Restructuring Global Supply Chains: Navigating Challenges of the COVID-19 Pandemic and Beyond

• 成果类型: Article
• 署名作者: Niu, Yimeng; Werle, Niklas; Cohen, Morris; Cui, Shiliang; Deshpande, Vinayak; Ernst, Ricardo; Huchzermeier, Arnd; Tsay, Andy A.; Wu, Jing
• 署名单位: Tilburg University; WHU - Otto Beisheim School of Management; University of Pennsylvania; Georgetown University; University of North Carolina; University of North Carolina Chapel Hill; Santa Clara University
• 刊物名称: M&SOM-MANUFACTURING & SERVICE OPERATIONS MANAGEMENT
• ISSN/ISSBN: 1523-4614
• DOI: 10.1287/msom.2024.0879
• 发表日期: 2025
• 关键词: global supply chain restructuring; COVID-19 pandemic; disruption risks; resilience strategies

摘要

Problem definition: The COVID-19 pandemic imposed unprecedented stresses on global supply chains (GSCs), compelling companies to reassess their supply chain structures and strategies. This crisis has also heightened awareness among businesses, consumers, and policymakers about the critical importance and far-reaching implications of GSC design and management. This unique moment presents a generational opportunity for Operations Management (OM) researchers to document and understand the ongoing restructuring of GSCs. Methodology/results: By analyzing microlevel data on U.S. customs import shipments (2019-2021), we uncover shifts in GSC strategies during the COVID-19 pandemic. Firms diversified suppliers within existing sourcing locations and reallocated volumes among them. Whereas dependence on China decreased, imports from other Asian nations like India and Vietnam, as well as North American countries like Canada and Mexico, increased. Industryspecific differences were pronounced, and a notable shift toward lower-frequency, higherquantity shipments was also observed. Managerial implications: Beyond the challenges of COVID-19, recent years have witnessed other major supply chain disruptions, due to causes such as geopolitical tensions, natural disasters, and port worker strikes. We offer actionable insights for executives designing supply chain strategies to prepare for similar disruptions as they increase in frequency and severity. We identify future research avenues aimed at enhancing the resilience and adaptability of GSCs in a continuously evolving environment.