The results of the Lehigh Business Supply Chain Risk Management Index for the first quarter of 2024 show cybersecurity is the biggest risk on supply chain managers’ minds for the fourth straight quarter. Cybersecurity–cyber-attacks, data corruption, data theft and system viruses–increased slightly from last quarter.
Customer risk has jumped up to second. “This suggests it’s getting harder to predict customer demand and customer loyalty,” said Zach G. Zacharia, Ph.D., associate professor of supply chain management and director of the Center for Supply Chain Research at Lehigh. Economic risk, even though third highest risk overall, has gone down and is now the lowest it has been in the past three years. “There seems to be less worry about increasing energy costs and labor shortages,” said Zacharia.
Government intervention risk is fourth overall, has also gone down, and is also the lowest it has been in the past three years. According to Zacharia, that may mean supply chain professionals are less worried about new regulations and government restrictions.
“Notably, technological risk has become a top five risk for the first time, and this is the highest…
