Supply chain management during and post-COVID-19 pandemic: Mitigation strategies and practical lessons learned.

The COVID-19 pandemic has affected global supply chains at an unprecedented speed and scale. This paper investigates the supply chain challenges that manufacturing organizations have faced due to the COVID-19 outbreak, particularly in emerging economies. We present a conceptual framework under the dynamic capability theory to analyze challenges and their pertinent mitigation strategies. Ten major challenges are identified based on a literature review, evaluation of several news articles, and discussions with experts. Further, the Grey-Decision-making Trial and Evaluation Laboratory (Grey-DEMATEL) method is applied to analyze the relationships between various supply chain challenges. Scarcity of Labor (PSL) emerges as the most significant challenge, closely followed by Scarcity of Material (SSM). The results also suggest that Inconsistency of Supply (PIS) is the challenge that correlates the most with other factors. Finally, in this paper we also provide guidelines and strategies for practitioners and scholars to better address supply chain challenges post-COVID-19 outbreak.

Response to the COVID-19: Understanding implications of government lockdown policies.

The rising number of COVID-19 cases and economic implications of lockdown measures indicate the tricky balancing act policy makers face as they implement the subsequent phases of 'unlock'. We develop a model to examine how lockdown and social distancing measures have influenced the behavioral conduct of people. The current situation highlights that policy makers need to focus on bringing awareness and social restraint among people rather than going for stringent lockdown measures. We believe this work will help the policy makers gain insights into the troubled COVID-19 times ahead, and based on the estimates, they can frame policies to navigate these wild waves in the best possible way.