Springer Nature: Exploring factors of the sustainable supply chain in the post-COVID-19 pandemic: SWARA approach
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The present research aimed to provide a mechanism for enhancing sustainable supply chain survivability (SSCS) during and after the COVID-19 outbreak. Logistical and manufacturing operations have been restricted due to the severe lockdown, which significantly impacts the demand and supply of various items. COVID-19 has a massive effect on a multitude of units of various sectors. This research emphasized the important elements that must be considered to adapt the sustainable supply chain (SSC) practices. As a result, businesses are now attempting to improve the system for SSC. The stepwise weight assessment ratio analysis (SWARA) approach is used in this research to classify dynamic aspects for improving SSC survival in an epidemic condition. The results reveal that the viability of the supply chain network is the essential criteria for managing the relationships of suppliers and buyers and maximizing SSCS during and after COVID-19. This research will help businesses, manufacturers, and other stakeholders to concentrate on the described factors to achieve a brighter environment.
Demand-supply distraction is influencing global and local supply chains worldwide due to the COVID-19 outbreak (Thiagarajan 2021). Consequent to government restrictions such as lockdowns, quarantine restrictions, and border controls due to pandemic outbreaks worldwide, international trade reduced from 12 to 33% (WTO 2020; Araz et al. 2020; Guan et al. 2020). One thousand fortune companies have been influenced by COVID-19 (Mckinsey 2020; Fortune 2020). Although many risk factors are overwhelming, resiliency in the supply systems can be established quickly (Ivanov 2020). However, empirical studies on supply chain robustness and resilience would provide deeper insights into how the affected and likely to be affected would encounter risks posed by COVID-19. In addition, such studies would also provide guidelines to implement preservative strategies to reduce the negative impacts of the pandemic on the supply chain (Dolgui et al. 2020). Similarly, Mckinsey 2020 emphasizes supply chain managers’ efforts to execute risk and supply chain resilience. It encourages experts to do an empirical study on how suppliers cope with post-COVID-19 issues for a sustainable supply chain (SSC).
Coordination of suppliers is critical for building customer relationships to have sustainable outcomes (Badraoui et al. 2020; Reuter et al. 2010; Alghababsheh and Gallear 2020). Global sustainability encourages firms to redesign and reform economic, social, and environmental concerns for maintaining the buyer-supplier relationship by mutual coordination (Ni and Sun 2018). Due to the rise of the coronavirus, a life-threatening environment hovering over the globe putting enormous pressure on businesses’ stakeholders, governments, and policymakers to maintain their supply chains due to social, environmental, and economic factors (Cohen 2020; Sarkis et al. 2020). As the COVID-19 pandemic has put enormous disruptions on the survivability of the supply chains management all over the globe, it makes it imperative to identify, assess, and prioritize the factors affecting SSC. Like the rest of the world, Pakistan’s economy has also faced a COVID-19 pandemic and its negative impacts. COVID-19 pandemic has also affected the SSC of fast-moving consumer goods (FMCGs). The present study develops a framework to identify, assess, and prioritize factors disrupting FMCGs supply chains using the stepwise assessment ratio analysis (SWARA) method. The study’s findings would provide a deeper understanding of SSC survivability in COVID-19 and post-COVID scenarios.
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