On 21 October, the Center for Responsible Business and Innovation (CRBI) of the University of Nottingham Ningbo China successfully held its sixth session of "Let'S talk!". This event invited Professor Thomas Y. Choi, a researcher of Supply Chain Management at Arizona State University's Carey School of Business, to discuss ways to enhance supply chain resilience to promote corporate sustainability.

The event was hosted by Dr Steven Zhou, Deputy Director of CRBI, who extended a warm welcome to the guests in attendance.

In the opening remarks, Professor Jing Dai, Director of CRBI, introduced the center and its "Let'S talk!" event series. She pointed out that the "Let'S talk!" platform is not only a place for knowledge exchange, but also a diverse community that brings together thought leaders, pioneers of change, thinkers, and learners. Here, we work together to ignite sparks of innovation and excellence, and jointly promote society's move towards a sustainable future.

In the keynote speech, Professor Choi first elaborated on the essence and importance of supply chain networks, pointing out that their resilience is crucial for production continuity and reliability. He then introduced the concept of complex adaptive network models, analyzing in depth the complexity and adaptive characteristics of enterprise supply chains through empirical case studies coupled with rigorous academic explanations. He noted that enterprises often exhibit "self-interest" in various stages of the supply chain, which refers to the pursuit of maximizing their interests. Taking the V-shaped formation of the goose in flight as an exemplar, this configuration is not actively selected by the birds but rather an instinctive behavior where they harness the aerodynamic lift generated by the lead goose to minimize energy expenditure and enhance flight efficiency. Similarly, enterprises in the supply chain environment also form a complex adaptive system, which aligns with envisioning the supply chain network as a dynamic model and evolutionary law of complex adaptive systems.

Following this, Professor Choi, incorporating the latest research findings from his book, The Nature of Supply Networks (Oxford University Press, 2023), elucidated the mechanisms through which strategic approaches, including diversified supplier strategies, modular design, and risk monitoring mechanisms, can augment the resilience and stability of supply chains. Furthermore, he stated that amidst the complex dynamics of globalization, deglobalization, and re-globalization, supply networks are transforming enhanced resilience and sustainability. Global enterprises need to continuously adapt to new market environments and technological trends to maintain competitiveness and sustainable development capabilities.

During the Q&A session, a participant raised a question about how companies should make decisions regarding their supply chain in the context of rising shipping costs and new global trends. In response, Professor Choi emphasized the need to comprehensively evaluate costs, risks, and supply chain adaptability. When answering another question focusing on technological changes and supply chain restructuring, Professor Choi mentioned Tesla as an example of the new era of manufacturing, which has refreshed manufacturing by using digital twin technology and simplified production processes.

This session of "Let'S talk!" not only brought highly forward-looking academic theories and diverse practical experiences to faculty and students, but also provided valuable guidance for enterprises in building highly resilient supply chains and comprehensively enhancing their market competitiveness.