Supply chain resilience: Conceptual and formal models drawing from immune system analogy

Abstract

Resilience is a frequently discussed concept in the context of supply chains, often likened to an immune system that plays a vital role in safeguarding against disruptions and facilitating recovery. Recognizing a gap in the literature for constructs that encapsulate supply chain resilience from an immune system perspective, this article introduces conceptual and formal models drawing from molecular biology and immunology. Our models reflect the dual nature of supply chain resilience as a composition of preparedness and recovery, interpreted through the primary components of immune systems—innate and adaptive immunities. We discuss how certain analogies between immune and supply chain systems, along with dissimilarities, can be leveraged to enhance supply chain resilience. An immune system-inspired mechanism for supply chain resilience is proposed using a combination of innate and adaptive responses and complemented by the principles of diversity and redundancy. Finally, the article outlines potential research areas within the domain of supply chain resilience (e.g., data-driven analytics, viability, ripple effect, complexity analysis, and uncertainty modeling) that could benefit from the application of the immune system perspective, thereby contributing to and broadening the scope of current scholarly literature.