Resilient Horizons: Identifying and Overcoming Disruptions in the Semiconductor Supply Chain : From Chip Woes to Chip Wows: Establishing Resilience Strategies in a World of Semiconductors

Sammanfattning: Disruptions such as pandemics, demand changes, and geopolitical tensions in the semiconductor supply chain are essential due to their significant impact on all industries and economies worldwide. The semiconductor industry is vital for modern technology, but disruptions can interfere with production and availability. Understanding these disruptions is crucial, since they create ripple effects across the supply chain, affecting downstream manufacturers and end consumers. Among the affected is Saab, a Swedish aerospace and defense company, affecting operations and supply chain performance. The complex nature of the semiconductor supply chain and its vulnerabilities require both proactive and reactive measures to create resilience against disruptions. By studying these disruptions, resilience strategies can be developed and contributed to better disruption management. Therefore, the aim was formulated as: The aim of the study is to provide supply chain resilience strategies for identified disruptions in the semiconductor supply chain The study aimed to address two key questions. The first question focused on identifying disruptions in the semiconductor supply chain and assessing their severity. A comprehensive list of disruption categories was compiled through a literature review and interviews with Saab and supplier employees. These disruptions were categorized into severity groups based on their probability and impact. The study identified ten disruption categories from the literature and gathered additional disruptions mentioned by respondents that were further divided into 23 sub-categories. The disruptions were then divided into four severity groups. The low probability/low impact group contained disruptions that had multiple systems or strategies to manage but were not given significant attention by the respondents. The low probability/high impact group consisted of disruptions originating from a single actor, that could potentially create ripples throughout the supply chain. The high probability/low impact group contained disruptions not perceived as severe by the respondents but were expected to increase in severity over time. The high probability/high impact group considered the most severe, included disruptions that had already caused significant impact or were highly anticipated. The second key question aimed to identify and propose strategies to enhance resilience against the identified disruptions. Five fundamental elements contributing to supply chain resilience were examined: Robustness, Flexibility, Velocity, Visibility, and Collaboration. Respondents actively contributed strategies and insights on the utilization of these elements, which addressed both vulnerabilities in the supply chain causing disruptions and the disruption categories brought forth. By analyzing the literature and incorporating the responses from interviews, the identified strategic clusters were applied to the specific disruption categories. It was observed that the resilience elements of Robustness and Collaboration effectively addressed all disruption categories, highlighting their significance in mitigating disruptions. However, it is crucial to utilize all resilience elements in order to maximize overall resilience in the semiconductor supply chain. The identified strategies was found to be applicable to all disruptions identified through interviews. Notably, disruptions that impact the focal company often stem from ripple effects caused by initial disruptions upstream, thereby necessitating the application of strategies across the supply chain. Overall, the study provides valuable insights into increasing resilience against disruptions in the semiconductor supply chain, offering a range of strategic options that target vulnerabilities and contribute to improved supply chain performance.