Coping with uncertainties via resilient supply chain framework

Abstract

Supply chain resilience (SCR) is a promising area budding from the emergent admiration to minimise supply chain disruptions by practitioners and by researchers across the globe. To inflate monetary earnings, many organisations execute initiatives such as comprehensive reach of supply chains, amplified outsourcing, shorter product life cycles, reduced buffers and centralisation. These initiatives are effective in stable surroundings, but they could make supply chain vulnerable to various types of disruptions. The main thrust of this research is, to propose a conceptual model for endowing deeper knowledge of how uncertainty from suppliers, customers and existing supply chain structure amplifies vulnerability and consequently increases supply chain risk exposure. In accordance with fitness landscape theory, this paper accepts a complex systems perspective to view supply chain organisations and understand their capabilities. It focuses on diminishing the vulnerability of supply chain systems and the ability to design systems to be more resilient to change.