Supply chain risk mitigation strategies during COVID-19: exploratory cases of “make-to-order” handloom saree apparel industries
International Journal of Physical Distribution & Logistics Management
ISSN: 0960-0035
Article publication date: 13 April 2021
Issue publication date: 2 March 2022
Abstract
Purpose
This study attempts to identify the supply chain risks (SCRs) induced during the COVID-19 disruption in an Indian handloom saree industry and determine suitable risk mitigation strategies (RMSs) to overcome the impact of the epidemic disruption.
Design/methodology/approach
This work determined 11 SCRs through an extensive literature review in the context of the handloom apparel industry and validated through the experts. Further, a multiple case-based approach is used in this research. Within case and cross-case analyses of four relevant Indian handloom “make-to-order” saree manufacturing firms are conducted to determine the severity of the SCRs considering the pandemic situations to identify appropriate strategies to mitigate the shock of SCRs.
Findings
This study identified the critical SCRs in the context of the Indian handloom “make-to-order” saree industries that emerged during the COVID-19 and proposed a risk mitigation strategy matrix (RMSM) to address the SCRs based on their criticality and predictability dimensions.
Research limitations/implications
The study provides a novel contribution to the body of knowledge on supply chain risk management (SCRM) in the form of the RMSM tool. Supply chain managers from the different sectors can extend the proposed RMSM to overcome the SCRs. Multiple case analyses facilitate supply chain professionals working in handloom apparel industries to benchmark and adopt the proposed RMSs in their firm.
Originality/value
This research is one of its kind that carried exploratory investigation of the handloom apparel industry cases to assess and determine the strategies for mitigating the SCRs caused during a pandemic outbreak.
Keywords
Acknowledgements
The authors express their sincerest thanks to the anonymous reviewers for their valuable comments in improving this manuscript. The authors also thank the Editor-in-Chief and the Guest Editors for their encouragement and guidance. The authors are immensely grateful to the firms for their participation in this study.
This paper forms part of a special section “Supply Chain and Technology Innovation during COVID-19 Outbreak”, guest edited by Syed Abdul Rehman Khan, Charbel Jose Chiappetta Jabbour, Abbas Mardani and Chee Yew Wong.
Citation
Dohale, V., Ambilkar, P., Gunasekaran, A. and Verma, P. (2022), "Supply chain risk mitigation strategies during COVID-19: exploratory cases of “make-to-order” handloom saree apparel industries", International Journal of Physical Distribution & Logistics Management, Vol. 52 No. 2, pp. 109-129. https://doi.org/10.1108/IJPDLM-12-2020-0450
Publisher
:Emerald Publishing Limited
Copyright © 2021, Emerald Publishing Limited