Sensing for Transformation: A Typology of Strategic Resilience Responses in Supply Chains

Abstract

Recent disruptions have highlighted the limitations of traditional, engineering-based approaches to supply chain resilience. In response, scholars have called for a shift toward resilience as transformation – the capacity to fundamentally reconfigure supply chains and business models considering systemic change. This study integrates resilience thinking with the dynamic capabilities framework, focusing on the sensing phase as the critical moment in which firms identify environmental signals that may trigger transformational responses. Drawing on qualitative interviews with firms undergoing strategic supply chain shifts, the study explores how organizations interpret signals from complex and uncertain environments. The findings contribute to a more nuanced understanding of sensing under conditions of volatility and offer insights into how firms distinguish between adaptation and transformation. The research advances theory on supply chain resilience and dynamic capabilities, while providing practical implications for managers navigating long-term structural change.