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Abstract:The risks inherent in the supply chain threaten the effectiveness and the output of the chain. It is capable of hampering the growth and performance of organizations whose goods pass through a supply chain. This paper explores the awareness of supply chain risks of employees at different levels in a UK Agri-food industry, and the impact of these awareness on risk mitigation performance. Through literature review, this research identifies the main supply chain risks in the UK Agri-food industry, the sources and drivers of these risks, and the strategies for managing these risks. A case study of UK agri-food business was carried out to evaluate the employees' perceptions of the risks, risk drivers and risk management practices. In order to identify the impacts of these perceptions on supply chain performance, a set of hypothesis were developed and analyzed. The findings of the study carried out shows that supply chain risks are better averted when the parties involved are aware of their attendant nature and consequences. Furthermore, it also shows that the employee's level of experience determines his/her level of supply chain risk awareness and not basically organizational level. The study enunciates the impact of risk management practices on supply chain performance.

Development in the field of IT and competition in the market forces companies to increase their market share and revenue. To satisfy this goal, companies can apply and adopt plans that may lead to making the supply chain (SC) lengthy and too rigid to control/monitor. The longer the SC the more it can be disrupted by expected and unexpected events (e.g., Digital security incidents, climate). For that purpose, the SC must be built in a way to respond fast to disruptive events in an effective way and to bounce back to its original state to be considered a resilient SC, which gives a competitive advantage to the companies.To achieve SC resilience, several studies have discussed enablers. Some of these studies, focused on increasing velocity through the SC, others argued that high adaptability leads to SC resilience, and others mentioned information sharing as a key to achieving SC resilience. In addition, applying technology in the SC processes can add strength. As such, the Internet of Things can support/enhance the level of Velocity, Adaptability, and Information sharing, which leads to enhancing SC resilience. This research explores the opportunities that IoT presents to enhance resilience enablers and boost SC resilience.

Companies seek to utilise sustainability strategies to gain a competitive advantage and improve their performance. This research focuses on the role that sustainability plays in companies and its impacts on the firm performance and competitive advantage by taking Ikea as a case study. Ikea has made significant efforts to promote sustainability. The environment and local communities have benefited greatly from it. Ikea creates a variety of environmentally friendly items, such as those that conserve water or energy. It has also adopted new packaging techniques that can cut down on shipping and emissions. Additionally, many of Ikea's stores, shopping centres, etc. now have solar panels installed. Ikea engages in several sustainability strategies that are effective in preserving resources. Despite all of Ikea's environmental initiatives, the research revealed that Ikea sees sustainability as a competitive advantage. However, focusing on other sustainability practices in the future may have a positive impact on the company's performance. Starting with customer awareness of and interest in sustainable development, as well as customer satisfaction with the company's sustainable products, the impact may be felt over a longer period.