Professor Dr. Arnd Huchzermeier publishes in prestigious Manufacturing and Service Operations Management Journal (M&SOM)

Professor Arnd Huchzermeier, Chair of Production Management at WHU – Otto Beisheim School of Management, has published a new article in the prestigious Manufacturing and Service Operations Management Journal (M&SOM). Co-authored with Morris Cohen, Shiliang (John) Cui, Vinayak Deshpande, Ricardo Ernst, Yimeng Niu, Andy Tsay, Niklas Werle, and Jing Wu, the paper provides new insights into global supply chain (GSC) restructuring during and after the COVID-19 pandemic.

By analyzing micro-level data on U.S. customs import shipments, the authors uncover how firms adjusted their global supply chain strategies in response to pandemic-related disruptions. Companies diversified suppliers within existing sourcing locations and reallocated volumes among them. While dependence on China decreased, imports from other Asian countries such as India and Vietnam—as well as North American countries like Canada and Mexico—increased significantly. The study also documents a notable shift toward lower-frequency, higher-quantity shipments.

Beyond the challenges of COVID-19, the authors highlight other major GSC disruptions in recent years—including geopolitical tensions, natural disasters, and port worker strikes. The article offers actionable insights for executives designing supply chain strategies and outlines promising avenues for future research aimed at enhancing GSC resilience and adaptability.

Read the paper on SSRN.