N.C. A&T STATE UNIVERSITY PROJECT SUMMARY
Understanding Risks and Disruptions in Supply Chains and their Effect on Firm and
Supply Chain Performance
Dr. Mahour Mellat-Parast, Department of Applied Engineering Technology
The overall objective of this proposal is to develop risk management strategies for supply chains to enable
engineers, decision makers, and technology managers to make more effective strategies and to manage and
mitigate risks and disruptions in their supply chain. The specific research objectives of this project are to
identify sources and scope of risk and vulnerability in supply chain and to determine the effect of different
sources and scope of risk (stage-scope matrix) on firm and supply chain performance. The specific
educational objectives are to promote interest and motivation of students toward supply chain risk
management, develop new instructional materials, and educate the technical community about supply
chain risk management.
The research is innovative with respect to its approach to risk management that encompasses both stage and
scope of risk where a supply chain risk management matrix is defined and developed. It is transformative
since it provides the first comprehensive view of managing risks and disruptions within supply chains in
different industries with respect to the stage and scope of the risk. As such, it facilitates the formation and
establishment of an integrative discipline (risk engineering/risk management) utilizing engineering,
technology, and management foundations. This proposal transforms STEM education through integrating
risk and disruption principles into the undergraduate and graduate curriculum. It also enables STEM
graduates (current and future technology managers, decision makers and engineers) to make their decisions
vis-à-vis the disruption management model and examine the tradeoff among growth and improvement with
cost and associated risks.
Both qualitative and quantitative methods will be used to collect data/information regarding the nature of
risks and disruptions. Qualitatively, the study reviews relevant literature on risks and disruptions in order to
identify key variables that impact vulnerability of firms to risks. Based on the review of the literature and
identifying key variables, a survey instrument will be developed in order to collect data. The quantitative
step of this project deals with analyzing the data collected through the survey (across multiple industries) to
determine the effect of different sources of risks on firm and supply chain performance. In order to revalidate the findings of the survey data, data on US airline industry will be used.
Broader impact: Since supply chain risk management is at its infancy, this project establishes the
development of a new field of Enterprise/Supply Chain Risk Management. From the academic side, it
opens up new venues for research and scholarship on supply chain risk management. It could also
contribute significantly to the development of enterprise risk management through integration of financial
risk and supply chain management risk facilitating integration of financial engineering principles with
engineering and technology management principles.
Broader impact will be also reflected in enhancing N.C. A&T students’ knowledge in the area of supply
chain risk management. This, in turn, can help enhance diversity in the STEM workforce by exposing N.C.
A&T students (more than 90% African-American and more than 35% female) by training students to use
appropriate tools and methodologies to assess and minimize risks and its impact on their supply chain. The
development of a graduate course in supply chain risk management would strengthen the Ph.D. program in
Technology Management, which is offered through a consortium of N.C. A&T and four other universities
(Bowling Green State University, East Carolina University, Indiana State University, and University of
Central Missouri).
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