Spring 2022, April, Volume 2

Until recently, global supply chain issues have not typically penetrated the popular consciousness. This has changed in recent years and months. Remarkably, supply chains and logistics have become a hot-button topic in media and political circles.

Prominent examples include the hampered launch of Sony’s PlayStation 5; the global chip shortage hindering everything from electronics to automobile production; shipping to and from the UK being frustrated by Brexit-related frictions; labor instability in road, rail and shipping; traffic backlogs at transportation choke points such as the Suez canal; shutdowns due to COVID-19 outbreaks in key outsourced manufacturing facilities in Asia; the fallout from the conflict in Ukraine; and countless interrelated issues. These disruptions to the supply chain are blamed for rampant inflation, reduced economic output, and wealth disparity worldwide.