Thinking differently about supply chain resilience: what we can learn from social-ecological systems thinking

Purpose This article seeks to broaden how researchers in supply chain management view resilience by drawing on and integrating insights from other disciplines – particular, the literature of social-ecological systems. Design/methodology/approach Before authors import new notions outside discipline, current state art research is first briefly reviewed summarized. Drawing five practical examples disruptive events challenges practice, assess these expose gaps theoretical lenses. These are used motivate justify need expand our frameworks Findings The has predominantly focused minimizing consequences a disruption returning some form steady (often assumed be identical that existed prior disruption) implicitly assuming behaves like an engineered system. broadens debate around using systems puts forward three manifestations resilience: (1) persistence, which akin engineering-based view, (2) adaptation (3) transformation. Furthermore, it introduces seven principles thinking can readily applied chains. Research limitations/implications A interpretation chains presents many avenues research, may rely use innovative methods further understanding resilience. Practical implications encourages managers think differently about consider what this means for their not mutually exclusive. For example, while persistence needed initial aftermath disruption, transformation required longer term. Originality/value traditional assumptions behaving alternative perspective as being dynamic complex impossible entirely control.