Pandemic Reaction: What Supply Chains Did Right and Where They Can Improve

Contingency plans and risk assessments are an integral part of supply chain management; however, a global pandemic is beyond the scope of most plans. The complications that arose from companies facing supply chain disturbances at the same time that consumers’ expectations increased became overwhelming. “Prior to the pandemic, most consumers were not aware of supply chain issues,” explains Abe Eshkenazi, CEO of the Association for Supply Chain Management (ASCM). “Before the pandemic, we had a very efficient supply chain, as just-in-time was the hallmark of every industry. Consumers were provided with high-quality goods in a variety of choices at a reasonable cost. But no one really understood how this happened.”