Tariffs, transparency, and AI: The ADAPT framework for tariff-ready, audit-proof supply chains
Abstract
Volatility is now the baseline condition for global supply chains. Since 2020, overlapping shocks, including pandemic shutdowns, chokepoint disruptions, and stepped-up trade and forced-labour enforcement, have shifted the board agenda from cost and resilience to verifiable transparency. This paper argues that transparency, amplified by artificial intelligence (AI), is the decisive capability for navigating today’s tariff regime and broader regulatory risk. It first demystifies the mechanics of customs, harmonised classification (HS/HTS), and country of origin (COO) determination, explaining why line-item, evidence-grade data is now required. The paper then introduces aligned organisation, data architecture, agile supplier ecosystems, people strategy, and transparent performance systems (ADAPT), a practical, closed-loop leadership framework, and a four-level data/AI operating model that turns master data, supplier disclosures, digital twins, and prescriptive analytics into audit-ready, financially grounded decisions. Case examples illustrate how companies reduce detentions, avoid penalties, protect launches, and reconfigure networks at the ‘speed of risk’. The paper concludes with a 90-day playbook, board-level frequently asked questions (FAQs), and return on investment (ROI) guidance that reframes transparency from a compliance tax to a competitive moat. For senior executives, the mandate is clear: invest in provable data and explainable AI, embed compliance into product and supplier workflows, and manage transparency with the same rigour as working capital. In regulated markets, provability is now the licence to operate, and a durable source of advantage. This article is also included in The Business & Management Collection which can be accessed at https://hstalks.com/business/.
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Author's Biography
Shikha Mehta is a supply chain executive with more than 20 years’ experience building and transforming global operations across healthcare technology, luxury retail, and medical devices. She has led large global teams and managed multi-billion-dollar supply bases across North America, Europe, Latin America, and Asia. Shikha has led multiple supply chain transformation initiatives including procurement, operational material management, artificial intelligence (AI) transformation and S&OP. She enabled regional double digit growth by improving product availability, and optimising logistics networks while implementing tariff mitigation strategies. She also led multiple senior leadership roles in global supply chain analytics, where she built AI-enabled capabilities integrating multiple enterprise systems and materially improving forecasting performance. Earlier in her career, she held leadership roles managing large-scale operations, outsourcing and supporting significant production scale-up efforts during periods of disruption. Shikha has spent most of her career at Philips, Nortel and Swarovski. Throughout her career, Shikha has advanced the integration of AI/machine learning into supply chain operations, including N-tier visibility tools and predictive analytics frameworks. Her expertise spans new product introduction (NPI), life cycle management, strategic sourcing in contract manufacture, joint development manufacture, and original design manufacture environments, and building resilient, cost-optimised supply chains. Shikha is the founder of SVKAR, a supply chain and AI consulting company specialising in operational transformation for electronics, healthcare, and retail companies. She also advises start-ups on building scalable, sustainable supply chain operations. A frequent industry speaker, Shikha addresses supply chain innovation, AI-enabled operations, and leadership development. She has also co-authored ‘An Introduction to Multimedia Systems’ (published by Elsevier) with a reflection of on early foundation in technology and systems thinking. She holds an MBA from Michigan State University’s Broad College of Business and completed executive leadership training at Yale School of Management.
Citation
Mehta, Shikha (2026, June 1). Tariffs, transparency, and AI: The ADAPT framework for tariff-ready, audit-proof supply chains. In the Journal of Supply Chain Management, Logistics and Procurement, Volume 8, Issue 4. https://doi.org/10.69554/OTQO6376.
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