Blog: Weak links in the supply chain

Catherine Sleep | 27 November 2003

Single sourcing, outsourcing, just-in-time delivery and a raft of cost saving measures have injected a high dose of risk into supply chains. These industry trends, together with external threats such as terrorist attacks, labour disputes and the potential for natural disasters, show just how vulnerable companies are to disruptions within their supply chains which can lead to the loss of thousands, and in some cases, millions of pounds or dollars. A new report from the Cranbrook School of Management comes as a timely warning.