ABSTRACT
The shock waves sent reverberating through the U.S. economy caused by Hurricane Katrina dramatically highlighted how dependent the nation was on the timely and efficient delivery of goods and services. For a vital few weeks, all sectors of the economy held their breath to see how devastating the impact was going to be. Although supply chain professionals everywhere were quick to respond to the challenge by exploring new ways to bypass the potential bottlenecks the devastation seemed to portend for water, rail, and truck traffic in the very center of the nation, the disaster acutely illustrated the need to build supply chains agile enough to meet the next major disruption, whether it be a terrorist attack, a catastrophe at a key port, or another devastating natural event. Simply, how adaptive are today’s supply chains in effectively responding to the threat of disruptive events in an era of lean and super efficiency?
