The role of information systems in enhancing supply chain resilience: Post-pandemic digital supply chain models in Africa and Asia

The COVID-19 pandemic exposed the vulnerabilities of global supply chains, disrupting production, logistics, and trade flows across regions. These disruptions highlighted the need for resilient supply chains capable of withstanding shocks while maintaining continuity. Information systems (IS) have emerged as critical enablers of resilience, offering integration, visibility, and adaptability through tools such as Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP), data analytics, and blockchain. This study explores how the adoption of these tools has shaped resilience strategies in Africa and Asia, regions that are central to global supply chains yet underexplored in the academic literature.

A qualitative multi-case study design was employed, drawing on secondary data from company reports, policy briefs, industry studies, and prior research. Cases included agribusiness exporters and e-commerce firms in Africa, and pharmaceutical manufacturers and logistics providers in Asia. The findings reveal divergent pathways: in Africa, adoption remains emerging and resource-constrained, but cloud-based ERP modules, mobile-enabled analytics, and blockchain pilots in agriculture demonstrated innovative responses. In Asia, ERP integration, advanced predictive analytics, and large-scale blockchain pilots delivered more comprehensive resilience outcomes.

This study contributes by highlighting the comparative role of IS in strengthening resilience across contexts, demonstrating that while adoption varies, IS tools are now indispensable for resilient global operations.