Supply Chain Resilience
Resilience was initially described as an object’s ability to return to its original state once an external force was eliminated (Ponis & Koronis, 2012). It was gradually introduced into the operations and supply chain research as scholars argued that disruptions and crises can be seen as a force that threatens organizations’ original state (Ponis & Koronis, 2012). This resilience has been recontextualized to address the intricacies of supply chains, especially under the duress of today’s tumultuous global landscape (Irfan et al., 2022; Wong et al., 2020). SCR is thus characterized by its ability to swiftly reconfigure supply chains (Irfan et al., 2022); it has emerged as a valuable capability that enables organizations not merely to withstand, but also to adapt, respond, and recover from disruptions (Irfan et al., 2022; Williams et al., 2017).
The scholarly discussions on the definition and categories of SCR present differing perspectives. Some scholars describe it as the ability to reactively adapt and recover post-disruptions (Umar et al., 2021), whereas others posit proactive preparation as equally crucial for resilience improvement (Wang et al., 2023; Williams et al., 2017). Delving deeper into the SCR literature reveals a multifaceted construct that encompasses readiness, response, and recovery (Chowdhury & Quaddus, 2016; Han et al., 2020). This construct also extends to identifying key capabilities, such as agility, flexibility, and adaptability (Han et al., 2020). Other categories of SCR focus on differentiating internal and external resilience that highlights the abilities required to manage internal operational disruptions versus those emanating from external sources, enabling effective disruption navigation (Xie et al., 2022).
Extensive research into SCR antecedents has focused on a range of resources and capabilities, including social capital, supply chain structure knowledge, alignment, collaboration, risk management culture, and learning and development (Gölgeci & Kuivalainen, 2020; Kamalahmadi & Parast, 2016; Ponis & Koronis, 2012). Among these, KM’s role in fortifying resilience is attracting attention (Irfan et al., 2022). Traditionally associated with building organizational capabilities, KM offers opportunities for collaborative innovation within certain groups (An et al., 2014), and it might also equip firms’ innovations practices, enabling them to reduce vulnerabilities and adapt in advance rather than merely responding post-disruption (Chowdhury & Quaddus, 2016; Han et al., 2020). The discussions of KM’s role into SCR open new avenues; however, the specific mechanisms and processes by which KM contributes to resilience building remain underexplored and need further investigation.