Research

At the 11th IFAC MIM 2025 International Conference on Manufacturing Modelling,
Management, and Control, our team proudly presented groundbreaking research on democratizing Human-AI collaborative decision-making.
Prof. Antonio Padovano and Eng. Chiara Sammarco (UNICAL), Prof. Francesco Longo
(UNICAL/CAL-TEK s.r.l.), Prof. Dmitry Ivanov (HWR), and Dr. Ilya Jackson (MIT &
CERERE External Advisory Board member) joined forces to explore how AI-powered
decision support systems can better serve non-expert users.

One year into the CERERE project, our consortium gathered in Istanbul, Turkey, for two very productive days, organized by the Field Crops Central Research Institute (TARM). It was an opportunity not only to discuss the next steps but also to strengthen collaboration through open, fruitful conversations.
Three insightful workshops were hosted, featuring experts in the cereal supply chain:
• Mr. Selami Yazar-Member of the Board of Directors, Türkiye Seed Growers Association (TÜRKTOB), & Chair of the Board of Directors, Union of Plant Breeders (BİSAB)
• Mr. Tugay Aydoğdu-Secretary General, Polatlı Commodity Exchange
• Dr. Gül Erginbaş Orakçı-Researcher, International Maize and Wheat Improvement Center (CIMMYT)
Also, members of the CERERE external advisory board joined, sharing valuable suggestions on new research directions.

Supply chain (SC) resilience takes network connectivity and performance persistence perspectives, which supplement each other. The extant literature has developed a large body of knowledge about SC resilience’s network and performance indicators. However, we are unaware of any published research combining these two perspectives in resilience assessment. Therefore, this study aims to advance our understanding of how network and performance indicators can mutually enhance each other when analysing SC resilience as both a system property (quality) and an outcome (quantity). The unique contribution of our study is a combined use of network science and discrete-event simulation allowing for mixed-method grounded integration of static and dynamic views of supply chain resilience. Using node degrees as network indicators and on-time delivery, fulfilment rate, and time-to-recovery as performance indicators, we examine reactions of these indicators to a disruption to the sourcing strategies of three different flexibility degrees. We observe that network science methods can be used to identify disruption existence while simulation methods allow quantifying performance impact. We show how and when the combined application of network and performance indicators can inform decision-makers about SC resilience, and propose a generalised guideline for a practical implementation of the developed approach. Our main conclusion is that SC resilience-assessment models can be mutually enhanced by including network characteristics and process dynamics through a combination of network analysis and simulation.

Read the full article here: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1478409225000238

The increasing frequency and severity of disruptions in supply chains (SCs), driven by climate change, geopolitical tensions, and evolving structural dynamics, have heightened the importance of supply chain resilience (SCR) and viability (SCV). This study introduces a comprehensive, three-dimensional framework for SCR and SCV covering product, process, technology, and human-centric perspectives. The framework is empirically validated using structural equation modelling (SEM) based on data from 65 SC experts. We demonstrate how key SC variables align with their latent constructs, operationalising the theoretical concepts of resilience and viability in their integrity. The analysis confirms that network and product resilience and viability are pivotal in driving SC performance, while technology and workforce resilience and viability have a lower direct impact. Using a case study of the cereal SC in the Mediterranean region, we show how to implement our framework providing actionable recommendations for supply chain actors, decision-makers, and policymakers, while offering generalized, practical insights for improving the resilience and viability of agri-food systems. This paper contributes both methodological and practical insights to advancing SCR and SCV theory and practical applications.

Read the full article here: https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/00207543.2025.2470350

The Article highlights how the CERERE Project is tackling one of today’s most pressing challenges: food security. With innovative approaches and a deep commitment to sustainability, CERERE is exploring solutions that could shape the future of resilient agri-food systems.

Read the full article here: https://zenodo.org/records/15103282

Supply chain resilience has been extensively investigated at the network and firm levels. More granular studies at the level of product supply chain resilience are scarce. In this paper, we examine relationships between product supply chain resilience, firm resilience, and network resilience. We simulate supply chains with two products in different settings of structural and process diversity, connectivity, and flexibility. The methodology is based on discrete-event simulation. The focus of the analysis is on managerial insights. Our main insights show that the resilience of product supply chains depends on the firm and network resilience, and higher firm and network resilience do not always automatically translate into higher resilience at the product level. Managerial implications are discussed and generalized. The outcomes of our study can be used by supply chain and operations managers to improve the resilience of supply chain with consideration of both product and network levels. We contribute to the literature by offering novel insights on the interrelations between firm and network resilience practices and product supply chain resilience.