Agility in the Supply Chain

Today’s marketplace is characterized by intense competitive pressures as well as high levels of turbulence and uncertainty. Organizations require agility in their supply chains to better manage disruption risks, ensure uninterrupted service, and provide superior value to customers. A systematic cultivation of agility is required in all segments of the supply chain, with the ability to anticipate as well as respond rapidly, in a coordinated fashion, to supply and operational disruptions. Supply chain agility is thus of value for both risk mitigation and response. This chapter provides an updated perspective on agility, based on a summary of research conducted to date, along with current and emerging managerial and research concerns. Major gaps in the literature and shortfalls in practice are summarized, along with critical needs in both research and practice domains. The research literature on agility is covered under the categories of: (1) Supply chain disruption risk management; (2) Conceptualization and evolving definitions of agility; (3) Antecedents, drivers, and impacts of supply chain agility; (3) Current managerial concerns regarding the vulnerabilities of supply chains and major gaps in the literature; (4) Emergent concerns regarding both research and managerial practices on agility; and (5) Managerial implications and specific actions that may be pursued to enhance agility, followed by the conclusions. It is hoped that the material presented promotes convergence of research and managerial practices aimed at enhancing the robustness of global supply chains amidst increasing turbulence and volatility.