SPOT: A network framework for resilient and sustainable supply chains

The SPOT framework integrates supply (S), product (P), ownership (O), and technology (T) networks to offer a holistic and dynamic lens for supply chain analysis. Its construction relies on diverse data sources such as supplier–customer relationships, ownership records, product compositions/key equipment, and patent data. Two actionable, multi-phase SPOT implementation roadmaps are introduced: one for enhancing supply chain resilience through integrated risk diagnosis and mitigation strategies, and the other for improving sustainability by diagnosing high-emission components and deploying low-emission alternatives via technology and supply networks. Three illustrative cases—mineral commodity supply resilience, China’s Top 1000 Program for sustainability, and GE HealthCare China’s supply chain strategies—demonstrate how SPOT inspires research questions and guides thought experiments along four key dimensions of supply chain systems. Amid geopolitical tensions and trade wars, adopting a multilayered network perspective of SPOT helps spot a wide range of research opportunities in global supply chains, including supply chain reconfiguration, global expansion of Chinese firms, integrated risk propagation across supply and ownership networks, multi-dimensional network design, and technology-driven network adaptations. By providing a systematic and practical framework, SPOT empowers researchers, firms, and policymakers to analyze and monitor complex supply chain systems, spot vulnerabilities, and navigate this elusive world.