Achieving resilient supply chains: Managing temporary healthcare supply chains during a geopolitical disruption

Duong, Linh; Sanderson, Helen; Phillips, Wendy; Roehrich, Jens K.; Uwalaka, Victor

Abstract

Geopolitical disruptions significantly impact the management of temporary healthcare supply chains (HSCs). Common across geopolitical disruptions is the interruption to the flow of supplies, calling for organizations to reconfigure their existing supply chains or set up temporary ones. We theoretically and empirically investigate how temporary HSCs are designed to ensure a resilient flow of vital healthcare products during a geopolitical disruption.,We investigated two different temporary HSCs – potable water and blood products – that experienced geopolitical disruptions. We purposefully sampled HSCs in deployed medical care where healthcare providers operate in resource-austere, politically volatile environments and timing and access to specialist expertise, medical equipment and medicines are critical. We built on rich datasets, including archival data, 12 expert workshops and 41 interviews.,The nature of temporary HSCs (e.g. urgency of demand and time-limited need) and product characteristics (e.g. perishability and strict storage conditions) lead to complexity in designing resilience for temporary HSCs. In contrast to permanent supply chains, temporary HSCs have limited flexibility and redundancy. Collaboration and agility are predominant strategies for enhancing resilience for temporary HSCs.,The study uncovers an urgent need for radical changes in how managers and policymakers responsible for HSC address resilience. During geopolitical disruptions, managers and policymakers need to review healthcare regulations across nations and prioritize by activating high levels of information- and knowledge-sharing between nations.,This study addresses an underresearched area of investigation by theoretically combining and empirically investigating the supply chain strategies employed by organizations to build up resilience in temporary HSCs.

• Journal Article Type: Article
• Acceptance Date: Nov 11, 2024
• Online Publication Date: Dec 10, 2024
• Deposit Date: Dec 10, 2024
• Publicly Available Date: Dec 10, 2024
• Print ISSN: 0144-3577
• Publisher: Emerald
• Peer Reviewed: Peer Reviewed
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.1108/IJOPM-03-2024-0243
• Keywords: Geopolitical disruptions, Healthcare supply chain,Supply chainresilience, Armed conflicts, Temporary supply chain
• Public URL: https://uwe-repository.worktribe.com/output/13519069
• Publisher URL: https://www.emerald.com/insight/content/doi/10.1108/ijopm-03-2024-0243/full/html