system of policy choices, digital rails, and real-world bottlenecks. We trace the signals that matter: South Africa’s push toward a 3% inflation target, FAA turbulen...
•
21:16
Food Tariffs Blink, Prices Breathe
Prices at the checkout don’t lie, and this week they forced a policy shift. We dig into the sudden rollback of U.S. food import tariffs on staples like Australian beef, tomatoes, coffee, and bananas, and explain why it’s a tactical retreat to c...
•
12:58
How Tariffs, Cyber Attacks, And AI Are Rewiring Supply Chains
Tariffs promise protection but often deliver scarcity and higher prices. We break down what a 25% duty on imported trucks really means for fleets, freight rates, and the prices that hit your wallet. Along the way, we connect the dots to a diffe...
•
21:59
Policy Drift, Power Shifts, And The Price Of Delay
Headlines say debate; the data says build. We open with China’s audacious green energy sprint—hitting 2030 wind and solar targets six years early—then unpack how investment, grid upgrades, and supply chain control are setting a new global bench...
•
23:40
Learn How Global Supply Chains Shape Daily Life
Global trade touches every checkout, factory line, and doorstep. We set out to make that complex web crystal clear, turning headlines and jargon into plain-language insights you can use the same day. From port delays and policy shifts to pricin...
•
0:51
Trump's Tariff War: Unraveling the Straw Man of Trade
Trade wars don't make winners – they create mutual losers. That's the stark reality emerging from our deep dive into the Trump administration's tariff policies and their dangerous economic consequences.The White House justifications for...
•
19:37
.jpg)
Gold’s Surge And The Supply Chain Storm
Gold doesn’t leap to records without a story. We unpack why $4,326 per troy ounce isn’t just about inflation, but about confidence shifting amid tariff threats, rare earth controls, and geopolitical strain. From China’s new export restrictions ...
•
20:52
Tariffs, Tech, and Turmoil in Global Supply Chains
Tariffs, magnets, and malware collided this week—and the shockwaves tell a bigger story about where power lives in the global economy. We unpack how China’s sweeping rare earth export controls—and its command of magnet manufacturing—turn a hand...
•
23:08
Follow the Money: How Taiwan's Banks Are Redrawing Asia's Financial Map
When the financial infrastructure shifts, everything changes. Taiwan's Cathay United Bank is quietly redrawing the map of Asian finance, following a dramatic pivot away from China. Once directing 84% of overseas investment to mainland China, Ta...
•
35:22
Supply Chain Nightmares: From Hacked Jaguars to Presidential Meddling
Politics and business collide as Trump makes unfounded claims about Tylenol causing autism while Jaguar Land Rover faces a devastating cyber attack costing £50 million weekly and threatening its entire supply chain network.• Trump admin...
•
22:40
Supply Chain Pulse
Tony Hines explores recent economic developments, technology partnerships, and significant supply chain disruptions affecting global business operations.• Bank of England keeps interest rates at 4% while US Federal Reserve makes surpris...
•
22:13
How China's Monopoly on Rare Earths Trumps America's Tariff Power
The global balance of power isn't just about military might or economic sanctions—it's increasingly about who controls the critical materials that power our modern world. China has masterfully positioned itself as the dominant force in rare ear...
•
31:55
How Trump's Trade Wars Are Crippling Global Markets
Global markets are reeling from what can only be described as an economic tsunami, triggered by President Trump's chaotic approach to trade tariffs. The ripple effects are now washing ashore everywhere from the United Kingdom to Japan, leaving ...
•
24:02
Trump's Tariff Tsunami: How Global Trade Is Changing Forever
Donald Trump's self-proclaimed "Liberation Day" has unleashed a seismic shift in global trade, with new tariffs affecting 92 countries and reshaping economic relationships worldwide. What initially threatened as a uniform policy has evolved int...
•
21:32
Trump's Tariff Storm
Trump's tariffs have unleashed chaos across global supply chains, forcing companies to make radical shifts in their production strategies almost overnight. Initially, tariffs were set at a staggering 145% on Chinese imports, these tariffs threa...
•
21:58
The Art and Science of Effective Decision Making
What guides your toughest decisions? Are you relying on gut instinct, careful analysis, or something in between? Decision making shapes everything from our breakfast choices to business strategies that impact millions. In this thou...
•
25:35
Supply Chain Disruption in the Age of Uncertainty
The global economic landscape is transforming before our eyes as protectionist policies gain momentum worldwide. This episode of Chain Reaction examines how these shifts are creating both challenges and opportunities for supply chain leaders na...
•
25:12
Navigating Trade Wars: America's Uncertain Economic Future
The global trade landscape is entering a period of unprecedented turbulence as President Trump announces massive new tariffs set to take effect August 1st. With tariff rates ranging from 25% to 50% hitting major US trading partners including th...
•
26:55
Unintended Consequences Are Reshaping Our Global Supply Networks
Global supply chains are under siege from all directions, and the consequences are far-reaching. The steel tariffs imposed by the Trump administration demonstrate a fundamental misunderstanding of how modern industrial ecosystems function. When...
•
26:07
Digital Twins: Revolutionizing Supply Chain Management
Digital twins represent a revolutionary approach to supply chain management, offering businesses a virtual mirror of their physical operations that transforms how they monitor, analyze, and optimize complex networks. This fascinating exploratio...
•
20:56
Unpacking the UK's Bold Economic Blueprint
The UK economy stands at a crossroads, and the government's newly unveiled Modern Industrial Strategy represents one of the most ambitious economic blueprints in decades. This episode of Chain Reaction takes you deep into the mechanics of this ...
•
22:29
Reimagining Supply Chains for a Competitive Edge
Unlock the future of supply chain management with insights that could transform your career! Join us as we explore
•
20:18
Supply Chain Shakeups
Global economic growth forecasts have been downgraded to 2.3% for 2025, making it the weakest pace outside of a recession since 2008, while trade tensions and widespread tariff hikes are creating major disruptions across supply chains worldwide...
•
21:59
What happens when walls go up in a connected world?
Global supply chains have become the invisible architecture supporting our modern world, seamlessly connecting resources, manufacturers, and consumers across continents. Yet as trade tensions rise and tariffs become political weapons, this deli...
•
18:23