Restructuring Global Supply Chains: Navigating Challenges of the COVID-19 Pandemic and Beyond

47 Pages Posted: 13 Sep 2023 Last revised: 3 Apr 2025

See all articles by Yimeng Niu

Yimeng Niu

Tilburg University - Tilburg University School of Economics and Management

Niklas Werle

WHU - Otto Beisheim School of Management

Morris A. Cohen

University of Pennsylvania - The Wharton School

Shiliang Cui

Georgetown University - McDonough School of Business

Vinayak Deshpande

University of North Carolina (UNC) at Chapel Hill - Operations Area

Ricardo Ernst

Georgetown University - McDonough School of Business

Arnd Huchzermeier

WHU - Otto Beisheim School of Management

Andy Tsay

Santa Clara University - Leavey School of Business

Jing Wu

The Chinese University of Hong Kong (CUHK) - CUHK Business School

Date Written: September 7, 2023

Abstract

Problem definition: The COVID-19 pandemic imposed unprecedented stresses on global supply chains (GSCs), compelling companies to reassess their supply chain structures and strategies. This crisis has also heightened awareness among businesses, consumers, and policymakers about the critical importance and far-reaching implications of GSC design and management. This unique moment presents a generational opportunity for Operations Management (OM) researchers to document and understand the ongoing restructuring of GSCs. Methodology/Results: By analyzing micro-level data on U.S. customs import shipments (2019-2021), we uncover shifts in GSC strategies during the COVID-19 pandemic. Firms diversified suppliers within existing sourcing locations and reallocated volumes among them. While dependence on China decreased, imports from other Asian nations like India and Vietnam, as well as North American countries like Canada and Mexico, increased. Industry-specific differences were pronounced, and a notable shift toward lower-frequency, higher-quantity shipments was also observed.  Managerial implications: Beyond the challenges of COVID-19, recent years have witnessed other major supply chain disruptions, due to causes such as geopolitical tensions, natural disasters, and port worker strikes. We offer actionable insights for executives designing supply chain strategies to prepare for similar disruptions as they increase in frequency and severity. We identify future research avenues aimed at enhancing the resilience and adaptability of GSCs in a continuously evolving environment.

Keywords: Global Operations Management, Supply Chain Management, Empirical Research, Logistics and Transportation

Suggested Citation

Niu, Yimeng and Werle, Niklas and Cohen, Morris A. and Cui, Shiliang and Deshpande, Vinayak and Ernst, Ricardo and Huchzermeier, Arnd and Tsay, Andy and Wu, Jing, Restructuring Global Supply Chains: Navigating Challenges of the COVID-19 Pandemic and Beyond (September 7, 2023). Georgetown McDonough School of Business Research Paper No. 4564927, Kenan Institute of Private Enterprise Research Paper No. 4564927, The Wharton School Research Paper,

Forthcoming in Manufacturing & Service Operations Management

, Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=4564927 or http://dx.doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.4564927

Yimeng Niu (Contact Author)

Tilburg University - Tilburg University School of Economics and Management ( email )

P.O. Box 90153
Tilburg, 5000 LE
Netherlands

Niklas Werle

WHU - Otto Beisheim School of Management ( email )

Burgplatz 2
Vallendar, 56179
Germany

Morris A. Cohen

University of Pennsylvania - The Wharton School ( email )

Philadelphia, PA 19104
United States

Shiliang Cui

Georgetown University - McDonough School of Business ( email )

3700 O Street, NW
Washington, DC 20057
United States

Vinayak Deshpande

University of North Carolina (UNC) at Chapel Hill - Operations Area ( email )

300 Kenan Center Drive
Chapel Hill, NC 27599
United States

Ricardo Ernst

Georgetown University - McDonough School of Business ( email )

37th and O Streets, NW
Washington, DC 20057
United States

Arnd Huchzermeier

WHU - Otto Beisheim School of Management ( email )

Burgplatz 2
Vallendar, 56179
Germany
+49-261-6509380 (Phone)
+49-261-6509389 (Fax)

HOME PAGE: http://www.whu.edu/prod

Andy Tsay

Santa Clara University - Leavey School of Business ( email )

500 El Camino Real
Dept of Info Systems & Analytics (ISA)
Santa Clara, CA California 95053
United States

HOME PAGE: http://www.scu.edu/business/isa/faculty/tsay/

Jing Wu

The Chinese University of Hong Kong (CUHK) - CUHK Business School ( email )

Cheng Yu Tung Building
12 Chak Cheung Street
Shatin, N.T.
Hong Kong

HOME PAGE: http://www.jingwulab.org

Do you have a job opening that you would like to promote on SSRN?

Paper statistics

Downloads
1,099
Abstract Views
3,538
Rank
43,859
PlumX Metrics