The collapse of an Interstate 95 bridge in Philadelphia creates not just a traffic problem, it's also a “really serious” supply chain problem—and that's going to hit your wallet, Northeastern University expert Nada Sanders says.
The COVID-19 pandemic has caused significant shifts in how companies manage their supply chains, with three major changes emerging. First, reshoring is becoming a dominant trend, with companies shifting production and manufacturing to domestic locations from overseas factories to reduce risk and maintain business continuity. Companies are also investing in digital technologies to improve visibility and transparency along their supply chains. Finally, firms are becoming more flexible in their supply chain management by diversifying their sources of supply and holding more inventory. These shifts are likely to have a significant impact on the way goods are produced, distributed, and consumed in the years to come, with government policies playing an important role in managing the impact of these changes.
Forced labor is often unidentified and unaddressed in global supply chains because international production networks are complex and obscure. Many companies are not actively tracing their supply chains beyond the first or second tiers, leaving out the complete picture of the origin of their raw materials.
With acetaminophen and ibuprofen hard to find, some parents are asking if they can cut down adult medications to give their children. Brandon Dionne, associate clinical professor in Northeastern's School of Pharmacy, urges caution.
President Joe Biden celebrated Thursday a tentative labor agreement that averted a strike of U.S. freight trains. But the crisis has not yet been averted, warns Nada Sanders, distinguished professor of supply chain management at Northeastern.
A new supply of baby formula will bring much-needed relief to families across the country. While it's not a quick solution, Nada Sanders of Northeastern says, it's a great first step.
The pandemic, along with the war in Ukraine, caused supply chain issues that led to some ingredients and packaging materials becoming less available. How do we prevent it from happening again? Northeastern faculty weigh in.
If the COVID-19 pandemic showed businesses that depend on offshore production anything, it's that one stoppage along these vast delivery channels can propagate across the entire system, Nada Sanders, distinguished professor of supply-chain management at Northeastern, said in the annual Robert D. Klein Lecture on Tuesday.
Surging oil and gas prices will spill over into the supply chains for just about everything that has to be carted around the world, says Nada Sanders, university distinguished professor of supply-chain management at Northeastern. In the case of bananas—which have a “very long” footprint—the story is a complicated one.
As the Russian invasion of Ukraine extends into its fourth week, its effect on global supply chains—already beleaguered by the COVID-19 pandemic—is only just beginning. “This is going to have a significant impact,” says Nada Sanders, distinguished professor of supply-chain management at Northeastern. “I'm extremely concerned.”