Supply Chain Resilience – Supply chains in a post covid environment
The unique experience of a global pandemic has shed a light upon the fragile nature of supply chain networks between the Western World and China. The disruptions driven by Covid have touched every aspect of the supply chain network from delivery of raw materials to the production of goods at the manufacturer to delivery to the end consumer. The Western business community has become acutely aware of the risks and costs of major supply chain vulnerabilities especially in relation to China, a major production hub.
Insight China, in operation since its foundation in 2001, is the oldest and most established of the five International Student Projects (ISP) at the FHNW. The aim of these projects is to provide valuable insights into the most important economic, social and political issues in each of the respective project countries. Entering its 22nd edition this year, Insight China will explore the topic of how supply chain networks between the West and China can become more resilient and crisis-resistant for the uncertain future ahead. Insight China intends to take a deep dive into this multi-faceted challenge in order to provide insight-based added value for Swiss companies by gathering knowledge on suitable measures to successfully strengthen resilience concerning China related supply chains on a sustainable and economical basis.
Negative impacts in the form of shortages of crucial supply items, a bottleneck in transportation of goods and rising prices fuelling decades-high inflation threaten prosperity and the well-being of the economy hurting both companies and private households. Strengthening supply chains where necessary and building up resilience wherever possible to ensure production systems can absorb similar shocks is at the heart of a new-found global business focus. It derives from the realisation that supply chain reliability is not automatic but must be secured proactively. Corresponding sub-topics Insight China intends to explore include the rebuilding of supply networks post covid, the usage of artificial intelligence in supply chain planning, the impact of the crisis on ecological sustainability goals, reliable transportation alternatives as well as the mentality shift from “just in time” towards a more conservative “just in case” approach.
Our Insight China project team aims to evaluate how companies add supply chain network securities to their economic ties with China by developing concrete ideas and know-how in how to build up considerable resilience capabilities for the near and long-term future of their China relations.
Your Insight China Team
