Key supply chain strategies for the post-COVID-19 era: implications for resilience and sustainability

Abstract

Purpose

The impacts of the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak continue to devastate supply chain operations. To attain a competitive advantage in the post-COVID-19 era, decision-makers should explore key supply chain strategies to move forward and ready their policies to be implemented when the crisis sufficiently subsides. This is a significant and practical decision-making issue for any supply chain; hence, the purpose of this study is to explore and analyse key supply chain strategies to ensure robustness and resilience in the post-COVID-19 era.

Design/methodology/approach

This study conducted an expert survey targeting practitioners and academics to explore key supply chain strategies as means of moving forward in the post-COVID-19 era. Further, the key strategies were quantitatively analysed by applying the best-worst method (BWM) to determine their priority importance in the context of the manufacturing sector.

Findings

The results revealed that supply chain resilience and sustainability practices could play a dominant role in this period. The findings of the study can assist supply chain decision-makers in their formulations of key strategies.

Originality/value

This is the first study to investigate key supply chain strategies for the post-COVID-19 era. This study will help practitioners paying attention to resilience and sustainability practices for managing the impacts of future large-scale disruptions.

Citation

Paul, S.K., Moktadir, M.A. and Ahsan, K. (2023), "Key supply chain strategies for the post-COVID-19 era: implications for resilience and sustainability", The International Journal of Logistics Management, Vol. 34 No. 4, pp. 1165-1187. https://doi.org/10.1108/IJLM-04-2021-0238