THE EFFECT OF PROCESS DISRUPTION IN THE FOOD SUPPLY CHAIN CAUSED BY COVID-19 PANDEMIC

Predmet istraživanja ovog diplomskog rada je utjecaj pandemije na opskrbni lanac prehrambenih proizvoda. Na globalno gospodarstvo mogu utjecati mnogi elementi koji posljedično izazivaju disrupcije procesa. Jedan od elemenata koji imaju negativan utjecaj na gospodarstvo na globalnoj razini je i epidemija. Tako je gospodarstvo pogodila nezapamćena epidemija korona virus poznata pod nazivom COVID-19. U početnoj fazi COVID-19 pojavila se kao epidemija u kineskom gradu Wuhanu u pokrajini Hubei. COVID-19 je prerasla u pandemiju koja ima najsnažniji utjecaj na globalno gospodarstvo u povijesti. Izaziva disrupcije u svim sferama života. Pandemija ima izražen utjecaj na ekonomiju te izaziva poremećaje u opskrbnom lancu. Opskrbni lanac predstavlja putanju kojom proizvodi od proizvođača dolaze do krajnjih potrošača. Opskrbni lanac obuhvaća cjelinu sastavljenu od niza poduzeća i procesa vezanih za svako pojedinačno poduzeće. Ukoliko dolazi do disrupcije u samo jednom poduzeću ili procesu čitav opskrbni lanac postaje ugrožen. U opskrbnom lancu prehrambenih proizvoda izaziva najveću disrupciju jer dovodi do nestašice proizvoda svakodnevne potrošnje. Ovaj rad pridonosi boljem razumijevanju kako pandemija COVID-19 utječe na opskrbni lanac prehrambenih proizvoda. Nadalje, na primjeru prehrambene industrije objašnjeno je kako izostanak procesa i rada u jednom segmentu opskrbnog lanca može ugroziti čitav opskrbni lanac prehrambenih proizvoda. Za potrebe ovog rada provedeno je primarno istraživanje na uzorku poduzeća koja su članovi opskrbnog lanca prehrambenih proizvoda s ciljem ispitivanja utjecaja efekta disrupcije izazvanog novom pandemijom COVID-19. Kako je COVID-19 jedinstvena situacija u povijesti, ovim istraživanjem poduzećima prehrambene industrije daje se potencijalno rješenje kako se zaštiti od sličnih događa u budućnosti temeljem rezultata istraživanja, provedenog u periodu od svibnja do kolovoza 2020. godine na uzorku od 10 poduzeća koja su članovi opskrbnog lanca prehrambenih proizvoda.The subject of research in this thesis is the impact of the pandemic on the food supply chain. The global economy can be affected by many elements that consequently cause process disruptions. One of the elements that hurt the global economy is the epidemic. Thus, the economy was hit by an unprecedented epidemic of coronavirus known as COVID-19. In the initial phase, COVID-19 emerged as an epidemic in the Chinese city of Wuhan in Hubei Province. COVID-19 has grown into a pandemic that has the strongest impact on the global economy in history. It disrupts all spheres of life. Pandemic has a pronounced impact on the economy and causes disruptions in the supply chain. The supply chain is the path taken by products from producers to end consumers. The supply chain comprises a whole composed of a series of enterprises and processes related to each enterprise. If there is a disruption in just one company or process, the entire supply chain becomes compromised. It causes the greatest disruption in the food supply chain because it leads to a shortage of everyday consumer products. This paper contributes to a better understanding of how COVID-19 pandemic affects the food supply chain. Furthermore, on the example of the food industry, it was explained how the absence of processes and work in one segment of the supply chain can jeopardize the entire food supply chain. For this paper, a primary study was conducted on a sample of companies that are members of the food supply chain to examine the impact of the disruption effect caused by the new COVID-19 pandemic. As COVID-19 is a unique situation in history, this research gives food industry companies a potential solution to protect themselves from similar events in the future based on the results of research, conducted in the period from May to August 2020 on a sample of 10 companies that are members of the food supply chain