Supply chains in the automotive industry during the COVID-19 pandemic (the case of Polish companies)

Abstract

The aim of the article is to present disruptions in the COVID-19 pandemic occurring in the supply chain of companies from the automotive industry. The specific objectives are: identification and characterization of companies operating in automotive supply chains, defining changes in the automotive industry during the pandemic, showing the types of disruptions in supply chains and ways to counteract these unfavorable situations. Companies from the automotive industry operating in Poland were selected for the research purposefully. Using the random selection method, 500 companies from the automotive industry were selected for the study, which constituted a large research sample. According to estimates, there were about 2,000 in Poland. companies strictly focused on the automotive industry and several thousand with indirect connections, e.g. car repair shops. The data sources were surveys conducted in June 2023 among 500 enterprises in the form of a direct telephone interview. The main disruptions and problems in the supply chain were longer order execution times, increased costs of transport, storage and labour, as well as limited timeliness of deliveries. However, as a rule, disruptions lasted up to 1 year. One in ten enterprises declared that the disturbances are still ongoing. Half of the enterprises did not experience support from their partners in the supply chain. Despite this, 60% of enterprises did not seek or use alternative suppliers or buyers. The same share of enterprises made operational decisions during the pandemic, while ¼ made strategic decisions. The pandemic also did not affect radical changes in supply chains, such as resigning from Asian suppliers in favor of European ones. Keywords: Supply chains, COVID-19 pandemic, automotive industry.