Assessing Post-Pandemic Recovery Challenges in UAE’s Supply Chain Industry: A Resource-Based Approach to Risk Management and Organizational Resilience

Abstract

The COVID-19 pandemic has brought to light a variety of vulnerabilities across supply chains worldwide, and the logistics sector of the UAE has faced some singular challenges during its journey toward recovery. The present paper examines how resource constraints and lapses in risk management bear upon supply chain performance in accordance with the Resource-Based Theory. A mixed-method approach was followed, and data were collected through a survey and interviews with industry professionals and analyzed statistically and thematically. Strong positive effects of robust risk management strategies are evidenced on the resilience of supply chains, while adaptive resource use becomes a question of overcoming resource constraints. This study extends the application of RBT into crisis recovery, contributes to theory development, and provides practical recommendations to improve resilience, including predictive analytics and the adoption of digital tools. It also calls for policymakers to support digital transformation and capacity-building initiatives to make supply chains in the UAE resilient to any future disruption.