Phil Renaud, executive director of The Risk Institute at The Ohio State University’s Fisher College of Business, runs down the level of risk to supply chains created by relationships with third parties — and relates how a certain type of third party can help to mitigate it.

Al Guarnieri, partner in the law firm of Parker Poe, details how the COVID-19 pandemic has impacted the planning efforts of manufacturers in the short, medium and long term.

How can businesses secure the upper hand over unanticipated challenges to managing a global supply chain? 

Implementing these proactive measures will help companies stay competitive.

Most of us fashion ourselves as rational beings, willing to change our minds when presented with facts that contradict our position. What a lovely fantasy.