A global shortage of one crucial piece of technology is causing delays in everything from cars and televisions to video game consoles and Australia’s National Broadband Network rollout.

"This has been a really strong evolution going from the 80s, the 90s, the 2000s, to take fat out of the supply chain, to tighten down everything," says supply-chain management expert Rich Weissman. He says in the past 10 years companies have come to "really rely on analytics to fine-tune supply chains to make sure that supply and demand absolutely line up". "And that's where I think we've gone too far.”

The heavy dependence on China across industry verticals is an obvious example of the sole-sourced nature of today’s supply chains.

Given its non-essential nature, the fashion industry faces significant risks. Indeed, in times of COVID-19, as consumers around the world remain in lockdown, they no longer need new products. This industry is characterised by a highly integrated global supply chain. In it, many developing countries play the role of the supplier of low-cost inputs. This article highlights some of challenges and concerns that some of these countries face, many of which are dependent on textile and garment exports.

"Organisations are increasingly looking towards the sustainability of their plans: 60.7% have now reviewed their BIAs to reflect changing priorities given the sustained impact of the pandemic, a substantial rise on the 53.5% reported only two weeks ago."

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The latest EY attractiveness survey - which examines the performance and perceptions of European countries as a destination for foreign direct investment (FDI), revealed that post-COVID-19 there will be an additional lens front and centre: the need to juggle cost and resiliency.

Coronavirus-driven supply chain disruptions are having cash flow implications for the US protein sector due to increased operating costs and less efficient plants, Fitch Ratings says.