| Upstream | Supply disruptions risk mitigation | What are the impacts of COVID-19 on risk balancing between buyers and suppliers? What are the pandemic’s impacts on operations and supply chains (e.g. buffer vs lean production; efficient vs flexible supply chains)? What are the pandemic's impacts on local vs global supply sourcing? Do local supply chains foster resilience?
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| Upstream | Supplier liquidity and supply chain finance | How do firms assess whether to support or “cut loose” a supplier during a pandemic? Which factors do buyers take into consideration to assess which suppliers’ payment terms are extended or shortened (e.g. financial health, supply security)? What is the impact of supply chain finance on supply chain resilience during times of crises?
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| Upstream | Buyer-supplier collaboration | Which inter-organisational / relational factors increase/decrease OSCM resilience in times of crises? What is the impact of buyer-supplier collaboration approaches vs arm’s-length buyer-supplier relationship approaches on crisis performance? To what extent do previous investments in sustainability increase a firm’s / supply chain's likelihood to better cope with crises?
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| Upstream | Contracting | What are the short, mid-term and long-term impacts of COVID-19 on contracting in retail? To what degree are retailers/customers willing to increase their risk burden in a contract and how will that impact cost/price negotiations post-pandemic? Is the desire for higher flexibility in contracting a pipe dream, which could induce unintended consequences (i.e. higher costs, shift in power, restructuring of the supply base, etc.)?
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| Internal / operational | Internal governance and decision-making | Which decision-making structures help to better cope with crises (e.g. centralised vs decentralised)? Which internal governance structures can make OSCM resilience more waterproof for future crises? What are the ramifications of changed governance and decision-making structures for employees and other affected stakeholders?
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| Internal / operational | Leadership aspects | How important are formal and informal established personal relationships during times of crises? Can historic personal/individual ties of new people within an organisation override existing power dynamics in buyer-supplier relationships? Which leadership style is best suited to cope with the COVID-19 pandemic and its repercussions (e.g. emotional, authoritarian, etc.) in OSCM contexts?
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| Internal / operational | Capacity and in-store logistics | Has a higher commitment towards health and safety (e.g. focus on PPE, social distancing, signage, etc.) influenced costumers’ perceptions? What are the performance impacts of in-store changes caused by COVID-19? Which COVID-19 in-store responses are likely to stay post-pandemic?
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| Downstream/customer | Disrupted demand patterns | Which factors led to the mismatch between supply and demand during the first wave of lockdowns especially in cases in which sufficient stock was available? How has consumer behaviour varied between different waves of the pandemic and what are the effects on retail OSCM? What led consumers to believe there were (potential) shortages in retail, causing psychological reactions such as panic buying? What are the mid-term and long-term effects of the pandemic on consumption patterns and how will this affect retailing (along the entire supply chain)? What influences consumers' acceptance for stock-outs in a pandemic context?
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| Downstream/customer | Customer service | What are the performance implications for business that offer full, semi- and no online retail in the context of pandemics? What are the implications for high street retailers post-pandemic given changing customer demands? Will there be a new normal of high street retailing or will a bigger part of the business be shifted towards retail parks or larger out-of-town open air shopping complexes?
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