Impact of demographics on supply chain risk management attitudes : prevention vs response

Abstract

There is no doubt that the 21st century is the century of globalization. The great majority of companies' supply chains span multiple countries, cultures, and industries. However people in different parts of the globe perceive supply chain risks differently. Is it possible to predict the way people manage their supply chain in terms of prevention versus response, based on demographics? Using a large-scale worldwide, online survey as a base, conducted by the MIT Global SCALE Initiative, this research project analyzes the relationship between a dependent variable (Prevention vs. Response) and independent variables (demographics). The analysis shows that there are indeed demographic factors that can help predict how people manage supply chain risk. The following demographic factors need to be known: country of origin, gender, primary field of study, and job function.