Fascinating insights from the 4TU.RE Speed Talks seminar on 20 March 2025
At the recent 4TU.RE Speed Talks seminar on March 20, 2025, three experts presented their work on the topic of resilience engineering in the face of crises and disruptions.
Firstly, Julien Magana highlighted the complications of managing patient logistics during disruptions like floods, where standard procedures often fall short. He emphasised the need for flexible and adaptive decision-making and leveraging existing resources – both transport modes and the involvement of communities – alongside formal plans. Julien also pointed out that poor communication and misalignment between departments can severely impact patient care.
Next, Yvonne Lont presented a thought-provoking perspective on maladaptation in supply chains, where well-intentioned adaptation efforts can unfortunately lead to negative unintended consequences. Her research reveals that issues such fragmentation, misalignments between strategic and operational levels, and delays in information sharing can undermine the benefits of adaptation. Yvonne's use of agent-based modelling helps to understand these complex behaviours and the trade-offs involved between information analysis and overall overview.
Finally, Davoud Hosseinnezhad explored the power and the potential pitfalls of horizontal collaboration between competing companies as a strategy to enhance supply chain resilience. While this approach, like vertical collaboration, can be beneficial during disruptions like pandemics, mutual commitment issues, misaligned incentives, and uncertainties pose risks to its stability. Davoud's use of agent-based modelling, system dynamics modelling and evolution game models helps to analyse the factors influencing the longevity of such collaborations.
A key takeaway from the seminar is that resilience is not a given but must be actively built through careful analysis, adaptive strategies, and fostering trust and collaboration among all stakeholders. The diverse perspectives presented by Julien, Yvonne, and Davoud underscored the multifaceted nature of resilience engineering.
Thank you for hosting, Reza Marandi!