The management of supply chain disruptions in the Albanian milk processing industry

Abstract

As for as long have been supply chains, there have been disruptions. But only a few years ago supply chain disruptions begun to receive special attention due the increasing vulnerability of the modern supply chains. For many companies, it is of vital importance to handle supply chain disruptions.  They have established different robust supply chain strategies to overcome supply chain disruptions like postponement, strategic stock, flexible supply base and many others. This research is focused in the Albanian milk processing industry and its aim is twofold: first, to understand the main sources and consequences of supply chain disruptions and second, to analyze the strategies used by the companies to handle the disruption. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with the managers of the main milk processing companies. A guide questionnaire was prepared.  The questionnaire had two main parts. The aim of the first part was to identify the sources and consequences of supply chain disruptions while the aim of the second part was to identify the strategies used by the companies to handle the disruptions occurred. The research will show that the best strategy for handling supply chain disruptions is a combination of resilience and robust strategies. The first step for handling successfully supply chain disruptions is being prepared, by increasing the resilience of the supply chains. Being prepared, it is always necessary but it might not be enough. The strategies and actions implemented by the companies after the disruption occurred, define their success in handling the supply chain disruption.