Strategies for handling supply chain disruptions. A cross comparative case study approach - Economicus

by, Denisa Mamillo

Abstract

Interest in supply chain disruptions increased after 2001, due to the devastating effects of the recent disruptive event and due to the increasing vulnerability of the supply chains. Although research interest on this topic has been increasing, no such research has been done in Albania. Regarding strategies for handling supply chain disruptions exist different views in the literature, but nearly no one has considered why some companies were successful in handling the supply chain disruptions and some were not. To fill this existing gap, the actual research will attempt to give an answer to the question “Why the severity of the same supply chain disruption is different for companies in the same industry?” The methodology used was comparative case studies, respectively Dell, Nokia, Daimler, Meggle Albania and Fabjus case study. The analysis and comparison of the case studies concluded that the best strategy for handling supply chain disruptions is a combination of resilience and implementation of robust strategies. This research is important for managers as it will provide a specific framework for handling the disruptions. Managers should be aware that the severity of a disruption depends on the company background and organizational culture. These factors can increase the company resilience. Also, they determine the success in the execution of the strategies for managing supply chain disruptions.