Understanding some root vulnerabilities within supply chains, hence, becomes an important step toward anticipating risks and formulating the strategy for resilience-building in an increasingly unpredictable market. We use the single-case-study method by selecting a case company as a sample. Future studies may include these context-specific intermediaries and their role in crisis management strategies. Finally, firms need to develop supply chains with more resiliency, which may include redundancy, including suppliers, inventory, and other logistics. Third, we suggest that firms create a responsive organizational structure and develop crisis leadership skills.
- Producers, logistics operators and forwarders reported that the primary mitigation strategy during logistics disruptions was to shift resources and cargo to alternative transport modes.
- They employed various tools such as protective gear, spill absorption materials, barriers, digital platforms for reporting and communication, and fibre network maintenance to prevent and mitigate chemical accidents.
- Florida Institute of Technology’s online MS in Management – Logistics Management program prepares working professionals for leadership roles at the intersection of operations strategy and supply chain management.
- Airbus still cut 2024 production from 800 to 770 aircraft.
- This section discusses the findings related to the two main research questions of the paper.
Strange attractors are important as they provide an understanding of the strategy that emerges to address future disruption. Overall, tactical and operational decision-making allowed the company to recover to a great extent from the disruptions in its supply chain. The crew members need to travel to sic long distance to supply products to our customers…as it was difficult to get food on such long hauls in lockdown condition, we also facilitated sic them by providing food packets for en-route consumption. We also distributed necessary products for their hygiene, like sanitizer, masks, and hand gloves. We got the medical insurance done for all crew members of our logistics partners involved in transportation of the products. One of the essential aspects of the relational https://prtice.info/the-ultimate-guide-to-5/ effort was to assist people involved in business continuity efforts, which included taking care of the physical and psychological well-being of employees and supply chain partners.
Leaders who lock in resilient infrastructure now will adapt faster and recover cheaper when the next disruption hits. Companies with documented backup processes for core logistics operations, alternative visibility tools, and incident response plans that covered logistics continuity recovered faster. The escalation of US tariffs on imports from China and other trading partners in 2025 changed the landed cost structure of thousands of products, and 82% of companies reported supply chain impact. The Chief Supply Chain Officer owns strategic resilience goals, investment decisions, supplier risk tolerance, and board-level reporting, and approves network design changes, technology investment, and major contingency plans. Unclear ownership slows response, stalls decisions, and drags disruptions out longer than the underlying problem requires. Gartner predicts that by 2031, 60% of supply chain disruptions will be resolved without human intervention as AI enables increasingly autonomous supply chains.
Revenue loss
Respondents were asked about their understanding of the situation and their initial reaction to the disruption due to the COVID-19 crisis. The interviews also revealed that the way information about the disease was disseminated created confusion among different stakeholders, leading to constrained decision-making. The firm in the case study supplies petroleum products to different industries, and it was unable to understand the demands of its customers, at least in the immediate term. To provide a structure for our findings, we utilized the 4-C framework of crisis management proposed by Shrivastava (1993), also referred to as the process model. The findings also form the basis of a framework that can be used to understand the entire crisis scenario, from awareness to developing a management approach (Fig. 1 ).
Looking ahead, future trends point toward increased automation, real-time data management, and sustainable practices. These events have underscored the critical importance of supply chain diversification, robust contingency planning, and sustainable manufacturing practices. Incidentally, innovative technologies are increasingly being offered as solutions to global supply chain http://emergingequity.org/2015/03/28/chinas-xi-calls-for-new-regional-order-in-asia-unveils-framework-for-new-silk-road/ management problems impeded by their complexities and vulnerabilities.
Supply Chain Risks Continue Mounting
But by combining cultural agility with the right digital https://the-business-mag.net/what-are-the-emerging-markets-to-watch/ tools, companies can create supply chains that anticipate disruption and handle it gracefully. By sourcing from multiple regions and integrating sustainable practices, your business reduces dependence on vulnerable routes or single suppliers. By testing “what if” situations, such as a cyberattack on a supplier or a port closure during peak season, you can identify vulnerabilities and design responses ahead of time. Effective crisis management turns uncertainty into action and, potentially, a competitive edge.