Resilience and Agility as Indispensable Conditions for Sustaining Viable Supply Chain during Pandemics: The Case of Bahrain

Abstract

The concern of this paper is exploratory. It investigates how the emergence of COVID-19 pandemic raise many risks in the global supply chain resilience and viability. Through archival research we were able to depict how COVID-19 impacted the global supply chain in general and kingdom of Bahrain in specific. We concluded that kingdom of Bahrain was successful in terms of agility and resilience of its supply chain. However, there is a need for more case studies that concentrate on the real mundane practices related to this resilience, and more research is needed to sustain this viability in the Bahraini supply chain. The novelty of this research is the creation of a holistic review of the impact of COVID-19 on supply chain management. Through explaining the resilience, agility, sustainability and viability of supply chains and the questions raised in this emerging market this paper could be a valuable resource for future researchers to seek solutions to supply chain management in pandemic and epidemic times. This work would also be on interest to practitioners from the GCC and other less developed countries in their thinking about facing the pandemic risks and building viable sustainable supply chains.