Lori Sisk accepted for publication in Journal of Supply Chain Management, Logistics and Procurement
Mike Ilitch School of Business Teaching Assistant Professor of Global Supply Chain Management Lori Sisk has had a paper accepted for publication in the Journal of Supply Chain Management, Logistics and Procurement, which publishes articles and case studies on new thinking, innovative practices and emerging issues in how to deliver cost-effective, efficient, resilient and adaptable supply chain management, logistics and procurement.
The paper, titled “After a crisis: Operational restart and contingency planning in manufacturing,” was co-authored by Cathy Fisher (Quistem LLC) and Terry Onica (QAD Inc.).
Abstract
As the COVID-19 pandemic closed manufacturing plants and disrupted supply chains in early 2020, we looked at how original equipment manufacturers (OEM) and tiers in the automotive industry responded, pivoted and restarted. Contingency plans and restart tasks took center stage, sometimes coming up short. We found that many downstream tier suppliers lacked contingency plans altogether for managing operational disruptions of the magnitude we faced during the pandemic. We developed the operational restart readiness checklist (ORR checklist) with a focus on contingency planning in the automotive industry. It served as the basis for our work as we developed a survey of restart and recovery activities, created a presentation and webinar, and drafted an eBook on the impact and root causes of supply chain disruptions. We identified the resources needed to return to operational stability amid restart challenges. Our ORR checklist offers manufacturers a framework for improving contingency planning. This paper describes our findings and recommendations on operational restart and recovery and the need for automation and technology.
