What’s up with the supply chain

As the different pandemic waves have come and gone, so have several product shortages in stores. From toilet paper to lumber, consumers have continuously heard about the supply chain and its endless issues, but why? Katie Wowak, associate professor of IT, Analytics, and Operations at the Mendoza College of Business, spoke with Andy Fuller for the latest episode of the Notre Dame Stories Podcast. As a supply chain management expert, she provided insight as to the different facets of the supply chain and why the pandemic has brought so many issues to the fore. "We have such global supply chains where even if a company's first tier suppliers … are domestic, most likely their [other] suppliers are located overseas," Wowak said on the podcast. During the episode, Wowak explains to listeners what the supply chain is and how certain shortages, like the demand for housing appliances and improvements, were impacted. Listen to the episode, which also is available on Apple Podcasts, Spotify and Google Play.