A New World Order in Business: The Shift from Just-in-Time to Just-in-Case

The global economy has entered its most unstable period since 1945. Increasing uncertainty on a global scale is forcing companies to rethink long-standing efficiency-focused business models. Strategies based solely on cost minimization and speed are no longer sufficient; decision-making processes are increasingly shifting toward geopolitical resilience.

This transformation is reflected in the transition from the “just-in-time” production and supply model to a “just-in-case” approach. Disruptions in global supply chains are pushing companies toward more cautious structures that account not only for present conditions but also for unpredictable risks. While efficiency remains important, it is no longer the sole defining criterion.

For many years, Davos meetings were perceived as platforms detached from reality, focused on long-term trends that were unlikely to materialize. This year, however, Davos presented an unusual atmosphere. In a setting where global risks were articulated more openly and sharply, the discussions took on the nature of a wake-up call, revealing the fragility facing the business world.

In this context, the speech delivered by Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney stood out. Widely attended and met with a standing ovation, the speech emphasized that the world is not in a transition period but in a moment of rupture. This statement highlighted a powerful assessment that the familiar assumptions of the current global order are no longer valid.

The picture emerging from Davos 2026 points to the gradual fading of a nearly 500-year period of Western dominance. The “rules-based order” that has shaped the global system since 1945 has begun to lose its functionality. Signs that this engine can no longer operate sustainably indicate that a new era is approaching for both the global economy and the business world.