【Procurement Awareness Survey Amidst US Tariffs and Middle East Situation】Over 80% of Manufacturing Management Staff Feel 'Decision-Making and Judgment Have Become More Difficult'
Caddy Inc.'s survey of 395 manufacturing managers reveals over 80% find decision-making difficult due to volatile US tariffs and Middle East tensions affecting procurement. While companies are implementing measures, many still rely on experience over AI, indicating a need for technological integration in supply chain management.
📋 Article Processing Timeline
- 📰 Published: April 9, 2026 at 17:30
- 🔍 Collected: April 9, 2026 at 09:00
- 🤖 AI Analyzed: April 20, 2026 at 12:21 (267h 21m after Collected)
Caddy Inc. (Headquarters: Taito-ku, Tokyo; Representative Director: Yushiro Kato), which challenges the digital transformation of the manufacturing industry, conducted an "Awareness Survey on the Impact of US Tariffs and Changes in the Middle East Situation on Procurement" targeting 395 management staff working in manufacturing.
Recently, fluctuations in US tariff policies and the worsening Middle East situation have occurred one after another, rapidly increasing the instability of the environment surrounding manufacturing supply chains.
This is not limited to direct impacts such as rising procurement costs and re-evaluation of suppliers, but also widely affects the tasks borne by management staff, such as re-planning budgets and internal coordination.
This survey was conducted with the aim of clarifying the changes in workload, decision-making realities, countermeasure status, and expectations for AI/data analysis for manufacturing management staff who are directly or indirectly involved in procurement operations, not just those in the procurement department.
It visualizes the reality of what changes in the situation are bringing to the on-site management of the manufacturing industry.
## ■ Survey Summary
* Approximately 60% of management staff feel an increase in the burden of procurement-related tasks due to US tariff issues. The total of "significantly increased" and "considerably increased" exceeds 20%.
* Approximately 70% of management staff feel an increase in workload since the US tariff issue. The task that saw the greatest increase in burden was "Revision and re-formulation of budgets and plans (17.7%)".
* Regarding the rapid response system for procurement risks, approximately 50% in total responded "not in place" or "rather not in place", indicating that about half are facing challenges in establishing systems.
* Over 80% of management staff feel that decision-making and judgment have become more difficult due to changes in the situation. The primary reason cited was "Frequently changing prerequisites (tariffs, exchange rates, etc.) (28.9%)".
* 80% of companies are implementing some form of countermeasure against the increased burden of procurement operations. "Supplier diversification/multi-sourcing (34.7%)" was the most common, followed by "price pass-through (29.4%)" and "strengthening risk visualization and information gathering for procurement sources (28.6%)".
* Among companies promoting countermeasures, approximately 40% still rely on "employee experience, intuition, and human networks" for response, with the utilization of advanced analysis, including AI, being only about 10%.
* Nearly half of management staff feel that their information gathering methods and content have changed in response to the situational changes. "Information gathering from business partners/suppliers" increased the most.
* Triggered by the current situational changes, approximately 50% of management staff responded that their expectations for AI and data analysis have "increased".
## ■ Survey Results
● Change in the burden of procurement-related tasks due to US tariff issues
Recently, fluctuations in US tariff policies and the worsening Middle East situation have occurred one after another, rapidly increasing the instability of the environment surrounding manufacturing supply chains.
This is not limited to direct impacts such as rising procurement costs and re-evaluation of suppliers, but also widely affects the tasks borne by management staff, such as re-planning budgets and internal coordination.
This survey was conducted with the aim of clarifying the changes in workload, decision-making realities, countermeasure status, and expectations for AI/data analysis for manufacturing management staff who are directly or indirectly involved in procurement operations, not just those in the procurement department.
It visualizes the reality of what changes in the situation are bringing to the on-site management of the manufacturing industry.
## ■ Survey Summary
* Approximately 60% of management staff feel an increase in the burden of procurement-related tasks due to US tariff issues. The total of "significantly increased" and "considerably increased" exceeds 20%.
* Approximately 70% of management staff feel an increase in workload since the US tariff issue. The task that saw the greatest increase in burden was "Revision and re-formulation of budgets and plans (17.7%)".
* Regarding the rapid response system for procurement risks, approximately 50% in total responded "not in place" or "rather not in place", indicating that about half are facing challenges in establishing systems.
* Over 80% of management staff feel that decision-making and judgment have become more difficult due to changes in the situation. The primary reason cited was "Frequently changing prerequisites (tariffs, exchange rates, etc.) (28.9%)".
* 80% of companies are implementing some form of countermeasure against the increased burden of procurement operations. "Supplier diversification/multi-sourcing (34.7%)" was the most common, followed by "price pass-through (29.4%)" and "strengthening risk visualization and information gathering for procurement sources (28.6%)".
* Among companies promoting countermeasures, approximately 40% still rely on "employee experience, intuition, and human networks" for response, with the utilization of advanced analysis, including AI, being only about 10%.
* Nearly half of management staff feel that their information gathering methods and content have changed in response to the situational changes. "Information gathering from business partners/suppliers" increased the most.
* Triggered by the current situational changes, approximately 50% of management staff responded that their expectations for AI and data analysis have "increased".
## ■ Survey Results
● Change in the burden of procurement-related tasks due to US tariff issues