Supply chain resilience reactive strategies for food SMEs in coping to COVID-19 crisis

Small and medium enterprises (SMEs) in a pandemic: A systematic review of pandemic risk impacts, coping strategies and resilience

Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) are particularly vulnerable to pandemics. Therefore, resilience and adaptation to shocks from pandemics such as COVID-19 are urgently needed. However, despite some coping strategies already in place among SMEs, research on their nature and effectiveness is limited. Thus, it remains unclear how effectively and sustainably documented coping strategies reduce SMEs' vulnerability and increase their resilience to pandemic risk. This article reviews academic literature for evidence of pandemic risk impacts on SMEs, coping strategies in response to these impacts, and the degree to which these strategies reduce SMEs' vulnerability and increase their resilience. According to the literature review, seven essential pandemic risk impacts were identified for SMEs - human movement restrictions, financial constraints, operational challenges, logistics difficulties, delayed business reopening, short-term policy focus and tacit knowledge workers. The study also outlined eleven critical coping strategies, notably structural or physical and behavioural changes. Study analysis reveals that resilience research among SMEs is predominantly conceptual with limited empirical evidence. To conclude, this study urges more adaptation research focused on developing new forms of pandemic risk education for SMEs addressing their complexities.

Interconnection between the role of blockchain technologies, supply chain integration, and circular economy: A case of small and medium-sized enterprises in Pakistan

Increased industrialization has led to unprecedented resource depletion on a global scale. The current state of affairs has compelled practitioners and academics to investigate the role of sustainable technologies in greening the operations of businesses. Previous studies have attempted to examine the number of operational aspects for their role in making firms sustainable, yet the utility of blockchain technologies is in its infancy. The role of BT in enhancing integration across supply chains has been in the limelight in the recent past. At the same time, its ability to cause sustainable supply chain performance (SSCP) in sync with the circular economy (CE) and supply chain integration (SCI) has largely remained unexplored. Therefore, this study intends to examine the association between blockchain technologies (BTs) and SSCPs through integration to fill the empirical gaps. The study was pursued to investigate the moderating role of the CE on the relationship between multiple extents of SCI and SSCP. Based on dynamic capability theory (DCT), the study considered BT a dynamic resource. BTs are used to integrate and reenergize the relationships with upstream and downstream channel members in pursuit of sustainable performance outcomes. The study opted for a cross-sectional design, where data was collected through convenience sampling from 475 managers from SMEs operating across Pakistan. PLS-SEM was used to analyze the data and to generate the required empirical outcomes. Study results favored the significant association between BT and SSCP, followed by a significant mediating role of SCI dimensions and moderating role of the CE. The study's findings propagate the utility of BTs adoption for SMEs, which holds the potential for firms to achieve system-wide integration to achieve sustainable outcomes. The given empirical investigation holds valuable insights for practitioners and scholars intending to pursue research on the subject matter.

Assessing last-mile distribution resilience under demand disruptions

The COVID-19 pandemic led to a significant breakdown of the traditional retail sector resulting in an unprecedented surge in e-commerce demand for the delivery of essential goods. Consequently, the pandemic raised concerns pertaining to e-retailers' ability to maintain and efficiently restore level of service in the event of such low-probability high-severity market disruptions. Thus, considering e-retailers' role in the supply of essential goods, this study assesses the resilience of last-mile distribution operations under disruptions by integrating a Continuous Approximation (CA) based last-mile distribution model, the resilience triangle concept, and the Robustness, Redundancy, Resourcefulness, and Rapidity (R4) resilience framework. The proposed R4 Last Mile Distribution Resilience Triangle Framework is a novel performance-based qualitative-cum-quantitative domain-agnostic framework. Through a set of empirical analyses, this study highlights the opportunities and challenges of different distribution/outsourcing strategies to cope with disruption. In particular, the authors analyzed the use of an independent crowdsourced fleet (flexible service contingent on driver availability); the use of collection-point pickup (unconstrained downstream capacity contingent on customer willingness to self-collect); and integration with a logistics service provider (reliable service with high distribution costs). Overall, this work recommends the e-retailers to create a suitable platform to ensure reliable crowdsourced deliveries, position sufficient collection-points to ensure customer willingness to self-collect, and negotiate contracts with several logistics service providers to ensure adequate backup distribution.

Exploring the relationship between digitalization, resilient agri-food supply chain management practices and firm performance

Purpose

This study aims to explore the mediating role of digital technologies-based supply chain integrating (SCI) strategies on the agri-supply chain performance (SCP) and firm performance (FP). This research has introduced recently emerged digital technologies such as Internet of Things (IoT). Further, based on theoretical support and an extensive literature review, this research has proposed some hypotheses, which have been quantitatively validated for their significance.

Design/methodology/approach

A conceptual model was formulated based on an extensive literature review. Data for this research were gathered from a survey completed by 119 respondents from different departments of agri-firms. Further, partial least square (PLS)-based structured equation modelling (SEM) was used to test the proposed hypothetical model.

Findings

The results confirm that IoT-based digital technologies and supply chain processes (organization integration [OI], information sharing and customer integration [CI]) have a significant positive correlation. Furthermore, supply chain practices are positively associated with SCP. Finally, it has been found that FP is positively impacted by SCP.

Research limitations/implications

This research is used to analyse the mediating impacts of digital supply chain processes as a linking strategy for SCP and FP. For practical purposes, this research provides investment decisions for implementing digital technologies in SC strategies. The findings have proposed implications for managers and practitioners in agri-firms based on existing theories: contingency theory (CT) and relational view theory. Also, this study suggests the deployment of smarter electronically based tags and readers, which improve the data analytics capabilities based on auto-captured data. Thus, the availability of quality information improves the data-driven decisional capabilities of managers at company level.

Originality/value

This is a unique and original study exploring the relationship between digitalization, resilient agri-food supply chain (AFSC) management practices and firm performance. This research may be extended to other industries in view of the results from SCP and impact of digitalization.

Procurement's role in resolving demand–supply imbalances: an information processing theory perspective

Purpose

Drawing on information processing theory, the linkage between buffering and bridging and the ability on the part of procurement to resolve demand–supply imbalances is investigated, as well as contexts in which these strategies may be particularly useful or detrimental. Buffering may be achieved through demand change or redundancy, while bridging may be achieved by the means of collaboration or monitoring.

Design/methodology/approach

This study employs a hierarchical regression analysis of a survey of 150 Finnish and Swedish procurement and sales and operations planning professionals, each responding from the perspective of their own area of supply responsibility.

Findings

Both the demand change and redundancy varieties of buffering are associated with procurement's ability to resolve demand–supply imbalances without delivery disruptions, but not with cost-efficient resolution. Bridging is associated with the cost-efficient resolution of imbalances: while collaboration offers benefits, monitoring seems to make things worse. Dynamism diminishes, while the co-management of procurement in S&OP improves procurement's ability to resolve demand–supply imbalances. The most potent strategy for tackling problematic contexts appears to be buffering via demand change.

Practical implications

The results highlight the importance of procurement in the S&OP process and suggest tactical measures that can be taken to resolve and reduce the effects of supply and demand imbalances.

Originality/value

The results contribute to the procurement and S&OP literature by increasing knowledge regarding the role and integration of procurement to the crucial process of balancing demand and supply operations.

Modeling the artificial intelligence-based imperatives of industry 5.0 towards resilient supply chains: A post-COVID-19 pandemic perspective

The recent COVID-19 pandemic has significantly affected emerging economies' global supply chains (SCs) by disrupting their manufacturing activities. To ensure business survivability during the current and post-COVID-19 era, it is crucial to adopt artificial intelligence (AI) technologies to renovate traditional manufacturing activities. The fifth industrial revolution, Industry 5.0 (I5.0), and artificial intelligence (AI) offer the overwhelming potential to build an inclusive digital future by ensuring supply chain (SC) resiliency and sustainability. Accordingly, this research aims to identify, assess, and prioritize the AI-based imperatives of I5.0 to improve SC resiliency. An integrated and intelligent approach consisting of Pareto analysis, the Bayesian approach, and the Best-Worst Method (BWM) was developed to fulfill the objectives. Based on the literature review and expert opinions, nine AI-based imperatives were identified and analyzed using Bayesian-BWM to evaluate their potential applicability. The findings reveal that real-time tracking of SC activities using the Internet of Things (IoT) is the most crucial AI-based imperative to improving a manufacturing SC's survivability. The research insights can assist industry leaders, practitioners, and relevant stakeholders in dealing with the impacts of large-scale SC disruptions in the post-COVID-19 era.

A policy-making model for evolutionary SME behavior during a pandemic recession supported on game theory approach

The global economy has experienced a tremendous shock caused by the Covid-19 pandemic and its effects on the normal activities of SMEs, which provide essential driving economic force. Considering that there is currently no precise prediction about the end of this pandemic, many SMEs must make critical decisions about whether to remain in the market during the pandemic or to leave it, investing their assets in a more secure sector of the economy. However, in order to convince SMEs to remain in the market, thus maintaining the damaged economy, governments may variously apply punitive or supportive measures. In this regard, the interaction between SMEs strategies and government measures can be considered as an evolutionary game, in which the governments impose various policies after observing the evolutionary behaviors of SMEs. An evolutionary stable strategy (ESS) is derived through a replicator dynamic system, and the available payoff of each player is calculated by Nash equilibrium (NA). Finally, a numerical example is presented, and related managerial insights are proposed at the end of the current study. For instance, contrary to general belief, it can be inferred from investigating possible scenarios that punitive policies are more effective than supportive measures in convincing SMEs to remain in the market.

The effect of government support on Bureaucracy, COVID-19 resilience and export intensity: Evidence from North Africa

The literature on the imperativeness of government support for firm survival since the onset of COVID-19 is vast, but scholars have scarcely considered the impact of such assistance on managers' time, nor the extent to which support measures induce resilience and export activity. Accordingly, this study assesses the impact of government support on (1) bureaucracy and (2) resilience using data from 535 Moroccan SMEs. It further evaluates the influence of resilience on direct versus indirect exports, and espouses the institutional voids, resource-based and strategy-creation view to explain the associations through a contingency lens. The results demonstrate that (1) government support increases bureaucracy which, (2) surprisingly triggers and enhances resilience. Furthermore, (3) resilience has a positive impact on direct exports but (4) adversely affects indirect exports. Theoretically, the findings acquiesce extant calls for measurement specificity in export performance. Practically, stakeholders' attention is drawn to the value of managers' time well spent.

Two years of COVID-19 pandemic: Understanding the role of knowledge-based supply chains towards resilience through bibliometric and network analyses

Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) catastrophically disrupted most of the global supply chains (SC). Knowledge-based SC can cope with the pandemic disruptions by the efficient use of data, information, knowledge, human intelligence and emerging technologies. This article aims to critically analyse the SC research during the two years of COVID-19 pandemic to understand the role of knowledge-based supply chain towards SC resilience. A review of the 281 shortlisted articles is presented, along with bibliometric and network analyses in order to create an intellectual map of the domain and to identify the emerging knowledge themes. Bibliometric analysis reveals that the knowledge focus during this short span has migrated from COVID-19 pandemic to SC risk management and finally to risk mitigation strategies. The network analysis identifies five emerging knowledge themes, namely impact of COVID-19 on SC; SC risk mitigation and resilience; supply chain viability; sustainable SC strategies; and food SC. This review also elucidates the strategies to mitigate COVID-19 disruptions for incorporating resilience in SC. Future research directions for a knowledge-based sustainable-leagile-resilient (S-leagilient) supply chain have also been propounded.

Development of a semi-structured questionnaire to analyse supply chain resilience in the post-COVID business era

The COVID-19 pandemic has had and is having devastating effects on the health of the population, but also on the economic health of companies and their supply chains. The old paradigms of the commercial and industrial world have been inevitably disrupted: global supply chains have shifted from a system based on efficiency to one oriented towards resilience. To this regard, the present research paper aims at investigating how Supply Chain Resilience will evolve in the new paradigms of the post-COVID business era. In order to contribute to this investigation, a semi-structured questionnaire is developed, through a structured research approach. Future research lines will be based on conducting this questionnaire as a basis for a targeted survey, analysable through association rules.

Digital supply chain transformation: effect of firm’s knowledge creation capabilities under COVID-19 supply chain disruption risk

Digital supply chain (SC) transformation has emerged as a way to improve information sharing, better manage demand, and reduce costs in supply chain management. However, the majority of firms are unable to transform their supply chains into digital models. Thus, this study aims to identify the key drivers of digital SC transformation and provide empirical evidence on the extent to which firms’ knowledge creation capabilities could impact firms’ level of digital supply chain transformation. Based on a knowledge-based view, this study proposes that firms’ knowledge creation capabilities – which consist of the capacity to absorb external knowledge and the intent to learn with partners within the SC – are crucial to the successful knowledge transfer required to digitially transform, particularly under the effects of COVID-19 supply chain disruption risks. Survey data collected from 923 Vietnamese firms participating in cross-border trades were analyzed using partial least squares structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM). This study finds that firms’ absorptive capacity and learning intent are critical drivers of their digital supply chain transformation. Moreover, the high uncertainties in external environments are found to substantially accelerate the digital transformation processes and influence the effectiveness of firms’ knowledge creation capabilities in digital SC transformation. Significantly, firms are more inclined toward external knowledge sources to cope with disruption risks in the supply chain. This study contributes a novel approach to better understanding the role of knowledge creation capabilities in responding to supply chain disruption risks and fills a gap in research on drivers of successful digital SC transformation.

Uncovering the effectual-causal resilience nexus in the era of Covid-19: A case of a food sector SME's resilience in the face of the global pandemic

This research explores the underlying roles of effectuation and causation logic as they impact upon firm resilience in Small and Medium Sized Enterprises (SMEs) in the unprecedented disruption caused by Covid-19. Because Covid-19 provides a unique and powerful discontinuance to internal and external environments, it requires firm adaptation in a wide variety of areas, as they seek to find a new “normal”. Our study contributes to the literature by applying effectuation to understand how an SME can experiment and learn in the face of disruption, and then subsequently causally adapt their resources and networks to achieve resilient outcomes. It adds to knowledge about the interaction between effectual and causal logic, leading to a more nuanced explanation of how and why an SME might apply each logic when responding to disruption caused by Covid-19.

Managing supply chains during COVID-19 outbreak: a case of Hong Kong toy manufacturing company

Purpose

This study aims to identify key supply chain challenges and opportunities of the case of Hong Kong toy manufacturing company during the COVID-19 outbreak and develop a comprehensive structural relationship to rank them.

Design/methodology/approach

In this study, a toy model company in Hong Kong is considered to discuss about what challenges and opportunities have the biggest impacts on non-necessary goods companies and how to deal with different impacts on entire supply chain flow disruption during COVID-19. A semi-structured interview with five decision-makers from the company was made to give key challenges and opportunities scores. The Technique for Order of Preference by Similarity to Ideal Solution (TOPSIS) technique is used to establish the model and rank them afterward to overcome the challenges.

Findings

From the data analysis and results, “salary of employee” and “inconvenient transportation” have emerged as top and bottom key challenges respectively. The sequence of organized challenges in the list needs to mitigate one by one in this order to improve the supply chain performance. The “client's orders’ frequency, customer management” and “supplier/partner relationship management” are identified as the top and bottom respectively to develop the opportunities.

Research limitations/implications

These key challenges and opportunities are identified as contributing attributes and provide the way to measure to improve production, profits and sustainable growth of the toy manufacturing company during a pandemic. Moreover, it helps to improve the distribution level and good planning with appropriate decision making to manage the supply chain performance considering humanitarian aspects during a pandemic outbreak.

Originality/value

The novelty of this study is to identify the key supply chain challenges and opportunities measured by the TOPSIS method to rank them and consider the case of a Hong Kong toy manufacturing company as a case-based approach to measuring its performance during the COVID-19 outbreak.

Communicating the Resilience and Corporate Social Responsibility of SMEs during Lockdown in Spain: A Visual and Exploratory Study of Communication Mechanisms and Strategies

The health crisis caused by COVID-19 has led to changes in the behaviour of businesses during lockdown, especially Small and Medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). This study aims to identify the capacity for reaction, resilience, and corporate social responsibility (CSR) from direct sources and from strategic communication categories. Firstly, to discover the communication mechanisms and strategies of innovative SMEs during lockdown in Spain for overcoming difficulties. And secondly, to confirm “Food and Drink”—sector SME resilience capacities through their communications, and the CSR capacity of the SMEs that supports the sustainability to the tourism sector. For this purpose, a qualitative analysis of the 2.0 messages communicated by the companies was carried out and a map generated from social network analysis to identify the most resilient SMEs based on strategic communication elements used. The results show an uneven business reaction that reflects the change of paradigm in communication with customers that is occurring heterogeneously. This study is original because few on this theme apply to SMEs in the Spanish context. We highlight they are all from the “Food and drink” sector and included in the list of enterprises with high growth rate through entrepreneurial spirit and innovation, allowing us to make certain comparisons and understand certain differences and respective resilience, including supply chains and CSR.

Amid the COVID-19 Pandemic, Social Media Usage and Food Waste Intention: The Role of Excessive Buying Behavior and Religiosity

Despite being a religious country, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA) ranks among the world’s worst food wasters. Social media usage (SMU) and changes in customers’ behavior, such as excessive buying, are some of the main influences of food waste. This paper examined the impact of SMU on food waste intention (FWI) with the mediating role of religiosity and excessive buying behavior amid the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. A self-administered questionnaire was completed by 1250 restaurant customers in KSA. The study results employing structural equation modeling (SEM) demonstrated a significant negative impact of customer religion on the intention of food waste. Nevertheless, SMU fosters excessive buying, which in return results in a high FWI. The results also demonstrated that excessive buying behaviors partially mediate the influence of SMU and religiosity on the intention of food waste. The findings have numerous implications for policymakers, academics, and restaurant professionals.

Enablers for resilience and pandemic preparedness in food supply chain

The recent COVID-19 pandemic has caused enormous disruptions to supply chain (SCs). Border restrictions forced countless businesses to close either permanently or temporarily. However, the food industry is an essential sector that needs to be operational during a pandemic. Although the food industry has proactively worked towards fulfilling human needs, the food supply chain (FSC) faced numerous challenges, forcing SC managers to rethink their business strategy to cater to consumer demands effectively. In a pandemic situation, manufacturing operations need to repurpose and adapt to produce different high-demand products. Resilience initiatives help fight disruption phases in an uncertain environment by building capacity to resist and recover to a better position. This study identifies 14 key enablers to develop a resilient FSC and reveals the most significant enablers in India. We used a hybrid Delphi-interpretive structural modeling (ISM) and Fuzzy decision-making trial and evaluation laboratory (Fuzzy-DEMATEL) methodology to achieve these goals. The Delphi technique identified essential enablers, while the ISM analyzed the interrelationship among enablers and level of importance in a hierarchical structural model. Finally, the Fuzzy-DEMATEL categorized the enablers into the cause-effect group. This study helps SC decision-makers recognize the enablers and the contextual and causal relationships to improve resilience initiatives. It also helps them repurpose their manufacturing operations and shift to other highly required and high-demand production.

Investigating the relationship between digital technologies, supply chain integration and firm resilience in the context of COVID-19

The outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic has significantly augmented the complexity of information, adding to the challenges that firms face in effectively processing and grasping accurate information. As a result, the production uncertainty of firms has been seriously intensified during the pandemic, disrupting the normal operation of firms and their supply chains. Digital technologies serve as salient tools that help firms to process and analyse information, consequently enhancing firm resilience in the face of supply chain disruptions. This study aims to examine how digital technologies affect firm resilience in the context of COVID-19 through the lens of information processing theory and a large-scale survey conducted among Chinese manufacturers. Specifically, our study evaluates the mediating effect of supply chain integration (internal integration, customer integration and supplier integration) and the moderating effect of information complexity. The results show that supply chain integration plays a mediating role in the effect of digital technologies on firm resilience, and the mediation effect is particularly significant for customer integration. Furthermore, digital technologies have a stronger impact on firm resilience when information complexity is high. The findings advance our understanding and recognition of the resilience implications of digital technologies and provide important managerial implications for improving firm resilience in the context of COVID-19.

A Novel Multi-Criteria Assessment Approach for Post-COVID-19 Production Strategies in Vietnam Manufacturing Industry: OPA–Fuzzy EDAS Model

The global manufacturing supply chain has been disrupted by the negative impacts of the pandemic. In Southeast Asia, Vietnam’s manufacturing industry is one of the most strongly integrated with global and regional supply chains. The production strategies in the “new normal” are the key solution to the survival and sustainable development of manufacturers. This study aims to develop a two-stage framework to investigate the impacts of COVID-19 and the post-COVID-19 production strategies for Vietnam’s manufacturing industry. As a theoretical contribution, this study proposes a novel and robust integration approach, which combines the Ordinal Priority Approach (OPA) and Fuzzy Evaluation Based on Distance from Average Solution (Fuzzy EDAS), for the first time. The negative impacts of the pandemic were identified and weighted by the OPA method. Then, production strategies were comprehensively evaluated using the Fuzzy EDAS method. Findings indicate that digitization and on-site renewable energy are the most essential recovery strategies for manufacturing in Vietnam. These findings are validated by comparisons with the results of recent multiple criteria decision-making (MCDM) methods. Furthermore, weight sensitivity analysis reveals different suitability of strategies for short-term and long-term negative impacts. As a managerial implication, the multi-scenario ranking results help managers to make resource-allocation decisions for the implementation of post-COVID-19 production strategies.

Analysis of supply chain resilience drivers in oil and gas industries during the COVID-19 pandemic using an integrated approach

The COVID-19 pandemic has significantly affected the supply chains (SCs) of many industries, including the oil and gas (O&G) industry. This study aims to identify and analyze the drivers that affect the resilience level of the O&G SC under the COVID-19 pandemic. The analysis helps to understand the driving intensity of one driver over those of others as well as drivers with the highest driving power to achieve resilience. Through an extensive literature review and an overview of experts' opinions, the study identified fourteen supply chain resilience (SCR) drivers of the O&G industry. These drivers were analyzed using the integrated fuzzy interpretive structural modeling (ISM) and decision-making trial and evaluation laboratory (DEMATEL) approaches. The analysis shows that the major drivers of SCR are government support and security. These two drivers help to achieve other drivers of SCR, such as collaboration and information sharing, which, in turn, influence innovation, trust, and visibility among SC partners. Two more drivers, robustness and agility, are also essential drivers of SCR. However, rather than influencing other drivers for their achievement, robustness and agility are influenced by others. The results show that collaboration has the highest overall driving intensity and agility has the highest intensity of being influenced by other drivers.

SMEs in Automotive Supply Chains: A Survey on Six Sigma Performance Perceptions of Czech Supply Chain Members

Six sigma is understood as a technique for the continuous improvement in process quality; however, it has been rarely scientifically analysed in small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). SMEs representthe vast majority of enterprises throughout economies and contribute to automotive supply chains in various tier ranks. As SMEs are known to lack resources and skills while focusing on short-term benefits rather than on long-term gradual improvements, the aim of of this paper is to analyse the perception of six sigma process capabilities in automotive supply chains assuming differences in company size, supply chain rank and six sigma duration. This was tested with Fisher’s exact test. Companies with less than 1000 employees, subsuppliers and companies with a six sigma implementation in the last 3 years struggled to meet six sigma principles, suggesting that mainly small companies inhibit a risk for the supply chain. These findings contribute to the existing theoretical body of knowledge by identifying a three-to-five-year period for six sigma implementations until six sigma maturity. Practically, the findings contribute to the research by explaining the need for a continuous supplier development over a three-to-five-year period until the company meets its performance requirements, with a supply chain risk incorporated in lower-tier ranks and with small companies.

Creating supply chain resilience during and post-COVID-19 outbreak: the organizational ambidexterity perspective

This study aims to investigate the significance of organizational ambidexterity (OA) in creating supply chain resilience (SCRES) during and after the COVID-19 pandemic. The methodological triangulation is applied in this study. A literature review, semi-structured online interviews and insights from open webinars serve as the sources of data. A framework, based on three pillars: validation, positioning and evaluation of business practices, is used for data analysis. The dependencies between OA activities and SCRES strategies are presented. The authors discuss their evolution during and in the post-pandemic period and outline the SCM trends in a strategic perspective. This paper investigates a pathway for closing the gap between OA theory and industry practice to create SCRES during and post-COVID-19 outbreak. This article starts the discussion on creating SCRES through OA. Future quantitative and qualitative research should explore the applicability of OA to enhance SCRES in a dynamic environment. Understanding the critical connection between exploitation and exploration practices and how OA influences SCRES provides valuable insight into the subject to supply chain managers supporting them in pursuing their roles successfully in the times of crisis. This study is focused on two concepts, OA and SCRES, of critical importance for how practitioners manage supply chains in the times of crisis. The resilience of supply chains to crises is crucial for the well-being of societies.

Reimagining global food value chains through effective resilience to COVID-19 shocks and similar future events: A dynamic capability perspective

The restructuring of global value/supply chains gained increasing attention as the unprecedented COVID-19 echoed around the world. Yet, the COVID-19 related theory-driven, large scale quantitative, and empirical studies are relatively scarce. This study advances the extant literature by empirically investigating how do firms in the global food value chains (GFVCs) re-imagine their businesses structure in response to the COVID-19-becoming more resilient and competitive to the current pandemic and similar future events. We leverage a unique data of 231 senior managers of the Australian GFVCs and examine their firms' response strategies. Drawing upon key insights from the dynamic capability view, we find that GFVCs' competitiveness is achieved when exposure to COVID-19 shocks elicits dynamic capabilities-readiness, response, recovery-and these capabilities work jointly and sequentially to cultivate resilience. A key finding of this study is that firms with domestic plus global value chain partners are more resilient than those having only global business partners. This finding implies that excessive reliance on offshoring sometimes becomes lethal, especially amid unexpected and prolonged global shocks and, therefore, companies should strike a balance between domestic and global business partners to remain competitive. These findings offer important contributions to theory, practice, and UN sustainable development goals.

From resilience to satisfaction: Defining supply chain solutions for agri-food SMEs through quality approach

Since it is an important human need and many organizations are involved in the value chain, the agricultural food supply chain is exposed to various risks that arise naturally or through human actions. This study aims to develop the application of a quality function deployment approach to increase the resilience of the food supply chain by understanding customer needs and logistical risks in the food supply chain. In-depth studies with empirical analysis were conducted to determine the importance of customer needs, food supply chain risks, and actions to improve supply chain resilience of SMEs in the agri-food industry. The result shows that the top three customer needs are "attractive, bright color", "firm texture" and "fresh smell". The top three risks in the agri-food supply chain are "improper storage," "Harvest Failure" and "Human Resource Risks" and the top three resilience actions are "continuous training," "preventive maintenance," and "supply chain forecasting." The implications of this study are to propose an idea that broadens the perspective of supply chain resilience in the agri-food industry by incorporating the needs of customers in considering how to mitigate the existing risks to the satisfaction of customers, and it also highlights the relatively low skill and coordination of the workforce in agri-food supply chains.

Supply chain resilience during the COVID-19 pandemic

The COVID-19 pandemic has challenged supply chains more seriously challenged than ever before. During this prolonged global health crisis, supply chain managers were forced to rely primarily on solutions developed for limited and foreseeable crises. This study aimed to understand how well existing solutions facilitated supply chain resilience in the UK perishable goods market. Consistent with this aim, we developed a research model based on the supply chain resilience literature and tested it with covariance-based structural equation modelling. Data were collected from 282 retail employees. Supply chain velocity was the preferred measure of resilience. The findings demonstrate that pandemic-related disruptions have affected resilience-building activities. While both proactive and reactive approaches have promoted resilience building during the pandemic, they have not been sufficient to ameliorate all the pandemic's negative effects. Innovation featured as the most effective factor, followed by robustness, empowerment, and risk management via reduced risk. The effect of firm size was significant only on supply chain risk management, with larger companies more efficiently applying risk management practices. The results emphasise the importance of innovation for supply chain resilience. Regardless of firm size, innovation works for every company. Empowerment is another costless and effective tool. Therefore, it is safe to conclude that innovation and empowerment can help organisations to manage their supply chains effectively during crises. Companies can strengthen their supply chain resilience by developing strong relationships with their supplier and employees.

Impact of COVID-19 pandemic on perishable food supply chain management: a contingent Resource-Based View (RBV) perspective

Purpose

This study investigates the impact of supplier visibility on the adoption of sustainable practices and supply chain performance. The paper applies contingent Resource-Based View to explain how information sharing with customers and suppliers and supply chain traceability has influenced visibility; visibility has impacted supply chain velocity sustainable practices, and finally, supply chain performance.

Design/methodology/approach

This research analyses 263 survey responses from UK retail (grocery) stores' executives and managers for perishable food during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Findings

The research results indicate that both supply chain traceability and information sharing (customers) positively influence visibility. Further, visibility positively influences the adoption of sustainable practices and velocity, positively impacting supply chain performance. However, information sharing with the customer has no significant influence on performance, and information sharing with the supplier has no significant relationship with visibility.

Originality/value

This research is the first attempt that explores the contingent Resource-Based View for the perishable food supply chain. Further, the empirical evidence provides meaningful insights for academics and industry by filling a crucial lacuna in the literature.

An integrated SWOT-AHP-fuzzy TOPSIS approach for maturity management following the COVID-19 outbreak: lessons learned from fast fashion

Purpose

Focussing on issues that have impacted textiles, clothing and fast fashion following the COVID-19 outbreak, this study aims to identify agility factors pertinent to retail maturity management, mainly on resilience. These factors were then assessed based on priority.

Design/methodology/approach

The authors conducted a strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats (SWOT) analysis to identify the main factors. This analysis was integrated with the analytic hierarchy process to rank the internal and external factors. Then, the authors used fuzzy technique for order of preference by similarity to the ideal solution to evaluate the significant strategies from the SWOT analysis based on adaptability and flexibility. Thus, the authors produced a prioritised list of relevant factors and guidelines useful in practical settings.

Findings

The authors identified and ranked 14 agility and resilience SWOT factors for maturity management and proposed and prioritised six relevant strategies. These highlighted changes and adaptations must be undertaken by various actors, ranging from the supply/manufacturing side to global retail locations.

Research limitations/implications

The sampling study of experts is limited, and the application is focussed on one area. Future research might investigate other fields, for retail and industry.

Practical implications

The output of this study enables a better understanding of the internal and external factors of maturity management for fast-fashion retailers. Hence, it will further help them go through resilience and agility challenges following the pandemic.

Originality/value

This study significantly contributes to the literature because the results can guide retailers in developing effective decision-making systems for mature business operations following the pandemic outbreak. Here, the authors incorporate internal, external, agility and resilience aspects into one decision-making support system while enhancing existing knowledge on fuzzy multi-criteria decision-making applications. Further, this study discusses critical issues that have affected several aspects of the fashion and textile industry and will likely persist for some time.

Can imported cold food cause COVID-19 recurrent outbreaks? A review

The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic is still spreading all over the world. Although China quickly brought the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) under control in 2020, sporadic outbreaks have recurred from time to time. Outbreaks since June 2020 have suggested that the imported cold food supply chain is a major cause for the recurrence and spread of COVID-19. Here we review recurrent outbreaks in China from June 2020 to March 2021, and we analyse the main causes for recurrence and transmission by the supply of imported cold food from port to fork. Contaminated cold food or food packaging material can transmit the virus through 'person-to-thing-to-person', by contrast with the classical 'person-to-person' pathway. We decribe safety precautions for the food system, operating environment and people along the cold chain logistics. Surface disinfection and nucleic acid inspection are needed in each stage of the logistics of imported cold food supply.

Surviving the hectic early phase of the COVID-19 pandemic: a qualitative study to the supply chain strategies of food service firms in times of a crisis

Purpose

The COVID-19 pandemic and the subsequent lockdown have hit the food service industry very hard. The COVID-19 outbreak has created a sharp downturn for firms in the food service industry, compelling actors across the whole food service supply chain to rethink their strategies. The purpose of this paper is to document the impact of COVID-19 on the food service supply chain, as well as to identify crisis management strategies food service firms use during the hectic early phase of the COVID-19 pandemic to survive the current and prepare for future pandemics.

Design/methodology/approach

We performed a qualitative descriptive study using 21 semi-structured interviews with actors across the food service supply chain (i.e. farmers, wholesalers and food service providers). Data were collected to shed light on food service firms' decision making during the hectic early phase of the COVID-19 pandemic to uncover various crisis management strategies used.

Findings

By integrating the disaster and crisis pyramid and resilience theory, four core crisis management strategies to respond to the COVID-19 pandemic are conceptualized, i.e. (1) managing resources, (2) diversifying strategically, (3) prioritizing long-term outcomes and (4) bonding socially.

Originality/value

The theoretical contributions include documenting the performance impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the food service supply chain and exploring crisis management strategies food service firms employed during the hectic early phase of the COVID-19 pandemic. Thus, functioning and survival during a pandemic, an emerging field in literature, are central to this study. Additionally, while recent research suggests that integrating crisis management and resilience literature may provide a more complete understanding of the organization–crisis relationship, these literature streams mainly developed in isolation. By integrating the literature streams of crisis management and resilience and applying these theories to the COVID-19 crisis, our study provides specific managerial guidelines.

Disruptive Technologies for Achieving Supply Chain Resilience in COVID-19 Era: An Implementation Case Study of Satellite Imagery and Blockchain Technologies in Fish Supply Chain

In supply chains where stakeholders belong to the economically disadvantaged segment and form an important part of the supply chain distribution, the complexities grow manifold. Fisheries in developing nations are one such sector where the complexity is not only due to the produce being perishable but also due to the livelihood dependence of others in the coastal regions that belong to the section of economically disadvantaged. This paper explains the contextual challenges of fish supply chain in a developing country and describes how integrating disruptive technologies can address those challenges. Through a positive deviance approach, we show how firms can help unorganized supply chains with economically disadvantaged suppliers by carefully redesigning the supply chain through the integration of satellite imagery and blockchain technology. With COVID-19 in the backdrop, we highlight how such technologies significantly improves the supply chain resilience and at the same time contributes to the income generating opportunities of poor fisherfolks in developing nations. Our study has important implications to both developing markets and food supply chain practitioners as this paper tackles issues such as perishability, demand-supply mismatch, unfair prices, and quality related data transparency in the entire value chain.

Women’s Skills and Aptitudes as Drivers of Organizational Resilience: An Italian Case Study

The economic system has experienced heavy consequences caused by the recent pandemic. This paper investigates the interaction between the crisis and organization reaction, focusing on the female managerial role and contribution to overcoming the crisis in male-owned and managed companies. To achieve the research objectives, we used a qualitative research method based on an explorative case study. The results show that female managerial skills have fostered organizational resilience in terms of: (i) the attitude to change; (ii) the ability to promote new initiatives; and (iii) the ability to have initiated, consolidated, and managed solid formal relationships with institutional stakeholders. Our results also highlight the decisive contribution of corporate governance (even if male-oriented) in favoring the growth and autonomy of women in positions of responsibility. This contribution is evidenced by (iv) increasing delegation of roles and responsibilities in managing relationships with institutional stakeholders to women managers; and (v) recognizing women managers’ talents in terms of career progression. The originality of this work is represented by the survey that aims to determine how the female management of businesses managed and owned by men can foster the resilience of companies. On the other hand, this paper investigates how female leadership drives organizational resilience during unexpected shocks, opening an interdisciplinary viewpoint.

Exploring food waste during the COVID-19 pandemic among Malaysian consumers: The effect of social media, neuroticism, and impulse buying on food waste

The amount of food being thrown away despite being in an edible condition has become alarming in countries with populations with medium and high incomes. Changes in consumer behaviour, such as overbuying, are some of the major impetuses of food waste. This study aimed to examine the relationship between food waste and social media usage, neuroticism, and impulse buying. The mediating role of impulse buying and the moderating role of neuroticism on food waste during the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic were also uncovered in this study. A self-administered online survey was distributed to a total of 274 consumers who had experienced a lockdown during the COVID-19 outbreak and were also regular buyers of food. Empirical findings supported the fact that social media usage, neuroticism, and impulse buying were positively related to food waste. Impulse buying mediates the relationship between social media usage and food waste, as well as between neuroticism and food waste. The study results also revealed that neuroticism positively moderates the relationship between social media usage and food waste. This paper offers new insights into efforts for sustainable food consumption to tackle the issue of food waste.

Causal Impacts of Epidemics and Pandemics on Food Supply Chains: A Systematic Review

The epidemics and pandemics can severely affect food supply chains, including producers, retailers, wholesalers, and customers. To minimize their impacts, it is fundamental to implement effective policies that ensure continuity in the provision, affordability, and distribution of basic food items. This research identifies the main impacts of pandemics and epidemics on food supply chains and policies that can minimize these impacts. Based on a systematic literature review (SLR), 173 documents are analysed to propose a taxonomy of impacts on four supply chain links: demand-side, supply-side, logistics and infrastructure, and management and operation. The taxonomy presents the main impacts and respective mitigation policies. In addition, the literature review leads to the development of a comprehensive causal loop diagram (CLD) with the identification of main variables and their relationship with food supply chains. Finally, a specific research agenda is proposed by identifying the main research gaps. These findings provide a structured method for evaluating policies that ensure the functioning of food supply chains, particularly in disruptions such as epidemics and pandemics.

Monitoring of new coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2): Origin, transmission, and food preservation methods

Unfortunately, there is limited research on coronavirus survival of food products and also food processing. The knowledge of the physical and chemical characteristics of coronaviruses mostly comes from the study of SARS‐CoV and MERS‐CoV physical (i.e., thermal processing, chilling and freezing, microwave irradiation, ultraviolet light, gamma irradiation, high hydrostatic pressure) and chemical (acidification and use of common disinfectants in the food industry like chlorinated derivatives and ozone) are means which could be used to inactive the coronaviruses or reduce the infection. These methods can be applied individually or in combination to act better performance. Thermal processing is one of the most effective methods for inactive coronavirus. Heating at 75°C (15–60 min) and 65°C (1 min) was the best temperature for inactive SARS‐CoV and MERS virus, respectively. Among irradiation methods (microwave, UV, and gamma), the most effective one is UVC rays. Moreover, the use of disinfectant like chlorinated derivatives is appropriate way to disinfect food product surfaces.