ROLE OF LOGISTICS AND RESILIENT SUPPLY CHAIN DURING EMERGENCIES AND OUTBREAKS

This study analyzes the role of logistics and resilient supply chains during emergencies and outbreaks in order to demonstrate how much they are exposed to different vulnerabilities. Based on this, firms try to cope with risk management processes and the construction of resilient supply chain, able to proactively responds to both known and unknown risks. Starting from the evolution of logistics and supply chains, their shapes, actors and strategies, this study describes the intertwined supply chains (ISNs), a set of supply chains, both competing and collaborating with each other on a global scale, that find themselves facing a disaster which caused countless disruptions, economic losses and claimed many lives. The study is comprised of many sources and data acquired from position papers, web sites and books made by many experts on the matter. The collected data and reports show that is not only mandatory to improve and deepen supply chains resilience, but also to introduce and enhance the concept of supply chain “viability” which is the system ability to meet the demands of surviving in a changing environment. This introduce the key concept that shows the importance of changing and adapting to the situation caused by a disastrous event, instead of resisting as much as possible. This is the path towards the improvement of logistics and supply chains, making them able not only to ensure the distribution of goods and services, but also to develop new strategies, techniques and working teams, in order to cope with a “Black Swan” (event that comes as a surprise, with disastrous effects) and further recognize its hidden positive aspects that, once assessed, can be a competitive advantage for the firms. In conclusion, the COVID-19 pandemic played the role of the “Black Swan”, pointing the spotlights towards risk management processes, reshoring policies, transparent data and communication among supply chains actors as fundamental means for survival, resilience and defense against the INSs vulnerabilities.