Uzbek Car Manufacturing Sector’s Supply Chain Resilience during the COVID-19 Pandemic

Abstract

COVID-19 has become a global problem, and it has not bypassed the Uzbek automotive industry. The purpose of this research is to analyze and assess the unique supply chain resilience of the Uzbek automotive industry during the pandemic. A qualitative methodology was used in the research; a case study consisting of semi-structured interviews with the supply chain department staff of an Uzbek car manufacturing company. The results show that owing to supply limitations, lockdowns, and increasing prices, the Uzbek car manufacturing company faced shortages and declining production volume. However, because of its inventory redundancy capability and attentive teamwork, the company remained open, while a multitude of large corporations were forced to shut down production. To our knowledge, this is the first research work to identify and assess the supply chain resilience of the Uzbek automotive industry during the COVID-19 disruption. The findings of this paper are expected to contribute to car manufacturing operations in Uzbekistan and in general because they suggest a resilience readiness beyond the conventional risk management supported by the industry experts.