Improving Supply Chain Resilience through Information Systems

Each day, we rely on supply chains to receive critical goods and services. However, when disasters strike, the networks that maintain a balance between supply and demand are disrupted, including those that were previously functioning well.

Many information systems have been developed to support resilience in times of crisis. Solutions typically focus on either post-crisis response or operational activities, such as partnering, collaboration, legislation, management and coordination. However, current information systems often can’t tolerate disruptions and support supply chain resilience.

Telfer professor Pavel Andreev has received an SMRG grant for a project titled “Designing Robust Information Systems to Facilitate the Resilience of Supply Chains During Crisis.”  His goal is to develop a theory for designing community collaboration support systems (CCSS) that further supply chain resilience.  For Andreev, a CCSS can play a significant role in helping crisis-affected communities establish collaboration among stakeholders to make their supply chains resilient.

Expected contribution

Andreev’s work will add to existing research in information collaborative systems by formalizing CCSS design principles. This will meet the needs of supply chain stakeholders, include individuals, communities, governments, civil society, academia, non-governmental and international organizations, and business consortiums.