Operational Excellence (OPEX) Daily Briefing – Wednesday, October 01, 2025: When Costs Surge, What Do Businesses Need? An Operational Excellence Perspective.

Điểm Tin Operational Excellence (OPEX) Mỗi Ngày – Thứ Tư, Ngày 01/10/2025: Khi Chi Phí Leo Thang, Doanh Nghiệp Cần Gì? Góc Nhìn Từ Operational Excellence.

Welcome to my unique weekday article for the paid subscriber-only edition.

Operational Excellence (OPEX) Daily Briefing – issued on weekdays (Monday to Friday).

Điểm tin Operational Excellence (OPEX) hằng ngày (phát hành các ngày thứ Hai đến thứ Sáu).

This is the bilingual post in English and Vietnamese. Vietnamese is below.

Đây là bài viết song ngữ Anh-Việt. Tiếng Việt ở bên dưới.

Don’t forget the unique BizDecoded series.

English:

1. Official Information

In October 2025, international media widely reported on turbulence in the pharmaceutical industry. Most notably, Pfizer and several other major pharma corporations had to negotiate with the U.S. government to cut drug prices in exchange for certain tax reliefs. At first glance, this may seem like a healthcare policy matter. In reality, it reflects a bigger question: how can businesses manage the procurement of materials, goods, and services wisely amid rising costs and ever-present supply chain risks?

This issue extends far beyond pharma. Other sectors such as electronics manufacturing, F&B, logistics, and even retail are facing similar pressures. The prices of key inputs—sugar, coffee, glass, aluminum, semiconductors—can spike unpredictably. A delayed shipping container at a port can disrupt entire production lines. A single major supplier going bankrupt or experiencing operational failure can destabilize countless businesses that depend on them.

Against this backdrop, the traditional approach of buying based on “cheapest price” or “familiar supplier” no longer works. Companies need a structured tool to analyze, categorize, and develop tailored purchasing strategies for different types of goods. This is precisely why a tool in Operational Excellence, first introduced more than 40 years ago, remains highly relevant today.