Expert Alert: Building stronger and sustainable supply chains for a post-pandemic world

From semiconductors to ketchup packets, the nation and the globe are continuing to feel the effects of disruptions in the supply chain that have rippled across the business world.

Carlson School of Management Professor Kingshuk “KK” Sinha can speak to the weaknesses in the supply chains of the high-tech industry to agribusiness and health care, and what solutions for the future may look like.

Kingshuk Sinha, Ph.D.
“The pandemic, and how consumers and businesses responded to it, have shown the challenges associated with global supply chains. In treating COVID-19, the learnings are related to products (e.g., PPE, test kits, ventilators, vaccines), processes for testing and vaccinations, inventory, capacity of hospitals, the workforce of those caring for patients, and quality of goods and services. Decisions made in each of these areas are the building blocks of supply chain leadership.

“Our supply chains are vulnerable because of their increasing global exposure, protectionist and nationalistic trade policies of governments around the world, and increasing frequency of man-made and natural disasters.

“However, we know there are four considerations to make when designing and sustaining supply chains: reliable, responsive, resilient, and responsible. Reliable means producing and delivering high-quality products safely. Responsive means delivering the right product at the right place at the right time and responding quickly to unexpected events. Resilient means being robust to unforeseen risks and disruptions, including man-made and natural disasters. Responsible means being socially and environmentally responsible. Those actions will help strengthen our supply chains as we prepare for what a post-pandemic world may look like.”

Kingshuk “KK” Sinha is the chair of the Department of Supply Chain and Operations in the Carlson School of Management. He has expertise in global supply chain management, as well as specialities in the high-tech, health care and medical devices, food and agribusiness, and retail industries.