How have lean supply chains coped with the COVID-19 pandemic? A normal accidents theory perspective

Abstract

This research aims to empirically examine how Lean Supply Chains (LSC) have coped with the disruptive effects of the COVID-19 pandemic from the normal accidents theory (NAT) perspective. Initially, a literature review was conducted to identify the main dimensions of LSC. Then, four experts were interviewed, offering insight into how each of the LSC dimensions copes with disruptions in general. Finally, three case studies of manufacturing shed light on the LSC implications for the pandemic context in particular. From the NAT viewpoint, the effects of the pandemic are analyzed according to two dimensions of the interactions that make up an LSC: linear to non-linear, and loosely to tightly-coupled. The more non-linear and tightly-coupled the interactions the more vulnerable the LSC is to disruptions. Results indicated that LSC might effectively and quickly adapt to keep interactions as linear as possible through transparent information flows and collaborative work while at the same time temporarily reducing tight-couplings through inventory increases. Some of the countermeasures to cope with the disruptions caused by the COVID-19 pandemic conflict with LSC principles, such as inventory reduction, developing a solid customer-supplier relationship, and long-term orientation. This points out the contingent nature of some lean principles as well as the meta principle that guided companies’ behaviours in the case studies, namely adding value to internal and external customers.

Keywords:

• Lean supply chain
• COVID-19
• qualitative research
• disruptions
• normal accidents theory

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Guilherme Luz Tortorella

Guilherme Luz Tortorella is an associate professor of the Department of Systems and Production Engineering of the Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina, Brazil. He is the Head of Research of the Productivity and Continous Improvement Lab and the Editor-in-Chief of Journal of Lean Systems. He is one of the founders of the Brazilian Conference on Lean Systems and has more than 18 years of practical and academic experience with manufacturing and operations management.

Giuliano Marodin

Giuliano Marodin is a clinical associate professor and Continental Chair Professor in Operations and Supply Chain at the Darla Moore School of Business, University of South Carolina. Before joining the Moore School, he was a visiting professor at Fisher College of Business at the Ohio State University as a Fellow of the Centre of Operational Excellence. He received his Ph.D. and master’s degree in industrial engineering and a B.B.A. degree from the Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil. He also worked at the same university as an adjunct professor for the business school (2007–2009) and for the Industrial Engineering Department (2013–2014), teaching undergraduate and graduate courses on lean and operations management. He was a lecturer for several master's degree programs in Brazil.

Tarcísio Abreu Saurin

Tarcísio Abreu Saurin is an Associate Professor at the Industrial Engineering Department of the Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul (Brazil). He has a BS in Civil Engineering, MS in Construction Management, and Ph.D. in Industrial Engineering. He was a visiting scholar at the University of Salford (UK) and at Macquarie University, at the Australian Institute of Health Innovation. His main research interests are related to the modelling and management of complex socio-technical systems, resilience engineering, safety management, lean production, process improvement, and performance measurement. He has carried out research and consulting projects on these topics in healthcare, construction, electricity distribution, and manufacturing.

Wen Li

Wen Li is a senior lecturer in the Department of Mechanical Engineering at the University of Melbourne. He received his Ph.D. from the University of New South Wales in 2012. He was a postdoctoral fellow in the Sustainable Manufacturing and Life Cycle Engineering research group at UNSW, and one of the main contributors to the Joint German-Australian Research Group with TUBS in Braunschweig, Germany. He has worked closely with industries (e.g. Baxter Healthcare, Alcoa, Volkswagen, Suez, etc.) through several research projects. He also took an entrepreneur role working with several start-ups (i.e. Rayven, FactoryOne, and iCafe). His main research activities include energy and eco-efficiency of manufacturing processes and systems, life cycle analysis of emerging technologies, industrial IoT for cleaner production and supply chain, as well as material and resource efficiency and criticality.

Jo Staines

Jo Staines is a highly respected and inspirational aerospace industry leader who builds and empowers teams to enthusiastically implement complex transformation projects, consistently exceeding business expectations. She has led the on-time and on-budget implementation of an SAP business system and processes in an Australian subsidiary and completed a successful business transformation across the procurement and supplier management, finance, and program management functions.