Information systems and resilience of global supply chains

Abstract

The business environment is now and will continue to be impacted by disturbances ofinternational scope. In the future, this situation will be reinforced by global competitiondriven by growth in emerging economies. In a context of permanent crisis with multiplecauses, companies need to find ways to adapt and yet maintain their level of performance,living up to the expectations of their numerous stakeholders. This article analyses how in-formation systems can adapt in times of crisis to enhance supply chain resilience, or oth-erwise stated, it explores how supply chains maintain a constant level of performance de-spite rare or unexpected events. Information technology evolution is currently taking placein an environment of agile industrial activities and logistics systems that are increasinglyoutsourced. This situation is further complicated by a context where uncertainty multipliesrisk of shortages or serious disruptions. Using two case studies conducted in the same con-text, we identify two types of response to crisis: one short term based on progressive infor-mation system degradation and crisis decision making, the other consisting of crisis man-agement by learning that allows for dynamic adjustment of the organization. This articledevelops the notion of an information platform which by supporting the main supply chainprocesses also permits analysis of modification of strategic parameters affecting each actor,thus allowing them, and the system as a whole, to dynamically adjust to the situation viaaccess to and transmission of real time information.