Reshoring Drivers and Future Outlook. A Case Study of European and American Firms

Abstract

Recent disruptions and mounting vulnerabilities across global supply chains have prompted firms to reconsider long-standing offshoring strategies. In this context, reshoring—the strategic relocation of previously offshored operations—has gained renewed relevance. This study explores how the VUCA (Volatility, Uncertainty, Complexity, and Ambiguity) environment has reshaped the drivers, triggers, and outlook for reshoring. Adopting a qualitative approach, the research draws on in-depth interviews with seven senior executives from European and U.S. firms engaged in recent reshoring decisions. The findings reveal that VUCA pressures amplify external reshoring drivers, particularly those related to risk mitigation, control, and geopolitical resilience. VUCA events function not only as immediate triggers or accelerants but also as reflection points, prompting firms to reevaluate their global footprint. While reshoring is seen as increasingly strategic, its feasibility remains highly contingent on industry, product type, and operational complexity. The study contributes to reshoring and global value chain literature by positioning reshoring within broader trends of resilient globalization, slowbalization, and strategic adaptation under uncertainty.