Lean Is NOT the Problem: The Truth About Supply Chains in the New Normal

In a compelling conversation on Business Talk, Dr. Anthony Alexander, Associate Professor in Operations Management at the University of Sussex Business School, explored how today's "new normal" is defined not merely by disruptions, but by their accelerating frequency, from the 2008 financial crisis and COVID-19 to geopolitical shocks like the Ukraine war. He challenged the popular narrative that lean supply chains are inherently fragile, arguing instead that lean's pull-based philosophy actually builds responsiveness, while true resilience means adapting to a stronger state, much like muscle rebuilding after stress, rather than simply recovering to the status quo. Drawing on frameworks like Cynefin and concepts like exaptation, Dr. Alexander emphasized that organizations must sharpen their awareness of which decision context they are in and integrate technology meaningfully into operations, not just install it, if they are to thrive amid relentless turbulence. References: Alexander, A., Blome, C., Schleper, M. C., & Roscoe, S. (2022). Managing the “new normal”: the future of operations and supply chain management in unprecedented times. International Journal of Operations & Production Management, 42(8), 1061-1076. Christopher, M., & Holweg, M. (2011). “Supply Chain 2.0”: Managing supply chains in the era of turbulence. International Journal of Physical Distribution & Logistics Management, 41(1), 63-82. Christopher, M., & Holweg, M. (2017). Supply chain 2.0 revisited: a framework for managing volatility-induced risk in the supply chain. International Journal of Physical Distribution & Logistics Management, 47(1), 2-17. Sauer, P. C., Silva, M. E., & Schleper, M. C. (2022). Supply chains' sustainability trajectories and resilience: a learning perspective in turbulent environments. International Journal of Operations & Production Management, 42(8), 1109-1145. Alexander, A., Walker, H., & Delabre, I. (2022). A decision theory perspective on wicked problems, SDGs and stakeholders: the case of deforestation. Journal of Business Ethics, 180(4), 975-995. Alexander, A., Kumar, M., & Walker, H. (2018). A decision theory perspective on complexity in performance measurement and management. International Journal of Operations & Production Management, 38(11), 2214-2244. Ahi, P., & Searcy, C. (2015). An analysis of metrics used to measure performance in green and sustainable supply chains. Journal of Cleaner Production, 86, 360-377. Pidd, M. (1997). Tools for thinking—Modelling in management science. Journal of the Operational Research Society, 48(11), 1150-1150. French, S., Maule, J., & Papamichail, N. (2009). Decision behaviour, analysis and support. Cambridge University Press. Google Books Ocasio, W. (1997). Towards an attention‐based view of the firm. Strategic Management Journal, 18(S1), 187-206. Snowden, D. J., & Boone, M. E. (2007). A leader's framework for decision making. Harvard Business Review, 85(11), 68. This podcast is brought to you by Global Management Consultancy. Disclaimer: 1. The background music incorporated in this video is the intellectual property of its respective developer and is protected under applicable copyright laws. Notwithstanding that it is a free-to-use version, Business Talk, Global Management Consultancy, and Deepak Bhatt do not own, and expressly do not claim, any rights, title, or interest in or to this music. 2. In an engaging episode of the Business Talk podcast, Dr. Anthony Alexander unpacks the key insights from his research, “Managing the “new normal”: the future of operations and supply chain management in unprecedented times.” The uploaded video contains copyrighted content, so changing any graphics, music, or on-screen appearance of the author or host is not allowed.