Abstract
The world is fast-changing, and supply chain management remains one of the most vulnerable industries dependent on global crises. This paper will analyze the key disruption of the supply chain process, how they can be detected, and what should be done in the future to reduce the negative influence of these aspects. To answer the research question, qualitative and quantitative methodologies will be used in the evaluation process. Based on the results, suggestions regarding the literature and further studies will be provided to ensure that the topic is clear and relevant. Recent years have offered many unstable political, social, and environmental situations that can apply to the supply chain process and change how people control it in the future.
Introduction
Research Problem, Significance and Background of the Research Study
One of the global concerns in the economic situation in different countries is supply disruption. The modern world is changing quickly, and it is becoming complicated for many industries to adjust to innovative introductions and maintain relatively stable positions in the market. The efficiency of manufacturing and delivering specific goods for diverse events are more affected by external factors and the problem of shortages and quality decreases is becoming more popular these days. According to Shekarian and Parast (2021), environment and controlling, abilities are the greatest influencers that produce disruptions in the supply chain. Based on the background of the concept, the process of organizing supplies in different parts of the world was not successful until the 20th century (Mukhamedjanova, 2020). During this time, informational systems started developing, and globalization appeared, causing more advanced techniques of delivery and production of goods.
The idea of the supply chain is clear as people worldwide can share their resources, which are unique to a specific part of the planet. Sharing and working together on projects has increased the efficiency of innovations. Mukhamedjanova (2020) has presented different definitions of supply chains provided by professionals in the management industry. For instance, based on Harjeet and colleagues’ findings, supply chain management controls the flow of goods and services delivered to distant parts of the planet (Mukhamedjanova, 2020). It also protects and analyses the work of logistics to ensure security and anonymity if it is needed.
Research Aim
Supply chain management helps organize events and build plans, but in case of disruptions, the whole preparation process might shift or be ruined. Consequently, the paper aims to analyze the major disruptions of the supply chain and how they affect the global economy. Moreover, conduct analyses that can show the working approaches that might help to resolve the problem and build recommendations that can assist in avoiding the development of disruptions. To make the aim relevant, it is important to follow the SMART concept of creating an objective (Bjerke and Renger, 2017). The specific problem of supply chain disruptions is indented and measured by the scope of the whole world. It is also achievable as the information of the key distraction can be found in relevant sources and applied to problems of the modern world. The changes in climate and the causes of the COVID-19 pandemic made the problem relevant as the world had experienced a shortage of supplies in different spheres. Analyzing the situation before, during, and after COVID-19 makes it possible to make the concept time-relevant.
The studies conducted before the coronavirus times were more focused on interpersonal communication between workers who make the supply delivery process smooth. However, the virus has made people more conscious about the environment and climate’s effect on the supply chain process. Consequently, a new aim of the research appeared, and more studies should be conducted to detect all possible destructions. Moreover, the recent political issues might also influence supply management, but the uncertainty does not allow for conducting deeper studies.
Research Question
The research can become more efficient with the use of relevant resources with statistics from academic internet databases. Exploratory qualitative and quantitative question types can help to build the appropriate research question (Thompson et al., 2017). Exploring the main issues that do not allow supply chain management to make the processes efficient is important. Moreover, qualitative analyses can help understand what aspects should stay under the serious control of workers in the supply industry and make the most benefitting from the process. The quantitative part of the main question can analyze the global economy statistics and measure the changes to follow the trend in a more accurate way. Consequently, the final question of the study is, “In what ways supply chain disruptions influence the development of the global economy and why is it important to control this sphere?”. Reviewing the relevant literature, implementing findings, and developing recommendations for further changes can make it easier to answer the question using specific details and approved results from other experts.
Literature Review
Background Theory
An in-depth education of the supply chain’s key disruptions can help get more understanding regarding the theoretical basis of the problem. Moreover, background information and history of the concepts of supplies may find the solution to the existing issues and the common question generated in this economic sphere. Many counties in the world are interdependent and usually build their productions based on the received material or services from abroad. The storage and transportation of products in bulk has become one of humanity’s most significant achievements, and global production efficiency has increased (Kumar et al., 2017). Technological advances, improved communication, and a forward-looking mindset of the youth have shown that the development of supply chain management does not stop. However, environmental and political problems slow down the process and create disruptions.
The COVID-19 pandemic is now part of people’s lives, and the global issues with the supply chain management caused by the virus are being fixed these days. The problems with the food supply during the beginning of the pandemic caused various issues like increasing production costs, processing, delivery, and demand (Aday and Aday, 2020). People were afraid of the severe disease, and some workers in the supply chain sphere asked their managers to pay more. This happened due to the fact that they had to travel and work directly with people in different locations of the world. Consequently, the prices have increased worldwide, causing the problem of the inability to afford several products in the food market. This background example of the issue shows that people should start paying attention to social and environmental factors to protect the development of disruptions in supply chain management.
Other Organizations’ Research
The process of the supply chain can be seen in many areas of life. For example, the fashion industry requires the transportation of materials and closes from distant parts of the world to the developed countries where the sector is set at a high rate (Wen et al., 2019). Fast fashion and mass markets are becoming more popular, and people find it easier to spend an insignificant amount of money on clothes and then through a shirt or a pair of trousers away in several months. However, there is a negative effect on the environment that causes disruptions in the supply process. Environmental regulations and strict rules related to transporting make it more complicated for fashion companies to purchase materials from such countries as Bangladesh or India. The trends are changing quickly, the demand for specific collections may decrease, and the supply chain process can be ruined.
Inaccurate forecasting might become one of the key disruptions to the supply chain as seasonal and fashion lifecycles can vary unexpectedly. According to Wen et al. (2019) research, seasonal clothes cause less risk to fashion organizations. Supply disruptions like increasing costs and customer losses might not significantly influence the general performance. Almost all resources on Earth are exhausted, and these days suppliers might face a shortage of material. For example, the growth of linen and cotton might take more time as the fields are becoming more subjected to the fire caused by the increasing global temperature. Moreover, the extinction of silkworms decreases the efficiency of material production, and the waiting times increase, making people less satisfied with the fashion industry. Lack of stability and routine in the supply chain process in this sphere creates chaos and destroys the power of control of many influential fashion houses.
Government Statistics
Governments worldwide are following supply chain changes and trying to improve their positions in global markets. However, external factors like COVID-19, global warming, and an increasing rate of mental issues increase the percentage of disruptions in the supply process. For example, according to Placek (2022), supply chain distractions tripled from 2019 to 2021. The general amount of problems in 2019 was 3,700, but in 2021 it became 11,642 (Placek, 2022). The AI technology monitors the existing and potential areas of supply chain management 24/7. It can collect data provided in different languages and from various sources like governmental reports and social media (Placek, 2022). The Table 1 below shows the trend of the increasing number of disruptions in the supply process across the world.
Table 1
Ministers in the governmental sectors take the problem of supply disruption seriously as the issues in one specific developed country might result in the decreasing performance of the global supply chain. In 2020, one of the key supply strategies was vaccine delivery and the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic (Ahlqvist et al., 2020). The delays in the material supply to the developed countries caused problems in the vaccine production and effective vaccination program. Nevertheless, some countries managed to decrease disruptions and their influence on individual manufacturing and independence from other countries. For instance, the United Kingdom left the European Union, and this process is known as Brexit (Pettifor, 2017). The economic situation in this country has become more efficient, and the salaries have increased, causing workers to become more motivated. Lack of inspiration and support might be one of the key disruptions of the supply chain across the world. Consequently, by creating more working opportunities and increasing wages, the UK managed to maintain a relatively stable supply chain process.
Other Literature
Supply chain disruptions might appear because of the insignificant problem that people do not take seriously. For example, there could be two main types of issues that can be controlled and uncontrolled by individuals. People cannot regulate earthquakes, floods, and other environmental changes that may increase the time spent on supply chain management. However, wars and political changes can stay under the control of governmental authorities, and developed countries are suggesting help to other developing countries to ensure that there will be a less effective global supply of goods needed for stability in daily human life.
Significant attention is paid to the economic changes in the world caused by tense relationships between specific countries. However, it is important to understand that sustainability plays an equal role in the decreasing trend of supply chain efficiency. Martins and Pato (2019) explained that some countries undertake the strategy of Sustainable Supply Chain Management (SSCM) which is mostly oriented toward the environmental stability of the world. Moreover, it studies and explains the influence of the changes in the atmosphere on social factors. The concept of SSCM is aimed at making people more conscious about their surroundings and how they affect their health conditions. The “Green supply chain management” strategy changes how managers create product designs (Martins and Pato, 2019). Moreover, it explains how the materials might be more eco-friendly and less expensive. The rising temperature on the Earth terrifies people, and by making a small contribution to the protection of the environment, the negative effects on the supply chain management might be decreased.
Research Methodology
Research Approach and Design
The research approach is one of the key methodology techniques that allow professionals in the economic sphere to produce effective strategies that minimize the risks of disruptions. According to Sileyew (2019), there are several types of methods, like primary, secondary, and tertiary studies. The prevention of the development of supply chain disruptions is based on the journal overview, assessment of the updated resources, exploration of further studies, and validation. The evaluation of the conducted research is also crucial as it helps to produce reports, understand future changes, and predict risks. Quantitative and qualitative studies can become valuable parts of the research approach as managers in the area see the dynamics related to social and numerical changes.
The research design is a more general explanation of the research approach as it presents the key frameworks that can be used in the prevention of problem development in the supply chain process. For example, the main purpose of the design is to make a proper plan with the specific steps that should be followed while implementing solutions into the process of disruptions decrease (Bloomfield and Fisher, 2019). The steps can include aim creation, type of research like primary or secondary, population identification or target audience, choice of data collection methods like survey and questioners.
Research Sampling & Description and Sources of Secondary Data Selected
To make the most accurate predictions regarding the problems in the supply chain process, it is important to study the experience of different types of populations. This type of research should produce a survey for people in developed and developing countries as both sides can be affected by shortages and disruptions. Individuals working in the manufacturing industry should receive the survey questions related to their responsibilities and explain how their working conditions change over time depending on global changes like COVID-19 and increasing temperature. Small samples and groups can be more effective as people will not have to spend a lot of time completing the forms and receiving feedback. Collecting different opinions and suggestions can help professionals generate new research descriptions and create unique innovations that can help predict supply chain disruptions. The collaboration of previous studies and ideas of workers in the areas related to the supply chain process can support the development of new methodologies and hypotheses.
The sources of secondary data in supply chain management are various, and every piece of information should be supported with valuable examples. For example, journal articles, educational newspapers, and governmental websites can be reliable in the studies of disruptions in the supply chain process (Cole and Trinh, 2017). The secondary data is already approved by the use of the primary research and supported by pieces of evidence that the authors found out.
Quality of Secondary Data
The quality of secondary data is important as it ensures readers and other professionals in supply chain management that correct and updated facts support the information. The accuracy is one of the secondary information’s most relevant aspects, which states that the research should be SMART. According to Bjerke and Renger (2017), the SMART concept includes five objectives which are known as specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-dependent. To ensure that the secondary data meets all five criteria, experts should define the main question that should be answered and set deadlines to make the research efficient. The supply chain is a fast-changing process that might be changed in several months. Consequently, it is not expensive to conduct secondary research in this area, but it may take a lot of time to define the most accurate information.
By using the combination of two research approaches called qualitative and quantitative, workers in supply chain management might reach their objectives in a short time. Even though qualitative data might take a long to be published as it requires professionals to produce long statements of changes, the quantitative data can be posted shortly when the change happens. For example, the statistics of COVID-19 deaths worldwide were updated daily, and people could follow the trend live to protect their health. However, some governments were struggling to make official regulations that could explain to other countries how the supply chain process can change and what potential threats might appear in the nearest future. Nevertheless, using secondary qualitative data helped governmental workers worldwide to trust their colleagues and fight against the problems together.
Secondary Data Ethical Measures
Ethics is becoming more popular in current research programs, and copyrights are more valuable than before. To ensure that secondary data meets ethical regulations, industrial experts should approve the findings before publishing. Ethical measures are related to qualitative research as it provides more in-depth information from primary resources (Kara and Pickering, 2017). The secondary data should not contradict other approved sources without valuable examples. Moreover, abuse and psychological damage caused to readers or those who took part in the research is unacceptable and should be regulated at every stage of secondary data production. Anonymity, security, and human rights protection should be the highest priority when professionals in such industries as supply chains want to use data for further investigations. Individuals and governmental authorities should be sure that the provided information will not become public or transferred to other parties that might use data for different purposes.
Due to the fact that supply chain management considers using quantitative as one of the key research methods, some people might not take part in surveys before they ensure their protection. However, some studies in supply chain management might require more individual information like race, country of birth, gender, or age. Consequently, there might be a lack of information in the secondary data, violation of personal boundaries, and offenses of governmental laws. Even though some data might be available online and shared with millions of Internet users, professional researchers should acknowledge that some information cannot be used for individual purposes, and permission should be received.
Research Findings
Introduction to the Section
The research findings can help to estimate the future and show the reality which affects the global supply chain process. Moreover, it might become easier to support or reject the hypothesis provided by experts from different countries by conducting analyses of the techniques used in this sphere. The problems and opportunities can be studied in more detail and provide solutions or suggestions from diverse perspectives. The findings in professional works related to supply chain management can help readers expand their knowledge and share their views. The moments from history not supported by valuable facts might become clearer these days with modern methodologies and techniques.
Qualitative and quantitative findings of the changes in the supply chain around the world during uneasy economic and environmental conductions showed how people could cope with the existing problems. Moreover, develop a further solution to ensure a stable flow of the supply process. By learning from the mistakes made in the past, it can be easier to succeed in the future and build stability in the supply chain management between developed and developing countries. The protection of findings and data provided by independent individuals can allow to protect the truth between nations and make relationships tighter. Finally, constant evaluation of conclusions should not stop human development, and more innovation can be produced to support the quality of services in the industry.
Results Including Graphical Illustrations
The number of disruptions in supply chain management is increasing every year and stays dependent on economic, social, or environmental factors. Many resources which are used in manufacturing, like oil, gas, and water, are becoming in short supply. With the rapid increase in population and overcrowding in specific parts of the world, the shortage of raw materials has become more significant (Lawson and Spears, 2018). The economic uncertainty has caused inflation, and the prices of several materials have doubled (Statista Research Department, 2022). For instance, the Table 2 shows the price growth in percentage during 2021, when COVID-19 was one of the greatest problems, and in 2022 when political aggression increased (Statista Research Department, 2022). The figures explain one specific construction industry, and the findings are not satisfying for the world’s population. During the peaks of COVID-19 in May and September 2021, the price increase percentage showed enormous numbers. This global problem requires more businesses to move their manufacturers back to their countries of origin and spend less on material transferring.
Table 2
The studies regarding the logistic service have shown that the shortage of drivers is becoming one of the massive problems that decrease the efficiency of the supply chain. According to Mittal et al. (2018), the demand is increasing rapidly, but the trucking industry cannot cope with this tension. The work of drivers is underestimated in some countries, and people can find more profit in other areas, which do not require the driving stress. This finding regarding the supply chain disruption can show future predictions and suggest solutions that can reduce the global issue. The growth of the material might be useless if the transportation process is not stabilized accurately. The industry takes about 9% of the USA’s GDP and employs millions of workers (Mittal et al., 2018). The graph on the Table 3 shows the increasing trend of the driver shortage in the USA and predicts the possible changes in 2023 and 2024. Low salaries and stressful conditions might be the main factors that cause a lack of workers in the trucking industry.
Table 3
The supply chain process became more convenient when technology was introduced to the sphere. Advances applications made the work of humans easier, and some manufacturers managed to protect their money for further development (Agrawal and Narain, 2018). However, the technology requires companies to employ professionals with the specific skills required to support the digital supply chain. It is possible to control systems distantly, but the payment and time zone issues might become the greatest barriers that develop the shortage of specialists. The optimization of the IT work cannot be efficient without deep analyses of big data and prediction of future changes. The unemployment rate stays unstable worldwide, and professionals in the analytical industry are in demand in many sectors connected to the supply chain. The employment problem may make the digitalization process more time-consuming and expensive. Consequently, labor control should not be underestimated and considered while producing further studies.
Sustainability is more popular these days, and the findings state that the supply chain process should be based on the crucial rules that protect the surrounding atmosphere. To ensure that the aspects of sustainability can be included in the process, the initial plan of the supply chain should be produced. For example, Martins and Pato (2019) showed the most realistic framework of the management concept that should decrease the development of disruptions and issues. The Table 4 explains that the selection and evaluation of suppliers can help to understand colleagues’ intentions related to protecting the environment (Martins and Pato, 2019). Moreover, the production of packaging and product manufacturing should be described before the execution of the specific project to ensure that biodegradable materials are used in the process of production and supply chain. Social problems can also occur if sustainability statements are not provided, as protests and bans can decrease the efficiency of the supply chain process.
Table 4
Analyses of the Findings
Evaluation of Findings
Evaluating the results is one of the crucial steps in producing an effective supply chain process and eliminating disruptions. Data-mining and accurate representation of information build six key evaluation criteria: relevance, coherence, effectiveness, efficiency, impact, and sustainability (Rodrigues et al., 2018). The relevance defines the correctness of the finding and its impact on the global community. Coherence explains the popularity of the problem in the world, while effectiveness shows how the findings are helpful. Moreover, efficiency states the use of resources and how external materials help in research. Sustainability is conscious of the benefits the results have on the environment. Consequently, professionals should evaluate and approve every suggestion to improve the supply chain system in different counties.
People in the world are consuming a lot of resources that might finish in several years. It is important to conduct studies in the area and produce specific findings that might optimize the consumption of materials like oil or gas. The changes that happened after the beginning of COVID-19 showed the issue stays one of the most important as it correlates with the finance sector. Additionally, the effectiveness of the findings is clear as people have produced techniques like energy production with the use of solar panels that can replace the massive use of gas and decrease costs. The strategy has become one of the most significant breakthroughs that change how people build the supply chain. Moreover, the latest findings helped to make new features more environmentally friendly.
The finding regarding the shortage of truck drivers is becoming more serious. The relevance of the issues has become massive since 2011, when the percentage of staff shortages increased sharply (Mittal et al., 2018). To produce solutions to the supply chain disruption problem, experts have come up with the causes of the problem that should be evaluated by workers in this industry around the world. The clarity and open access to the issues and current situation in the world made this conclusion effective. Moreover, the research did not require specific material which may harm the surrounding. Consequently, by considering the findings in the truck industry related to the supply chain process, it might become possible to make suggestions that can decrease the shortage of workers.
With the growth of technology use in supply chain management, some problems in the industry were solved. However, the finding states that not enough professionals can control the systems. Even though the number of IT specialists is increasing, people should consider optimizing their work to ensure that experts from other countries can make the digitalization process more effective. The evaluation of this result helps to understand the real picture of the issue and apply relevant solutions that will positively impact all parties interested in the supply chain process. Adjusting specific regulations might require consuming fewer materials and staying sustainable while using digital gadgets.
Sustainability’s relevance is massive as people are becoming more environmentally conscious. It is the right thing to consider introducing materials that can replace plastic and degrade quicker without microparts that influence the health of people and other living species. The finding regarding sustainability in supply chain management is coherent as more innovation is being made, and people do not return to traditional plastic packaging. Furthermore, recycling frameworks are effective as since the 20th century, the percentage of recycled plastic has increased by 92% (Almeshal et al., 2020). Wise consumption of resources increases the efficiency of the supply chain and influences the world in a positive way making more individuals conscious of their surroundings.
Re-assessment of Research Questions in Relation to Research Findings and Literature
The initial research question was, “in what ways do supply chain disruptions influence the development of the global economy and why is it important to control this sphere?”. The question can be constructed more specifically by conducting a deeper study and considering several kinds of literature relevant to the topic. Explorative studying has allowed readers to evaluate the problem from qualitative and quantitative perspectives, making it clearer for experts to meet goals in supply chain management. COVID-19 statistics and approved examples of environmental changes may force to change the research question and make it more specific for further studies. For example, “why did COVID-19 pandemic become one of the greatest disruptions in supply chain management?” or “how does the protection of the environment decrease the efficiency of the supply chain?”
Based on the findings regarding the shortage of raw materials, the specification of the research question can be changed. The increasing prices of oil, gas, water, and other minerals or resources cause problems in the supply chain as transportation charges increase, but the salaries stay the same. This type of disruption can be studied separately, and more findings can be generated to ensure that the problem can be solved. For instance, it might become helpful to evaluate the influence of diverse resources on the industry and define what aspects should stay under serious control to ensure that the problem does not worsen. Additional secondary literature should be considered to find new and unique information for other problem-solving strategies.
The problem of driver scarcity can only be related to the supply chain process, and reliable literature can provide relevant information that can explain this disruption more accurately. To understand the problem of the staff shortage, it is important to consider the literature that is aimed to show the needs of people in their working places and how they stay motivated over time. The personal attitude to the working conditions influences the supply chain management as it works directly with people and requires them to control and develop important systems. When the needs of people are defined, it is important to observe the sector and apply the gained knowledge to change the situation and decrease the negative influence of this type of supply chain disruption.
The IT sector is developing quickly, and trends constantly change, making it complicated to introduce high-quality support to supply chain systems. The problem can be overviewed from different perspectives, and the work of professionals in this sphere can be identified from other literature which is not related to the supply chain. The research question can become more accurate if the question regarding the lack of staff motivation and inconvenient working conditions is discussed. The specification of different types of developers and IT assistants may allow seeing if a shortage of specialists exists. Quantitative research is crucial in this case, and statistical data can help to evaluate the sources deeply to ensure the correctness of the findings.
The research should also stay qualitative as sustainability plays an important part in the supply chain process, and its accuracy is highly prioritized. The literature about different types of recycling and the production of alternative environmentally friendly packaging can show the supply chain process from a new perspective that aims to change the future. The studies aimed to show how people across the world invent biodegradable materials that can be applied to supply chain management and make new suggestions to the industry. The research question should also be specified and aimed at getting more information about sustainability and its effect on different sectors and their performance.
Conclusion and Recommendations
Conclusion
To conclude everything that has been stated so far, the supply chain industry and processing can be structured well to achieve the desired goals that can improve the quality of human lives. The SMART strategy helps this area build and follow specific, measurable, achievable, relevant objectives with accurate deadlines and regulations. The problem of supply chain disruptions is closely related to the issues in social and economic spheres. Consequently, most of the studies and literature are based on such global difficulties as COVID-19 pandemics, wars, global warming, and labor shortages. It has been approved that people should conduct deep analyses of the issues that disrupt the supply process. The main reason for this advice is that it may become easier for them to provide relevant solutions that can effectively solve these problems.
The provision of specific disruptions allowed professionals to see how accurately the issue has been addressed and what can be done to improve the situation analyzed in the findings. For example, the problems of mineral mining that are losing their quantity are among the greatest influencers on the supply chain process. It is addressed that even though the prices are increasing, new alternative ways of material replacement are produced to ensure the industry’s stability in the future. Moreover, the studies conducted to solve the problem of ending resources help explain the sustainability issues that are becoming more popular in the modern world. By setting SMART objectives, it became possible to understand why staff shortages appear and why logistic inaccuracies cause massive problems to supply chain management.
By comparing quantitative data collected from governmental statistics, the real influence of the disruptions was identified. For example, the prices of raw materials in different areas of the supply chain increased several times when COVID-19 started. The price range of ordinary goods used in production processes caused inflation, and many people could not purchase stuff they could afford some years ago. Moreover, the health safety regulations became harsh, and many truck drivers were not able to travel abroad. This problem has decreased salaries, and the shortage has appeared to cause more serious problems in communication between countries. Consequently, the research question aimed at understanding the main disruptions of the supply chain process has allowed experts to make a deep evaluation of diverse influencers and provide potential solutions to one of the massive global problems.
Recommendations for Business Application
Based on the supply chain process study, several suggestions for developing the business application can be made. The use of IT in the industry shows how the future will be constructed and what will become important in the next several years. Relevance, effectiveness, and competitiveness can increase with IT techniques. Business applications can program their gadgets to work 24/7 and stay responsive to all related parties when needed. Supply chain management is a global industry that works with people worldwide and can become a role model for other spheres in the early stages of the technology introduction. Consequently, one of the greatest recommendations for businesses in distant locations is to consider IT expansion.
Nevertheless, the supply chain process can be improved in the future, and the importance of development should not be underestimated. Accurate control of inventory and assets is one of the key recommendations to protect a successful future for the supplying company. Moreover, communication should be prioritized in the future to ensure that the risk of misunderstandings is decreased and colleagues do not hide important things or information. Every country has specific rules regarding supply chain steps, but other countries might not be aware of some differences, and legal restrictions may appear. Therefore, the councils should give direct rules to supply companies and share them with other government officials. By recommending owners and managers to develop a pleasant environment and set regular control over processes, it can be possible to ensure stability over a long period.
Some changes taken from recommendations might take a lot of time to execute, and it is important to understand how the industry can react in the near future and provide relevant suggestions. Consequently, workers in the supply chain industry should review their stock frequently and realize what customers prefer more to avoid write-off goods. It is recommended for staff members who work in the supply chain these days to ensure that they know every step of delivery processing and understand how the product can be delivered quicker. These aspects can be achieved if the financing, production, selling, and marketing spheres are well organized, and every worker has specific tasks to do, avoiding extra-hour shifts and decreasing motivation. Therefore, the recommendation of building convenient conditions for workers is one of the most important features that can be achieved in several months.
Limitations & Implication for Future Research
The implementation of the supply chain process is expensive and long-lasting, and some documentation processes might be skipped to decrease costs. Consequently, future research for specific organizations which consider using supply chain management may not be effective. The industry has to sacrifice for a better customer experience, and some aspects of the staff working conditions and assistance of allocated stock buildings might not have open access. Furthermore, making it more complicated for experts to analyze this industry and provide solutions to such problems as disruptions. The sphere is also expanding, and more competitors appear, bringing misleading information and spam posted online or in official documentaries. Reliable and successful organizations might also provide insignificant data to ensure that their strategies are not copied without specific rights. The last limitation of the research in the supply chain industry is the lack of updated information and specific examples of cases. There are many literature papers regarding the aspects of supply chain processing many years ago at the beginning of the century. However, resources are not often reviewed for reliability in the fast-changing world.
Global changes that make a significant and massive influence on people and the way they communicate. The increasing percentage of uncertainty makes it complicated to predict the future and avoid risks. Such issues as COVID-19 have shown the world that the future can change in several months if people continue avoiding the importance of their surroundings. In this case, indifference to the massive changes can be one of the greatest implications of future studies in supply chain management. The departments of the industry may start ruining without a clear vision of the future and strategic plans for the next months.
Economic changes can also create implications for the stable development of supply chain management as different countries prefer to follow their specific regulations and stay unique on the world stage. Barriers and sanctions may disrupt the supply process and make the available literature less accurate. Moreover, illegal actions in supply chain management can appear. Such political changes as Brexit or the expansion of the European Union introduce changes that change the process of good transportation from the countries which are outside these legal boundaries.
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