Realising supply chain resilience: an exploratory study of Irish firms' priorities in the wake of Brexit

2020 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Maurice Brady

PurposeThe purpose of this research is to validate an industry-wide definition of supply chain resilience (SCRES) within the Irish supply chain sector and measure the key elements of SCRES and their relative importance for Irish firms in light of Brexit.Design/methodology/approachSurvey method is used in this research. Data were collected from supply chain managers in Irish firms. Findings were analysed in accordance with industry sector and exposure to Brexit.FindingsThe results from the respondents confirm a willingness to define and utilise SCRES under a four-phase cycle; ready, respond, recover and grow. Focus on SCRES enablers shifts in accordance with cycle position. Understanding cycle position is paramount for successful execution of a SCRES strategy. Findings can be used as a basis for the development, implementation and management of a SCRES strategy.Research limitations/implicationsResearch was conducted at one specific point during Brexit negotiations. Sector specific and longitudinal studies are required to build upon this exploratory study.Practical implicationsSupply chain managers must ensure that phase position and enabler implementation are aligned to maximise the investment in a SCRES strategy. As a disruption event and its associated response evolve, management must demonstrate an ability to deploy and focus efforts on different SCRES enablers throughout the four-phase cycle.Originality/valueThis is the first research focussing on an industry-wide accepted definition of SCRES and its key enablers within Irish supply chains.

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  

Purpose This paper aims to review the latest management developments across the globe and pinpoint practical implications from cutting-edge research and case studies. Design/methodology/approach This briefing is prepared by an independent writer who adds their own impartial comments and places the articles in context. Findings COVID-19 has had a dramatic and damaging effect on supply chains and distributors. This briefing considers why, and what strategies there may be to cope. Originality/value The briefing saves busy executives, strategists and researchers hours of reading time by selecting only the very best, most pertinent information and presenting it in a condensed and easy-to-digest format.


Author(s):  
Cigdem Gonul Kochan ◽  
David R. Nowicki

PurposeThe study of supply chain resilience (SCRES) continues to gain interest in the academic and practitioner communities. The purpose of this paper is to present a focused review of the SCRES literature by investigating supply chain (SC) capabilities, their relationship to SCRES outcomes and the underpinning theoretical mechanisms of this relationship.Design/methodology/approachThe paper uses the systematic literature review approach to examine 383 articles published between 2000 and 2017, ultimately down selecting to the most relevant 228 peer-reviewed studies. Context-interventions-mechanisms-outcomes (CIMO) logic is applied to organize and synthesize these peer-reviewed studies. A typological framework is developed from the CIMO-based classification of the SCRES literature.FindingsThe findings of this study outline the gaps in the SCRES literature and present an agenda for future research.Research limitations/implicationsThis paper presents an exploratory research; therefore, the typological model presented is just one of the possible perspectives.Practical implicationsThe typology of SCRES literature can help practitioners to understand SCRES and to measure and assess the resilience of SCs.Originality/valueThe paper provides clear definitions of SCRES constructs, develops a typological framework to further understand SCRES and identifies SCRES measures and assessment techniques.


2020 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Juneho Um ◽  
Neungho Han

Purpose This study aims to theoretically hypothesise and empirically explore the relationships amongst global supply chain risks, supply chain resilience and mitigating strategies. Design/methodology/approach The study adopts supply chain resilience as a dynamic capability and resilience capability as a mediating prerequisite in addressing supply chain risk in sourcing, manufacturing and delivery. The moderating role of diverse mitigating strategies is tested to enhance supply chain resilience. Data collected via survey was used for structural equation modelling and additional tests to explore appropriate mitigating strategies for differing risk environments. Findings Achieving better supply chain resilience capability plays an important mediating role between supply chain risks and resilience, while the relationships depend on the performance of seven mitigating strategies. Research limitations/implications The findings contribute to the theoretical development of risk management issues in global supply chains by suggesting the role of supply chain resilience capability. Practical implications The findings offer managerial guidance on how to mitigate the global supply chain risk through the appropriate practice of strategies to strengthen supply chain resilience in an uncertain environment. Originality/value This is the first empirical research examining the impact of mitigating strategies on supply chain resilience. The results provide practical implications for managing uncertain events and offering theoretical insight for future research in supply chain resilience.


2020 ◽  
Vol 40 (3) ◽  
pp. 271-292 ◽  
Author(s):  
Helena Kahiluoto ◽  
Hanna Mäkinen ◽  
Janne Kaseva

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to contribute to the theory and practice of supply chain management in terms of how an organisation should structure its supply base to be resilient to supply uncertainties and disruptions. An empirical assessment of supplier response diversity is demonstrated, and the following research question posed: Is response diversity of suppliers positively associated with supply chain resilience, more positively than mere supplier diversity is?Design/Methodology/ApproachResilience is operationalised as the maintenance of sales of two food products in 27 southern Finnish retail stores during two distinct disruptions. Response diversity is operationalised as 1) diversity in the personnel sizes of slaughterhouse suppliers of pork under domestic strikes and as 2) evenness in the proportions of imports and domestic supply of food oil under global price volatility. A five-step quantitative assessment is performed.FindingsResponse diversity is positively related to the maintenance of sales, more positively than diversity of individual suppliers is.Research limitations/ImplicationsResponse diversity is an advancement to the theory of supply chain resilience and supply base management, and access to big data increases practical potential.Practical implicationsEmpirical assessments of response diversity of suppliers provide buyer companies an effective means to enhance their supply base management for resilience.Social implicationsThe proposed approach is useful for teaching and for authorities to enhance food security.Originality/valueThis first assessment of response diversity of supply chain operations presents an important advancement in the theory and practice of supply base management for resilience.


2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Nishtha Agarwal ◽  
Nitin Seth

PurposeThe study tries to identify the barriers influencing supply chain resilience and examine the inter-relationships between them. These relationships are built on the basis of how one barrier drives or is driven by the changes in another barriers.Design/methodology/approachIn the first phase, literature review and with due discussion with experts, the barriers have been identified and shortlisted for an Indian automotive case company. In the second phase, total interpretive structural modelling (TISM) has been applied to examine inter-relationships between the barriers for an Indian automobile case company. Matrice d'impacts croisés multiplication appliquée á un classment (MICMAC) analysis has also been performed to analyse the driving and dependence power of the barriers.FindingsIn total, 11 barriers are identified from the first phase of the study. In the second phase, the TISM digraph is created which qualitatively explains the reason behind how one barrier leads to another. MICMAC analysis classifies these variables in four clusters namely autonomous, linkage, dependent and independent. These clusters characterise the barriers based on their driving and dependent power which helps managers in strategically tackling them while taking understanding from the TISM digraph.Research limitations/implicationsThree research implications can be made from the study. First, a comprehensive definition of supply chain which helps in understanding of resilience based on disruption phases and recovery. Second, 11 barriers are identified which hinder resilience in automotive sector. Their relationships are modelled using TISM which also gives why a particular relationship exists. Last, MICMAC analysis classifies barriers based on how high or low the driving and dependence power exists.Practical implicationsThe study offers significant implications for supply chain managers helping them in building resilience by identifying barriers and reducing their effect. Barriers are identified for case company which might help managers to tackle them during disruptions. The final TISM digraph depicts the “why” between the inter-relationships between the barriers to resilient supply chains. TISM shows that non-commitment of top management is the major root barrier which has been causing the other problems. MICMAC analysis is also performed along with discussion as to how autonomous, linkage, dependent and independent barriers can be tackled to build resilience.Originality/valueTISM is considered as an effective methodology for conceptual framework development as it also explains “why” between the relationships besides explaining the “what” as against ISM. Identification and understanding of barriers and their interrelationship will help supply chain managers to analyse the influence and inter-dependence of barriers on the resilience of the supply chain. Such understanding will help in mitigating/averting these barriers hence improving the resilience capability. It also adds to the knowledge base in the area of supply chain resilience where several authors have pointed the lack of research.


2021 ◽  
Vol 34 (2) ◽  
pp. 507-524
Author(s):  
Giulio Caldarelli ◽  
Alessandro Zardini ◽  
Cecilia Rossignoli

PurposeThis paper aims to examine and overcome the barriers to the widespread adoption of blockchain technology, introducing a novel concept of sustainability in the fashion supply chain.Design/methodology/approachThis work is an exploratory study of a well-known fashion company operating in the Veneto region (Italy). Data extracted from interviews and focus groups are coded using the (CAQDAS) software AQUAD. The outcome is then organized according to an adapted TOE view.FindingsThis exploration study's findings support the idea that the blockchain solution could be a valuable add-on in sustainable supply chains. However, a high understanding of technology and extensive communication with clients is required for successful integration.Research limitations/implicationsBeing the outcome of qualitative analysis, the findings require further investigation to be inferable at a broader scale. As the project is still incomplete, some managerial choices are always subject to change.Practical implicationsFocused on a practitioner approach, this paper should guide managers in the process of successfully implementing blockchain technology. Arguably, similar companies may opt for similar choices.Originality/valueTo the best of the authors' knowledge, this is the first paper to contextualize and address the blockchain adoption barriers in the fashion supply chain. Furthermore, it offers an overview of how blockchain affects sustainable production.


2019 ◽  
Vol 1 (1) ◽  
pp. 47-62 ◽  
Author(s):  
Bardia Naghshineh ◽  
Maryam Lotfi

PurposeSupply chain resilience (SCR) has recently become an important issue for organizations all around the world. In order to decrease the risk of failures, managers and decision makers are constantly looking for practices to enhance SCR. The purpose of this paper is to propose a research model that mainly focuses on the effect of information sharing (IS) to enhance SCR.Design/methodology/approachSurvey method is used in this research. Data were collected from the supply chain, procurement, executive and IT managers of 82 of Tehran’s stock exchange production companies. Structural equation modeling with SmartPLS3 software is used to analyze the collected data.FindingsResearch results show that IS significantly enhances SCR.Research limitations/implicationsData were collected at one point in time, and therefore a longitudinal study can further investigate the results of this study. The research was carried out in production companies in Iran. Future research can examine the research model in other industry sectors, e.g. services, in other countries to validate the accuracy of the findings.Practical implicationsThe findings of this research should help managers, and decision makers create more resilient supply chains for their own and partners’ organizations.Originality/valueThe research model provides insightful results regarding the significance of IS in the SCR context.


Author(s):  
Nils-Ole Hohenstein ◽  
Edda Feisel ◽  
Evi Hartmann ◽  
Larry Giunipero

Purpose – This paper provides a robust and structured literature review on supply chain resilience (SCRES), the supply chain’s ability to be prepared for unexpected risk events, responding and recovering quickly to potential disruptions to return to its original situation or grow by moving to a new, more desirable state. The purpose of this paper is to analyze the extant research through focussed questions and provide an insightful framework with propositions to guide further publications and identify future research needs. Design/methodology/approach – The findings underlie a systematic literature review methodology requiring a robust method of literature analysis. The sand cone model is adopted to develop a comprehensive SCRES framework. Findings – The literature review reveals a strong need for an overarching SCRES definition and a clear terminology for its building elements. It indicates that most research has been qualitative and lacks in assessing and measuring SCRES performance. Originality/value – This paper contributes a structured overview of 67 peer-reviewed articles from 2003 to 2013 on an emerging area of supply chain research. The review formulates an overarching definition of SCRES, groups and synthesizes the various SCRES elements into proactive and reactive strategies for the ex-ante/ex-post disruption stage and illustrates SCRES measurement through performance metrics. It provides a comprehensive SCRES framework with propositions and indicates gaps in the literature to target for further development.


2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Mauro Vivaldini ◽  
Paulo Renato de Sousa

PurposeThe paper aims to further understanding of connectivity from the perspective of blockchain technology (BT) in the supply chain (SC). It presents the weaknesses (inhibitors) of connectivity during technology implementation, focusing on supply chain interaction and resilience.Design/methodology/approachRestricting the focus to digital connectivity, interaction and supply chain resilience, this paper uses a systematic literature review (SLR) to examine how the literature has addressed, related or flagged connectivity weaknesses affecting supply chain interaction and resilience.FindingsThis study highlights the influence of connectivity for blockchain-technology projects. Technical and organisational influencers that affect the adoption of technology in the SC are presented. These influencers support the factors proposed in this study regarding the weaknesses that negatively affect the interaction between the agents involved and the SC's resilience. The research suggests that the weaknesses are related to technical needs and the relationships between companies arising from functionalities.Research limitations/implicationsThis paper is restricted to a review of the theory and the researched material. Although the author was careful to choose the best search terms related to the research objective, some potentially relevant articles may have been excluded.Practical implicationsThe study summarises research on blockchain connectivity influencers in the SC, helping managers to anticipate and mitigate some of doubts and concerns in projects of this nature.Originality/valueThis is one of the first articles in the area of operations and SCs that addresses the topic of connectivity, focusing on its restrictive factors (connectivity inhibitors), in the context of blockchain implementation in the SC.


2020 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Vanessa S.M. Magalhães ◽  
Luís Miguel D.F. Ferreira ◽  
Aldara da Silva César ◽  
Renato Manzini Bonfim ◽  
Cristóvão Silva

PurposeThe livestock sector contributes significantly to the Brazilian economy, but also creates many environmental and social issues. To mitigate these problems and help counteract the effects of the growing production demand, it is essential to address the prevention of food loss and waste (FLW). Therefore, the aim of the present study is to identify the causes of FLW, model their interrelationships and determine their root causes for the Brazilian beef supply chain (SC).Design/methodology/approach16 causes are analysed using an integrated interpretive structural modelling (ISM) and matrix impact of cross-multiplication applied to classification (MICMAC) methodology. ISM identified interrelationships among the causes and MICMAC determined the root causes of FLW.FindingsThe ISM highlights the “Lack of transportation infrastructures”, “Inadequate handling”, “Poor operational performance”, “Variety of products available in supermarkets” and “Unhealthy animals and outbreaks of disease” as the most influential causes and the MICMAC classifies them as the root causes of FLW in the Brazilian beef SC.Practical implicationsThe results provide fundamental insights for researchers, practitioners and policymakers, by exploring which causes are more influential and which are the root causes, thereby assisting the SC members in the definition of suitable strategies to mitigate FLW.Originality/valueThis is the first empirical analysis of the interdependencies between the causes of FLW in the beef SC.


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