Supply chain risk governance: exploring citizens’ role in crisis preparedness

Disruptions have marked the first years of 2020 to an extent that normalcy does not seem to exist anymore, but rather society is marked by a constant flow of dynamic changes where preparedness for crises is of paramount importance. As the COVID-19 pandemic and the Russian invasion of Ukraine in 2022 both showed, all sectors of society are affected by large-scale disruptions, and the participation of all societal actors is needed to mitigate and cope with their effects and ultimately resolve them. This paper presents a research plan for a study that aims to explore citizens’ role in the security of supply and crisis preparedness. Citizens’ participation is explored from the perspective of supply chain risk governance (Ahlqvist et al. 2020) which combines perspectives from supply chain risk management (SCRM) and risk management and societal safety (RMSS). First, a scoping literature review is conducted to explore existing research on the topic, and second, interviews are conducted with relevant actors to gather data. In terms of a theoretical contribution, the findings of this research could expand the existing supply chain management literature by illustrating the role of civil society in supply chain risk governance. On a practical level, bringing clarity on the roles of citizens in supply chain preparedness could contribute to societal preparedness, and ultimately, resilience.