Supply Chain

Skills shortages in the logistics sector, notably truck drivers and warehouse staff, became headline news during the pandemic - highlighting how labour supply can impact supply chains as a whole. what steps can governments and companies take to help shore up supply chains? We speak to Professor Anna Nagurney, author of ‘Labor and Supply Chain Networks', to find out.

We hope you had a great holiday season! As we kick off 2024, we are excited to present an update on some of the biggest stories involved in supply chain management. From the White House's Inaugural Council on Supply Chain Resilience to groundbreaking developments in combating cargo theft and enhancing food supply chains in the U.S., our latest newsletter offers a panoramic view of the strategies, challenges, and successes shaping this dynamic sector.

Organizations are rushing to create hyperlocal supply chains by using products that are sourced and made in specific areas, down to a neighborhood level.

The disruption may cause price hikes, hurting the US economy in the near future, a supply chain expert warns.

At the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, supply chains became mainstream news when the Suez Canal was blocked by the Ever Given, and ports were clogged with countless vessels waiting to dock, resulting in the idling of 10% of the world’s container capacity. While most disruptions have dissipated, continued challenges led to the White House giving supply chains another bump in the news cycle with its inaugural meeting of the Council on Supply Chain Resilience.

Holiday shopping has begun, as stores and online retailers used Black Friday and Cyber Monday to launch the most lucrative time of the year for their businesses. Given that Thanksgiving was early this year, this holiday shopping season is longer than in most seasons.

On more than one occasion during the past year and a half, University of Massachusetts Amherst (UMass) Professor Anna Nagurney has found herself sitting in her office in the picturesque Massachusetts town on Zoom calls mentoring researchers and scholars affiliated with the Kyiv School of Economics (KSE) who were sheltering from Russian missiles in the university’s bomb shelter.

Ten years ago, USAID unveiled the largest contract in its history, aimed at transforming health supply chains in lower-income countries. It has not gone according to plan.

Over the course of this year, several analysts have reported that online retailers are coming down off of their peak sales seen during the pandemic. So, what does this mean to the supply chain, and shopping habits going into the busy 2023 holiday shopping season?

North Carolina State University Professor of Supply Chain Management Robert Hanfield and Architecture & Tech Oklahoma State University Assoc Dean for Academic Affairs - College of Engineering Sunderesh Heragu discuss Black Friday shopping and the supply chain troubles.