COVID-19 DISRUPTIONS: DATA DRIVEN RESTRUCTURING OF GLOBAL MANUFACTURING FOR ENHANCED COMPETITIVE ADVANTAGE.

Abstract

This paper reviews the weaknesses of global manufacturing as per problems of quality, equipment maintenance, local inputs, innovation and responsive agility; which have become much worse, no thanks to the Covid-19 pandemic. It discusses the nature, capability and novel applications of Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Big Data Analytics (BDA) towards Covid-19 compliant new normals in supply chains and manufacturing systems redesign. Anchored on the need for enhanced transparency, accessibility, real time data interchange, contactless transactions, self-service and several other unprecedented business practices, the study presents a comprehensive review of the global influence of AI and BDA, and justifies their potential applications in Nigeria. The goal is for manufacturing operations to become more proactive, agile; less vulnerable to disruptive shocks; and capable of an optimal arrangement of people, machines, systems and processes across all supply chain touch-points. The paper also stresses the limitations of real time contactless digital tools in a developing nation and calls for more discussions, research and advocacy. The study is theoretical. It critically analyses the foregoing perspectives and proposes a framework for a Covid-19 compliant sustainable manufacturing supply chain. The study is significant because it focuses attention on the impacts of Covid-19 pandemic on Nigerian manufacturing, the potentials of AI/BDA in mitigating supply chain disruptions and what data-based applications are justifiable or appropriate in Nigeria as the pandemic new normals