Toilet Paper Supply Chain

This TEDTalk gives an overview of the challenges in the toilet paper supply chain as a result of the global health pandemic.  Many of us remember going into stores only to find the toilet paper shelves empty.  Dr. Shih reviews several reasons why this shortage occurred and discusses the relationship of the supply chain to the shortage.  His discussion culminates with outlining several breakdowns in the supply chain which impacted this shortage.  This week’s discussion will focus on these breakdowns.

• Name the supply chain challenges which affect the availability of toilet paper during the pandemic.
• Select one of those challenges – define that supply chain element fully and share why it critically affect the toilet paper supply.
• When you consider the distinct qualites of supply chains and the three principal components of the supply chain from your reading, where was the breakdown?  Using your breakdown analysis, how could this supply chain challenge have been avoided during the pandemic?
• What is another product that was affected in similar way during the pandemic – how was it resolved?