UB School of Management experts available to discuss worldwide supply chain impact of dockworker strike

By Kevin Manne

Mike Wei
Associate Professor of Operations Management and Strategy
University at Buffalo School of Management

Wei is an expert in supply chain management, dynamic pricing, revenue management and strategic consumer behavior.

According to Wei, the impact on consumers will depend on how quickly the union and companies can reach a deal:

• If the union and companies can reach a deal in a week or two, consumers may only experience a small delay or slight price increase. Retailers have strengthened the robustness of their supply chains after the COVID-19 pandemic and can shield consumers from short-term supply chain interruption by relying on safety stock. 
• For a prolonged strike, there will be snowballing, cascading effects: one day consumers may not feel anything, but all of a sudden, they could relive the fear of shortages and price gouging seen during the pandemic. Prolonged strikes not only prevent current containers from being unloaded and delivered but also limit these containers from being returned for future shipping, which could be bad news for this year’s holiday shopping season. 

“The timing of this strike is strategically perfect because retailers are preparing and replenishing their inventory for the holiday season,” says Wei. “If a deal can be reached soon, consumers will hardly experience any differences, but as the strike continues, the potentially destructive impact on the holiday season will create enormous pressure on consumers, retailers and governments pushing for a deal.”

Ananth Iyer
Dean and Professor
University at Buffalo School of Management

Iyer is a highly accomplished scholar in operations and supply chain management who has published five books and more than 50 journal articles and book chapters on these subjects. 

To schedule an interview with Professor Wei or Dean Iyer, contact Kevin Manne, associate director of communications, at 716-645-5238 or kjmanne@buffalo.edu.