Abstract:
"This research explored the lived experiences of supply chain team managers when
faced with adversity. Its aim was to understand how managers could improve team
resilience by enhancing the three dimensions of social-ecological resilience:
alertness, preparedness and agility. A theoretical framework was derived to help
managers in their efforts to develop their team’s ability to respond to disruption.
A qualitative research strategy was adopted. 19 managers in supply chain direct and
support functions were interviewed. Their insights were analysed to inductively
identify the concepts that underpin team resilience in the supply chain.
Six central themes that extend the understanding of how managers can promote
team resilience were identified. Three were considered to be foundational:
communication culture, leadership rapport-building and team structural
characteristics.
These foundational themes support the themes which describe team positioning in
the three dimensions of resilience. A learning and growth environment is valuable in
the alertness dimension, where teams are encouraged to sense context. Regarding
preparation for disruption, team members should strengthen social bonds to combine
capabilities, and managers should foster team cohesion. In the final dimension,
agility, teams need to adapt and grow in unexpected ways to be able to respond to
unpredictable risks. Using a systems thinking risk management approach, managers
should enhance critical thinking and decision-making, both vital factors that enable
teams to develop suitable recovery plans."
