Supply chain resilience and international manufacturing strategy: a case study from the semiconductor industry

Abstract

PurposeThis paper studies the interrelations between the concepts of supply chain resilience and international manufacturing strategy. On the basis of an in-depth case study of a company in the semiconductor industry, the paper seeks to integrate the concept of resilience into international manufacturing strategy.Design/methodology/approachIn an explorative qualitative single case study of a semiconductor manufacturer, a systems thinking model is developed from expert interviews and literature research that displays the interrelations of constituent constructs of supply chain resilience and international manufacturing strategy.FindingsForecast accuracy and organizational inertia are identified as barriers to resilience, whereas information technology (IT) capabilities and vertical integration are identified as major levers. Causal relations between constructs are identified, and a concrete suggestion for theory refinement of the manufacturing strategy framework of Miltenburg (2009) is provided.Originality/valuePrior literature on international manufacturing networks (IMNs) has not sufficiently taken into account the importance of resilience in the formulation of international manufacturing strategies. This paper aids in the integration of this increasingly important concept, in a critical industry that has recently been subject to major disruptions.