Webinar From Chains to Systems: Managing Supply Chains as Complex Adaptive Systems (CAS)

From Chains to Systems: Managing Supply Chains as Complex Adaptive Systems (CAS)

Catalog: Webinar
Short name: From Chains to Systems: Managing Supply Chains as Complex Adaptive Systems (CAS)

Description

In an era of unprecedented global disruption, the traditional understanding of a supply chain as a linear chain, is no longer sufficient to ensure long-term viability. This session, presented by Kimberly Tholl, CSCP, PMP, challenges practitioners to shift their mindset from managing chains to navigating Complex Adaptive Systems (CAS).
As both a seasoned industry leader and a doctoral researcher, Kimberly bridges the gap between theoretical systems thinking and practical supply chain operations. Attendees will explore the core characteristics of a CAS, including emergence, adaptation, feedback loops, and non-linearity, where small, localized changes can trigger massive, delayed effects across an entire network.
Through real-world examples, ranging from pandemic-era pivots in the textile industry to the systemic impacts of labor subcontracting, the webinar illustrates how individual firm actions shape the broader networks that sustain them.
Key Takeaways for Practitioners:
1. Map Your Supply Network: Move beyond Tier 1 visibility to identify critical nodes and interdependencies across suppliers, logistics providers, and regulators.
2. Bridge, Don't Just Buffer: Transition from purely protective strategies (safety stock) to collaborative "bridging" through information sharing among industry players.
3. Identify Network "Tipping Points": Learn to recognize when a critical mass of industry change

Activity

From Chains to Systems: Managing Supply Chains as Complex Adaptive Systems (CAS)

Video Video
1
Content Type
Webinars
Author
Kimberly Tholl, CSCP, PMP
Author Bio

Kimberly Tholl, CSCP, PMP
Principal Consultant, Nexus Insights | DBA Candidate, Royal Roads University, Canada
Kimberly Tholl is a supply chain leader with over 17 years of experience in supply chain transformation, strategic sourcing, and supplier relationship management across the public sector, academia, and retail. As a dedicated “pracademic,” she specializes in bridging operational expertise with academic inquiry. As Principal Consultant at Nexus Insights, she designs and delivers executive programs that translate complex systems thinking into actionable strategies for supply chain resilience and sustainability.
An award-winning researcher, Kimberly is currently pursuing a Doctor of Business Administration at Royal Roads University in Victoria, Canada. Her research examines supply chains through the lens of Complex Adaptive Systems (CAS), exploring how the interplay between governance mechanisms and firm behaviors shapes emergent network-level outcomes. During the pandemic, she served on the Emergency Operations Center (EOC) at the University of British Columbia, coordinating the critical delivery of PPE and essential supplies, an experience that further fueled her commitment to building resilient and sustainable supply networks.
Kimberly holds a Bachelor of Mathematics and a Master of Applied Science from the University of Waterloo. She is a long-time member of ASCM and has held the Certified Supply Chain Professional (CSCP) designation since 2013.

Member Content
Yes
ASCM Resource Center Content
No
Instructor Development Program
No
Supply Chain Knowledge Center Content
No
Duration In Seconds
1911

Tags

Emerging Trends and Technology Logistics Planning Process Design Resilience Risk Management Stakeholder Management Supplier Relationship Management Supply Chain Strategy Threatcasting