Supply Chain Operations Management in Pandemics: A State-of-the-Art Review Inspired by COVID-19

Muhammad Umar Farooq, Amjad Hussain, Tariq Masood and Muhammad Salman Habib
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Muhammad Umar Farooq: Department of Industrial and Manufacturing Engineering, University of Engineering and Technology, Lahore 54890, Pakistan
Amjad Hussain: Department of Industrial and Manufacturing Engineering, University of Engineering and Technology, Lahore 54890, Pakistan
Tariq Masood: Department of Engineering, University of Cambridge, Cambridge CB2 1PZ, UK
Muhammad Salman Habib: Department of Industrial and Manufacturing Engineering, University of Engineering and Technology, Lahore 54890, Pakistan

Sustainability, 2021, vol. 13, issue 5, 1-33

Abstract: Pandemics cause chaotic situations in supply chains (SC) around the globe, which can lead towards survivability challenges. The ongoing COVID-19 pandemic is an unprecedented humanitarian crisis that has severely affected global business dynamics. Similar vulnerabilities have been caused by other outbreaks in the past. In these terms, prevention strategies against propagating disruptions require vigilant goal conceptualization and roadmaps. In this respect, there is a need to explore supply chain operation management strategies to overcome the challenges that emerge due to COVID-19-like situations. Therefore, this review is aimed at exploring such challenges and developing strategies for sustainability, and viability perspectives for SCs, through a structured literature review (SLR) approach. Moreover, this study investigated the impacts of previous epidemic outbreaks on SCs, to identify the research objectives, methodological approaches, and implications for SCs. The study also explored the impacts of epidemic outbreaks on the business environment, in terms of effective resource allocation, supply and demand disruptions, and transportation network optimization, through operations management techniques. Furthermore, this article structured a framework that emphasizes the integration of Industry 4.0 technologies, resilience strategies, and sustainability to overcome SC challenges during pandemics. Finally, future research avenues were identified by including a research agenda for experts and practitioners to develop new pathways to get out of the crisis.

Keywords: supply chain management; survivability; epidemic outbreaks; influenza; COVID-19; sustainability; viability; resilience; industry 4.0; review; manufacturing (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2021
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (12)

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