The power of purpose – lessons in agility from the Ventilator Challenge

Andrew Fearne, Beverly Wagner, Natalie McDougall, David Loseby

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

15 Citations (Scopus)
26 Downloads (Pure)

Abstract

Purpose: COVID-19 has shaken views of what is normal and what is possible, raising questions about conventional norms, ways of working and our understanding of agility. This paper aims to respond to calls for empirical research of supply chain capacities in times of crisis and offer a unique perspective on agile procurement and supply chain management from a case study of the Ventilator Challenge. Design/methodology/approach: A descriptive case study was undertaken, adopting an inductive approach. Interviews were conducted with the major stakeholders tasked with the design, sourcing and assembly of ventilators. Findings: Findings are delivered across four key areas: context; procurement and supply chain management; technology and culture; and environment. Key challenges and enablers are discussed, highlighting the critical roles of trust, empowerment and enabling technologies in the construction of an entirely new ventilator supply chain, from scratch, in five weeks. Originality/value: This paper delivers contributions for both academic research and practice. The case study offers rich new insights relating to procurement in times of crisis, contributing to efforts to advance beyond outdated approaches for resilience in literature. Practical contributions arise in highlighting the significance of adapted sourcing and recruitment, technology, collaboration, people and power of purpose in enabling agility and achieving the impossible.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)753-766
Number of pages14
JournalSupply Chain Management
Volume26
Issue number6
Early online date10 Jul 2021
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 6 Sep 2021

Keywords

  • Agile procurement
  • Agility
  • Collaboration
  • COVID-19
  • Empowerment
  • Trust
  • Ventilator Challenge

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