As the holidays approached and supply chains remain strained, businesses and consumers were eager for a return to normalcy in time for end-of-year surges. But with shipping containers stalled at ports and labor shortages reducing available workers, supply chain managers are seeing little improvement as 2021 comes to a close.

Are workers’ rights in the mines of the Democratic Republic of the Congo being sacrificed to the world’s hunger for cobalt?

Vigilance in dealing with vendors and suppliers is crucial to sustainability, says Jim Stock, University of South Florida professor, but the pandemic has interrupted inspections and other preventive measures.

Richard Cabrera, executive vice president and head of middle-market banking with Umpqua Bank, details the permanent changes that businesses will be making in their inventory strategies as a result of COVID-19 and the subsequent supply chain meltdown.

Bill Brooks, vice president of North America transportation with Capgemini, delves into the multiple causes of the congestion that’s currently plaguing global supply chains, and speculates on some possible short- and long-term solutions to the crisis.

Many organizations are shifting to localized sourcing, to overcome the delays and barriers that have emerged during the pandemic.

 

Mike Jette, vice president of consulting with GEP, defines the term “Collaboration 2.0,” and explains how it differs from earlier concepts of supply chain collaboration.

Howard Meitiner, managing director with Carl Marks Advisors, explains why the current congestion and challenges being experienced by retail supply chains aren’t going away anytime soon — in fact, they’re likely to permanently change the sector.