In 2019, global supply chains moved more than $19 trillion in exported goods. The production and sale of many items we need and use—including toys, clothes, food, electronics, and home furniture—depend on global supply chains.

For most of us, supply chains are no longer an abstract concept. The Covid-19 pandemic raised our awareness about the interdependence of our economic systems. We now understand the many ways these chains directly shape and affect our lives.

The pandemic has also revealed the fragility of global supply chains as U.S. President Joe Biden and others warn of the impact on the world economy of continuing supply-chain bottlenecks.

A supply chain is a set of organizations—like suppliers, manufacturers, distributors, and retailers—that work together to provide end customers with a specific product or service.

 …