How did supply chain networks handle the COVID-19 pandemic? Empirical evidence from an automotive case study

Abstract

PurposeThe coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic unveiled resilience deficits in supply chains. Scholars and practitioners aim to identify supply chain resilience (SCRES) measures suitable for this unique disruption; however, empirical evidence on a pandemic's specific characteristics, resulting challenges, and suitable countermeasures is scarce.Design/methodology/approachA single-case study on an automotive supply chain network (ASCN), including eight nodes, was conducted. Based on current research and interviews with 35 experts, characteristic pandemic challenges for the ASCN were identified. Moreover, promising SCRES measures were determined along the most prominent SCRES levers. The findings lead to five central propositions and advance organizational information processing theory in the context of SCRES.FindingsThis study’s results confirm unique pandemic characteristics along the supply chain disruption's duration, severity, propagation, and volatility. The resulting unprecedented challenges made the ASCN apply novel SCRES measures, particularly regarding collaboration and risk management culture. However, well-known visibility and flexibility strategies were also suitable. Overall, agility and collaboration measures showed the highest capacity to address characteristic pandemic challenges. A lack of preparedness impeded some measures' application, calling for enhanced proactive risk management following the pandemic.Originality/valueThis paper addresses several research calls by providing in-depth empirical evidence on hitherto conceptually researched pandemic characteristics, challenges, and suitable SCRES measures from a network perspective. The study uncovers the different perceptions of individual tiers, emphasizing the need to analyze supply chain disruptions from multiple angles.

Dimensions and sub-dimensions of emergency supply chain resilience: a case study of Médecins Sans Frontières Logistique during the COVID-19 pandemic

“…To conduct this case study, we drew on the proposals from the literature review and contrasted them with our data (Yin, 2013). Unique case studies have already been carried out in the field of supply chain management (SCM) (Spieske et al , 2022; Abdellatif and Graham, 2019; Ruel et al , 2019) because it can confirm, challenge or develop theory and is of interest when it offers opportunities for unusual research access. This case study allows us to study in depth: how and why supply chain resilience was mobilized at MSF Log.…”

Towards strengthening resilience of organizations by risk management tools: A scientometric perspective on COVID‐19 experience in a healthcare and industrial setting

“…[ 93 ] Considering supply chain resilience phases of anticipation, resistance, and response and recovery, flexibility can be considered an indicator of system performance of the resistance phase, while agility concerns the response and recovery phase. [ 101 ] Indeed, agility focuses on rapid system reconfiguration [ 99 ] and it is considered as the dynamic ability of supply chain to respond rapidly, easily, and cost‐effectively [ 93 ] to unpredictable disruptions [ 102 ] and to quickly address variations in the industry and customer expectations. [ 103 ] Additionally, the investigated literature referred to agility as the ability to quickly adapt the organizational structure and operations policy as a consequence of turbulent change [ 100 ] and the collaboration of stakeholders to respond quickly to changing environments and accredit with new capabilities.…”

“…[103] Additionally, the investigated literature referred to agility as the ability to quickly adapt the organizational structure and operations policy as a consequence of turbulent change [100] and the collaboration of stakeholders to respond quickly to changing environments and accredit with new capabilities. [104] Key features associated to supply chain agility were speed and supply chain visibility, [102,103,105] and adaptive capacity. [100] Because the critical role of collaboration between the companies and with other entities participating in the value creation process is recognized, under COVID-19, emergency collaboration and communication have been widely promoted.…”

Research on the impact of AI application on capital chain resilience

“…From the perspective of resources, supply chain networks and relationships can improve supply chain resilience, in which communication and cooperation are the main influencing factors [52,77]. The social capital obtained from inter-organizational relationships can improve supply chain resilience, which is affected by absorptive ability [28].…”