Situation: Based on his experience, Gerard Ekhart says a silo-based organization can help you if you have a clear innovation strategy and competent supply chain professionals who can do the job. On the other hand, it will definitely hinder you if you don’t have a clear innovation strategy and you don’t have competent supply chain professionals.

The Details: Gerard Ekhart says his Golden Rule is "structure follows strategy." But, it is also crucial to understand the "genes" of the organization.

What it Means: Implementing supply chain innovation in an organization like the army, for instance, is completely different from implementing supply chain innovation in an organization such as Apple, simply because of the genes, the structure, and the type of people working in that organization.