Project management and supply chain 4.0 improvement: the case of infant formulas in the face of the challenge of COVID-19

The changes in the environment make it necessary for organizations to prepare to face in the most effective and flexible way without negatively affecting the quality of the products or services offered, making this area of opportunity become growth and a competitive advantage against to the other companies. While Industry 4.0 has been a critical factor in overcoming the challenges of pandemic restrictions and improving productivity by providing continuous operations during the crisis, the smart supply chain has enabled a constant stock of products to reach their destination. Despite the efforts and success of the Industry 4.0 and the Intelligent Supply Chain during the pandemic to meet market needs, stockouts were still significant, making it a critical point to review project and risk management tools and techniques in its operations. Smart digital technologies and techniques have been useful in developing strategies to mitigate the effects of emergencies; however, these strategies are still highly vulnerable to crises of this magnitude. That is why the aim of this paper is to show the importance of adequate project and risk management within Industry 4.0 to achieve a flexible, intelligent, and resilient supply chain.