Exploring the challenges to cope with ripple effects in the perishable food supply chain considering recent disruptions: Implications for urban supply chain resilience

Abstract

Navigating the complexities of perishable food supply chains is becoming increasingly challenging due to short product shelf lives and unpredictable market demands. Recent global crises, including the COVID-19 pandemic and geopolitical tensions, have amplified these difficulties, creating greater supply and demand uncertainties. This escalation reveals a critical gap in the resilience of urban supply chains, particularly in emerging countries like Bangladesh, which are less prepared to handle such widespread disruptions. In this context, it is crucial to identify the key challenges impacting the resilience of perishable food supply chains in urban Bangladesh, to address the ripple effect and ensure food security. This study aims to fill this research gap by focusing on perishable FSC disruption challenges specific to this context. Employing an integrated approach combining Pareto analysis, Modified Total Interpretive Structural Modeling, and Cross-Impact Matrix Multiplication Applied to Classification, the study initially identifies eighteen major challenges through existing literature and expert input from the context of Bangladesh. Subsequent Pareto analysis narrows these down to the top twelve interrelated challenges. The findings emphasize the critical importance of “Streamlining distribution hubs with expanded transport routes” to manage these ripple effects effectively. The study is expected to aid in enhancing the sustainability of perishable food supply chain operations in urban Bangladesh by offering critical insights to policymakers to develop comprehensive strategies mitigating the impacts of supply chain disruptions due to ripple effects in the face of global crises.