Methodology: A Managerial Framework for Reducing the Impact of Disruptions to the Supply Chain

Methodology

To benchmark risk planning and mitigation practices, we conducted a series of focused interviews and captured various insights into the area of supply chain disruptions. We interviewed executives from a pharmaceutical company, two international logistics providers, three large retailers, the head of a US Department of Defense military branch and a nuclear power company. The executives had various job titles such as Chief Operating Officer, Chief Logistics Officer, Vice President of International Supply Chain and Senior Manager of Import Operations. We also performed an in-depth study of an automotive supply chain, which included interactions with various executives at the OEM, first-tier suppliers and key points of distribution. With the exception of the interviewee from the nuclear power industry, the common theme among their responsibilities was they managed product flow originating from overseas sources. It should be noted that the nuclear power company was not dealing with a mass of global product flow, but we selected the company for inclusion in the study as it is one where managing risk and disruptions is critical (an understatement!) We primarily sought insights into disruptions that impact material availability (quantity, quality, timeliness).