Identification and eva‎luation of risk management strategies for polymeric materials supply chain by using the methodology of strategic options development and analysis (SODA)

6/1/2026 12:00:00 AM

The increasing complexity of industrial supply chains—particularly in polymer-based industries—has amplified the necessity of effective risk management. The primary objective of this study is to identify and eva‎luate strategies for managing supply chain risks in the polymer materials sector in Iran, utilizing the Strategic Options Development and Analysis (SODA) methodology. As one of the core tools in soft systems thinking, SODA emphasizes stakeholder engagement and shared understanding, offering a structured approach to addressing complex, ill-structured, and human-centered problems. In this research, in-depth interviews were conducted with experts involved at different levels of the supply chain. Initially, individual cognitive maps were constructed, which were subsequently integrated to form a collective strategic map. Through this process, a set of consensus-based strategies was extracted among raw material suppliers and polymer component manufacturers in the automotive industry. The findings indicate that employing the SODA methodology not only facilitates the identification of critical risk factors but also plays a meaningful role in strengthening organizational commitment to strategy implementation. Furthermore, the results highlight that stakeholder alignment is a key factor in successfully mitigating both operational and strategic risks. his study introduces a novel participatory approach to decision-making in risk management and offers pathways for future research in other industrial sectors as well as for national policy development aimed at enhancing supply chain resilience.

مديريت ريسك , زنجيره تأمين , متدولوژي SODA , تفكر سيستمي نرم , زنجيره تأمين قطعات پليمري خودرو , استراتژي اجماعي

Risk Management , Supply Chain , , SODA Methodology , , Soft Systems Thinking , Polymer Materials , Consensus Strategy

Ali Rahat

Dr. Ebrahim Teimoury