compare proactive and reactive problem solving frameworks

Reactive vs Proactive Problem Management

Problem management in IT is rarely discussed, but it is certainly practiced daily—in a variety of ways, some of which are successful. More often, problem management looks like a group of sys admins arguing about who’s to blame for the latest episode of company-wide slow-down.

When done well, however, problem management has the potential to catapult the IT unit from a fire-fighting position to one that offers a clinical focus on improvement and innovation—precisely the value and ROI that your company expects from IT. In fact, the way IT goes about identifying, managing, and eliminating problems plays a major role in how the unit is viewed by other business units and the company at large. Atlassian reported that high-performing IT teams are nearly 2.5 times more likely to practice problem management proactively, instead of waiting to put out fires.

In this article, we’ll take a look at problem management and compare reactive and proactive approaches.

What is problem management in IT?

We already know from ITIL that any problem is an underlying cause of one or more incidents. Problem management, then, refers to how you manage the lifecycle of problems. IT can approach problem management in two ways: reactively or proactively.

• Reactive problem management is concerned with solving problems in response to one or more incidents.
• Proactive problem management is concerned with identifying and solving problems and known errors before further incidents related to them can occur again.

Both approaches are key to ensuring a holistic and comprehensive tackling of the underlying issues that negatively impact IT services, but it is the reactive approach that is usually the first port of call for most support teams. Balancing the two approaches must be ingrained throughout your organization and should be one of the leadership’s imperatives.

Defining reactive problem management

Reactive problem management is triggered directly after an incident that is deemed worthy for a root cause investigation, such as one major incident or a series of incidents which are significant in totality. It complements incident management by focusing on the underlying cause of an incident to prevent its recurrence and identifying workarounds when necessary. Reactive problem management considers all contributory causes, including causes that contributed to the duration and impact of incidents, as well as those that led to the incidents happening.

The swarming technique is a strong approach in reactive problem management: different units come together to examine an incident, then brainstorm and identify the source and the potential root causes. Take, for example, an application that has crashed. Incident management would restart services that have stopped or reload a recent version, while reactive problem management would investigate the source of the crash by analyzing logs or getting information from a developer or vendor. The problem would be logged as a direct reference to the incident and workarounds, as identified by incident resolution, would be documented alongside it. If the fix requires a patch, then change management process would be used to permanently resolve the problem.

Other techniques for reactive problem management include chronological analysis, Kepner and Tregoe, 5-Whys, and fault isolation.

One of the main drawbacks of reactive problem management is its defensive nature, not unlike closing the gate after the horse has bolted. Secondly, technical teams are usually under pressure to find the incident’s root cause instead of focusing on restoring service as quickly as possible. However, the benefits of reactive problem management are clearly visible to stakeholders once it is proven that a fix, whether permanent or temporary, will prevent recurrence or reduce impact should the incident resurface.

Understanding proactive problem management

Proactive problem management is driven from a continual improvement perspective. The trigger is not the result of an active incident, but rather the result of identified risks to service. These risks may include warnings, errors, or potential breaches to thresholds that indicate potential problem areas. As such, proactive problem management activities take place as ongoing activities targeted to improve the overall availability and end user satisfaction with IT services. The main techniques of proactive problem management include trend analysis, risk assessment , and affinity mapping.

Let’s use the same example as above to demonstrate proactive problem management. The monitoring unit detects errors in the application—they aren’t causing downtime, but they may indicate problem areas.

The sys admins take time to document the errors and research potential causes. This may indicate that that the errors occur whenever the application calls to a particular database, routed through certain interfaces. The sys admin can elevate this issue to the network admins and the database admins, who can then identify the exact issue and shut down the effected interfaces, ending the errors. Depending on the situation, the admins may opt to reconfigure the ports or replace the affected components in order to permanently eradicate the problem before it becomes serious.

The clearest benefit of proactive problem management is a significant decrease in the number of critical incidents. An IT team can never prevent all incidents, so reactive problem management is something all teams will have to deal with. However, proactive problem management is the mark of a truly mature IT unit.

Putting in place metrics that measure proactive problem management and placing a reward on the same from an innovation perspective will serve to motivate IT to focus on such opportunities. Interestingly, proactive problem management can have a negative side effect, at least from an IT marketing perspective: the company may not fully appreciate a problem that was addressed as it never caused an issue in the first place.

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Reactive problem management vs proactive problem management

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In this section, we will expand upon the two common approaches in practicing problem management and how your IT environment maturity decides which approach is more suitable for your organization.

Reactive problem management vs. proactive problem management

What is reactive problem management?

Reactive problem management reacts to the incidents that show up, then proceeds with the problem management process. Essentially, a reactive problem management approach aims to find and eliminate the root causes of known errors, and deals with a problem only when it shows up as major or recurring incidents.

What is proactive problem management?

Proactive problem management seeks out issues, faults, and known errors in IT systems by going through past incidents, network monitor data logs, and other sources of information, then proceeds to solve them permanently before they arise as incidents. This process is a part of continuous service improvement. Proactive problem management also aims to solve all known errors under the KEDB if it is feasible to do so.

Both types of problem management follow the same phases of problem-solving once presented with a problem: problem identification, problem control, and error control. The only difference is the approach towards identifying the problem. Nonetheless, both processes offer distinct advantages to service management, and require unique resources to function.

Choosing between reactive and proactive problem management approaches

Organizations that are new to problem management should focus their efforts on implementing a reactive problem management process. It's sensible to use the problem-solving talent of the existing service desk staff when they aren't occupied with daily incidents; in doing this, they gain valuable experience before implementing proactive problem management.

As an organization's service delivery matures, it should transition to a proactive problem management process. This transition should be carried out by a team with a good analytical skill set that's highly proficient in IT infrastructure and the tools and technology that support the organization.

However, many organizations don't undergo this transition since it's tricky to quantify the benefits of proactive problem management, which can be perceived as solving potential problems and not actual ones. Nevertheless, some of the world's most effective organizations practice proactive problem management and find tremendous benefit in it.

Despite reactive and proactive problem management following the same phases of problem-solving once presented with a problem, there are multiple techniques to get to the root cause of a problem. Let's move on to the various techniques used in problem management.

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What's The Difference Between Proactive And Reactive Problem Management In ITIL?

In the realm of ITIL, proactive problem management anticipates and prevents issues, focusing on root cause analysis. Reactive problem management, on the other hand, responds to incidents, aiming to restore services swiftly. Striking a balance is key for a robust IT framework.

In the realm of IT service management, proactive and reactive problem management are two essential approaches that help tackle and manage potential issues that might impact the quality and reliability of IT services. These approaches possess unique traits and goals, and implementing them can result in a more efficient and productive IT environment.

Proactive Problem Management:

Proactive problem management is a strategy that aims to identify and address potential issues before they cause service disruptions or incidents. Its primary goal is to prevent problems from happening in the first place.

This approach involves analyzing data and trends, conducting root cause analysis, and implementing preventive measures. It may also include risk assessment and management.

Key Activities:

• Identifying patterns and trends in incident data to uncover underlying issues.
• Conducting root cause analysis to determine the fundamental causes of recurring incidents.
• Implementing changes and improvements to prevent future incidents.- Continuously monitoring and reviewing the effectiveness of preventive measures to ensure their success.

Reactive Problem Management:

• Purpose: Reactive problem management focuses on resolving problems that have already caused incidents or service disruptions. It aims to restore normal service as quickly as possible and minimize the impact of incidents.
• Methodology: This approach involves investigating incidents, diagnosing their root causes, and implementing solutions or workarounds to resolve the immediate issue.
• Incident analysis to determine the underlying problems.
• Root cause analysis to identify the fundamental causes of incidents.
• Developing and implementing solutions or workarounds to resolve incidents.
• Ensuring that incidents are documented and knowledge is shared for future reference.

In summary, proactive problem management aims to prevent problems before they occur, while reactive problem management deals with problems that have already caused incidents.

Both proactive and reactive approaches are crucial to IT service management. Proactive measures can help reduce the frequency of incidents, while reactive IT service management involves proactive and reactive problem management to ensure a reliable infrastructure that minimizes the impact of incidents.

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Reactive vs. proactive management styles: Which one gets results?

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A tale of two managers

Is it better to be proactive or reactive, what causes a reactive mindset, qualities of proactive leaders, how to be a more proactive manager.

Being a manager isn’t always putting out fires — but it can certainly feel that way. In a perfect world, you’d be able to anticipate every worst-case scenario. But life — and business — rarely work out that way. 

Every leader needs to have a mix of skills — the ability to be both proactive and reactive. Understand what proactive and reactive management styles are and how to best use them in this article.

Let's imagine that it's the holiday season. Every year, a retail store gets slammed with shoppers looking for the best bargain. The sales team counts on these last-minute shoppers. Their purchases help the store in order in their final push to meet sales goals for the fiscal year.

Manager A is dreading the upcoming season. Even though it's the busiest time of year, this is when they have the most call-outs and staffing issues. People are constantly shopping, but they’re all looking for sales and good deals. As a result, the store still has a hard time meeting its goals. 

By the time the end of the year rolls around, everyone is stressed, and half of the staff has quit.

Manager B knows that the holidays can be rough. They start hiring people for the holiday season early in the fall. By the time the holidays come around, the store is well-staffed and the employees are well-trained. To drive sales, they host a series of smaller sales events to learn which products are the most popular. Each staff member takes a workshop on sales training strategies . 

In the weeks leading up to the holiday, the store contacts regular customers and offers them a discount if they make a shopping appointment. By the time the holidays roll around, the store has already exceeded its goal. They also have fewer last-minute shoppers, so the store doesn’t need to be fully staffed. More employees get to spend time with their loved ones instead of working late. 

So what's the difference? One manager took a reactive approach, and the other manager took a proactive approach.

What is reactive vs proactive management?

Reactive management is when leaders respond to crises and issues as they arise. Proactive management means anticipating needs and challenges so that you and your team are prepared to overcome them.

It's impossible to anticipate every circumstance . No leader or organization can be proactive all the time. But if you're reactive all the time, you may spend a lot of time in “fire-fighting mode.” Your team may get frustrated that you didn't have contingency plans in place for foreseeable challenges.

In general, it’s better to be proactive. That means that you try to consider situations before they arise to make sure your team is prepared for them. As the saying goes, “An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of the cure.”

However, there are benefits and drawbacks to both leadership styles. Future-minded leaders need to be skilled at both proactive and reactive management styles. This is especially true as the world of work changes. The COVID-19 pandemic and the shift to remote work has increased the need for agile leaders who can adapt quickly to changing circumstances.

Let’s take a look at the pros and cons of reactive and proactive leadership.

Pros of proactive leadership:

Proactive leaders (and their teams) are confident in their ability to foresee and plan around potential challenges. 

When difficulties arise, the response time is often shortened by having a strong plan in place.

Proactive managers often allocate more time and resources to skills development, training, and mentoring their teams.

Cons of proactive leadership:

Leaders who prioritize a proactive approach need to be sure to leave time for day-to-day tasks and urgent matters.

Those who are too big picture-focused may leave their teams feeling like they’re out of touch.

It’s impossible to anticipate every situation. Trying to do so can lead to “analysis paralysis,” where people feel immobilized until they have all the facts.

Pros of reactive leadership:

Reactive teams can work very well under pressure. They have excellent problem-solving skills that are battle-tested.

Reactive people are often more comfortable with uncertainty and trying different approaches.

Individual contributors display high levels of ownership. They don't worry about planning everything out perfectly or running ideas by a chain of command before they act.

Cons of reactive leadership:

Always being in problem-solving mode isn’t good for morale. It can feel like there’s “always an emergency.”

When leaders are constantly putting out fires, they don’t have the time to devote to long-term planning.

It’s difficult to measure which methods were the most effective or predict success in the future.

No leader walks into work and says “I'm here just to deal with problems.” Leaders want to be able to set a vision for their team, achieve the goals they set, and help people develop in their careers. But sometimes, external factors affect leaders in ways that prevent them from being as forward-thinking as they would like.

Every leader and every workplace encounters challenges. But when circumstances feel out of control, it’s easy to start feeling a bit reactive.

These environments are overrun by the tyranny of urgency. There are a few factors that contribute to high stress and urgency in workplaces:

1. A culture of presenteeism

Employees benefit from taking time away from work . If they don’t feel like they can take time off, even when they’re sick, morale suffers. This culture of “show up no matter what” is detrimental to the workplace.

2. Poor priorities

Teams benefit from a clear set of priorities. When they fail to set a target that everyone can work towards, people often scatter their energy in different directions. This can make it feel like your team’s efforts are “all over the place” or that nothing’s ever finished.

3. Hypercompetitiveness 

Competition can be invigorating and motivating in an office. But when people feel that they need to fight to get ahead — or even keep their jobs — it saps energy. You can’t plan ahead if you’re always watching your back.

4. Lack of resources

Working on a shoestring budget or with a skeleton crew? If your team is stretched thin, proactive thinking will fall through the cracks. Companies in “survival mode” have a hard time thinking more than a step or two ahead. Even when they do, they often don’t have the resources to invest in anything that won’t have an immediate payoff.

Are your employees or managers burned out? Proactive thinking takes a certain amount of energy and optimism. Those can be in short supply when you’re feeling burned out . You’ll need to handle well-being before you can start thinking about anything else. 

The good news is that reprioritizing to be less reactive can actually help reduce burnout and boost employee well-being . 

The urgent/important matrix was first outlined by President Eisenhower and popularized by Stephen Covey. It helps people and organizations split tasks into four quadrants.

In today's hyper-connected world, we tend to focus on the tasks that are the most urgent. That includes ringing phones , pinging notifications, and the manager that’s threatening to quit if they don’t get a raise .

Often, the most important task that we have to do are not urgent at all. And many of our urgent tasks could have been handled before they became emergencies. That's where a proactive attitude is helpful. As leaders, if we can learn to handle day-to-day tasks while still making time to plan for potential future events, we become more effective. Prioritizing tasks and situations when they're important (but not urgent) prevents them from becoming problems.

What does a proactive leader look like? 

For starters, they are team-oriented. They know the importance of developing leaders and look for opportunities to invest time into their teams.

They try not to be a bottleneck for their teams. They encourage other people to talk through both short-term and long-term scenarios to look for potential problems. They empower their teams to take action and help them become self-reliant.

Even though these leaders are excellent problem solvers, they don’t spend all their time trying to fix problems. They split their time between working towards the team’s goals and trusting that they can handle unforeseen issues when they arise.

Proactive people don’t try to anticipate everything. They listen to their team’s input. They are as reflective as they are forward-thinking. They systematically look back on what worked and what didn’t work so they can increase their chances of success. 

These leaders are open to new approaches as long as they are aligned with the values of the organization.

Part of your responsibility as a leader is to handle challenges as they arise. In those cases, reactive strategies are helpful. The trick is to bring a proactive mindset even when you have to react to changing circumstances.

Here are some ways to be a more proactive manager:

1. Do some strategic planning

Where do you think your company going? What will you need — and who will you need to be — in order to get there? Both companies and individuals benefit from strategic planning . At BetterUp, we measure strategic planning as a skill with the Whole Person Model . People who grow this skill are better able to think proactively (both at work and in their own lives) to plan how to reach their goals.

2. Anticipate your growth

Imagine that you’ve accomplished your biggest goals. What problems would you have? Take steps to inhabit that solution in advance.

What does that mean? For example, you may want to increase your client base by 10x. What would that look like? What would you need to have in place? Can you start identifying and training new account executives? Can you upgrade to a new platform that can handle a larger bank of clients?

3. Track your time 

What do you spend a lot of time doing? What do you do that could be done smoother, easier, or by someone else? 

If you're struggling with this now, these pressure points will likely be the first areas to show strain when you grow. Can you streamline these tasks or delegate them? Do they need to be done at all?

4. Ask your team for feedback

Remember those Dilbert cartoons that made fun of “big picture thinking?” One of the drawbacks of proactive thinking is that leaders who only talk about “the big picture” can seem out of touch.

Touch base with your staff and the people who interact directly with your customers regularly. What questions are coming up consistently? What do they think you need to plan for? Make it easy for them to provide you with feedback , information, and ideas on a regular basis.

5. Develop self-awareness

Reactive thinking can leave you feeling as if you’re constantly under stress . This happens because you're always playing catch-up or “waiting for the other shoe to drop.” You don't really have time to plan for contingencies, and that can leave your bandwidth pretty stretched. 

Stressful situations come up, though — no matter how well you plan. Cultivating self-awareness can help you stay calm when you're under stress. You’ll be more effective in a crisis — and more reassuring to your team — when you don't lose your head every time something happens. 

6. Work with a coach

A mentor, senior leader, or coach is vital for managers and business owners. In fact, there are some very good reasons why every leader should work with a coach . 

As the saying goes, it's lonely at the top. Leaders need just as much support as their teams do, but they may not know where to go to get it. As people grow into leadership roles and the needs of the team get bigger, having a person who can step back and provide alternate perspectives is often invaluable. 

7. Stay focused on what matters

As a teenager, I worked as a barista in a local coffee shop. I loved my job and I was a pretty ambitious kid, so I quickly set my sights on getting promoted . I figured if I worked really hard and did everything perfectly, I’d be a shift supervisor in no time. 

One day, my supervisor saw me washing dishes. I had all my attention on getting that dish perfectly clean, so I was completely surprised to hear him greet a waiting customer.

After the customer had her coffee and was on her way, my supervisor gently reminded me that nothing was more important than our customers. “As long as we’re open, you have to look out for them,” he said. “Nothing can have 100% of your attention or energy, because you always need to know what’s going on around you. If you're going to be a supervisor, you're going to have to learn how to prioritize, because things change all the time.”

Often, new managers are independent contributors who were promoted for their excellent work. They tend to be especially prone to “do-it-all-myself syndrome.” As managers learn how to be proactive, they’ll master the balance of planning ahead while dealing with challenges as they arise.

Final thoughts

It's not possible to be proactive all the time, but it’s not practical to be in problem-solving mode all the time either. Proactive means learning to dance between the day-to-day while keeping one eye on the future. 

Finding this balance between reactive vs proactive management styles isn't easy, but you don't have to do it alone. Working with a mentor or coach to develop self-awareness and perspective can help you become a more effective, less reactive leader.

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ITIL Reactive and Proactive Problem Management: Two sides of the same coin

While ITIL Problem Management has a logical and easy-to-understand description, implementing Problem Management within your own organization is extremely challenging. It happens more often than not, that Problem Management doesn’t produce any of the desired outputs upon implementation. In order to prevent that, you must recognize the importance of both the reactive and proactive parts of ITIL Problem Management.

At this point, I’d recommend reading ITIL Problem Management: getting rid of problems  just to establish a general overview of the relationship between Incident Management and Problem Management.

Reactive Problem Management

Figure 1: Reactive Problem Management

Reactive Problem Management reacts to incidents that have already occurred, and focuses effort on eliminating their root cause and reoccurrence. The main focus of Problem Management is to increase long-term service stability and, consequently, customer satisfaction.

When incidents start to occur, IT organizations want Problem Management involved early, but Incident Management strives to resolve the incident and restore service to usable levels as quickly as possible, and during that process, some important indications about root cause may be lost. So, in order to effectively pinpoint root cause, Problem Management may block Incident Management efforts to restore service. This is where confusion may arise regarding the difference between Incident Management and Problem Management.

What we need is clear and well-defined hand-over procedure, with agreed time frames within which Incident Management stops, and Problem Management starts. There should also be an agreed set of information that Incident Management passes to Problem Management during the hand-over, which includes what has been done so far, whether any workarounds are in place, information about affected Configuration Items (CIs), or other important information.

Problem Management processes all that information and outputs Requests for Change, updates the Known Error Database (KEDB) and Work-Arounds, updates Problem Records and produces management information.

Proactive Problem Management

Figure 2: Proactive Problem Management

Even though Reactive Problem Management relies heavily on other Service Management components, Proactive Problem Management relies even more. Proactive Problem Management is a continuous process that doesn’t wait for an incident (or series of incidents) to happen in order to react; it’s always active and always on guard.

Proactive Problem Management is extremely challenging in an environment where you have lots of services, different technologies, and many things going on at the same time. So, what makes efficient Proactive Problem Management?

With Proactive Problem Management, the focus is on continuous data analysis, and in order to do that, you need a large volume of quality data. There are several data analysis techniques that Proactive Problem Management uses in daily operation:

• Pain Value Analysis – Instead of analyzing the number of incidents related to a specific CI or system over time, Pain Value Analysis is focused on the “level of pain” those incidents brought to the business. The formula for calculating “pain level” is: Pain value = (No. of incidents) x (duration) x (1/severity) x (weighting factor) . It’s very useful for detecting problems with equipment that is invisible to end-users (network routers, VOIP gateways, etc.).
• Pareto Analysis – This is another great method for finding root cause for most common trivial issues. Group the incident/problem data by common group type, and create a cumulative percentage table. Drawing a graph will reveal the common group type that generates 80% of all incidents/problems, and you can focus further investigation from there.
• Kepner-Tregoe® method – Kepner-Tregoe is a Registered Trademark of Kepner-Tregoe, Inc. in the United States and other countries, and is mentioned within ITIL materials related to Problem Management as one of the data analysis techniques. It revolves around: defining the problem, describing the problem in terms of identity, location, time (duration) and size (impact), establishing possible causes, testing the most probable cause, and verifying the true cause.

So, what’s so confusing about ITIL Problem Management?

You may be aware that ITIL Service Management practice components deeply rely on and interact with each other. Some may be observed in more “independent” fashion, but some can’t exist even on the drawing board without other components being implemented first.

One of the greatest examples of heavily dependent component is ITIL Problem Management . It’s closely related to Incident Management, and Incident Management is one of the first ITIL components that IT organizations implement. With basic Incident Management in place, organizations believe that Problem Management is simply an add-on, which can be used to “upgrade” Incident Management with Problem Management.

But, Problem Management can hardly be of any use if there is no Change Management, Asset Management, Configuration Management, Event Management, Availability Management, Capacity Management, Knowledge Management and many more components in place. Problem Management heavily relies on data stored throughout the Service Lifecycle in order to be effective.

I can give you a good example of Problem Management reliance on other Service Management components: A customer had repeatedly reported issues with his laptop performance, and the Incident Management team repeatedly resolved it by simply reinstalling the computer, over and over again. The customer was obviously not thrilled with the solution, but each incident was resolved within the SLA, and on the surface, everything looked peachy. However, repeated occurrence of the incident on the same asset triggered the Problem Management process, and after brief analysis, the results were very surprising. The customer initially had a SSD drive installed, but a year ago ordered a new one with larger capacity. At roughly the same time, the first incident reports about slow performance started. After deeper analysis, Problem Management discovered that the new hard drive installed was, in fact, not a SSD, and moreover, it was the large capacity variant of the slowest model possible. Even deeper analysis revealed that the customer, when ordering the new drive, never stated that it should be SSD, and the vendor delivered a regular, slow, high-capacity type.

Without quality data from the Incident, Asset, Change, and Configuration Management – Problem Management would be useless in this situation.

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In the complex landscape of information technology (IT) management, strategies are generally categorized as either proactive or reactive. Proactive IT management is a forward-thinking methodology, crucial for businesses that aim to ensure smooth, secure, and efficient operations.

Managed Service Providers (MSPs) facilitate this approach by continuously monitoring and maintaining IT systems to preemptively address issues before they escalate. This contrasts with reactive IT solutions, where action is taken only after systems fail or security breaches occur. The reactive model, often regarded as a break-fix approach, can lead to unexpected downtimes and financial losses.

Proactive IT strategy enables organizations to anticipate IT issues and respond to them with minimal impact on their workflow. As the importance of reliable IT infrastructure continues to rise, companies are recognizing the benefits of engaging MSPs to implement a proactive approach. This strategic method not only ensures stability and security but also aligns IT operations with long-term business goals. Meanwhile, organizations that adhere to a reactive approach may find themselves in a perpetual cycle of crisis management, which can be both costly and risky in the long run.

Key Takeaways

• Proactive IT management anticipates issues and mitigates risks before they become disruptive.
• Reactive IT solutions address problems post-occurrence, often resulting in higher costs and system downtime.
• MSPs play a vital role in adopting a proactive IT strategy, offering continuous monitoring and preventive measures.

Understanding IT Management

In the modern business environment, IT management is an indispensable function within organizations. This includes proactive management , which focuses on foreseeing potential issues and mitigating them before they occur, and reactive management , dealing with problems as they arise.

Proactive IT management involves a strategic approach to overseeing and improving an organization’s technology landscape. IT management using this style is predictive, encompassing regular monitoring , updates, and strategic planning. They prioritize continuity and cybersecurity , working to detect and prevent threats before they impact operations.

• Anticipates issues
• Implements preventative measures
• Regularly updates and monitors systems
• Emphasizes strategic planning

Conversely, reactive IT solutions emerge in response to unforeseen challenges. A reactive approach often follows a break-fix model, where action is taken after a problem has manifested. While this management style can solve issues as they occur, it may lead to greater downtime and could potentially ignore underlying systemic problems.

• Responds to incidents
• Fixes problems after occurrence
• Potentially higher downtime

Organizations increasingly prefer a proactive management style, considering it a hallmark of robust IT governance. Managed Service Providers (MSPs) play a key role, facilitating a shift towards more proactive IT management practices. Through their expertise and resources, MSPs can offer specialized services aligned with this management style.

Transitioning from reactive to proactive IT management can help an organization improve efficiency, enhance security, and reduce the potential for costly downtime, thus better aligning IT operations with overall business goals.

The Proactive IT Management Approach

In the realm of IT management, a proactive approach is characterized by forward-thinking strategies that anticipate potential challenges, enabling an organization to address them efficiently before they escalate. Key elements such as strategic planning, risk management, and continuous maintenance form the backbone of this approach.

Strategic Planning for IT

Strategic planning for IT involves setting long-term goals and determining the necessary technology and frameworks to achieve those objectives. A vision for how IT can support the overall business strategy is essential. IT leaders allocate resources effectively to ensure the alignment of IT initiatives with business growth objectives.

• Goal Setting : Define clear, actionable IT objectives that align with business goals.
• Technology Roadmap : Develop a timeline for technology updates, adoption, and integration.

Proactive Risk Management

In proactive risk management, regular risk assessments are carried out to identify potential security vulnerabilities and operational inefficiencies. It emphasizes prevention , where threats are mitigated before they can disrupt business processes.

• Risk Assessment Procedures : Systematically evaluate potential risks to IT infrastructure.
• Preventive Measures : Implement security protocols and policies to thwart future threats.

Resource Allocation for Optimized IT

Resource allocation is essential for optimized IT performance. By foreseeing future needs, proactive IT management ensures that funds, personnel, and technology are available to support both day-to-day operations and innovation. This results in enhanced efficiency and better management of both human and technical resources.

• Budget Planning : Assign financial resources to mission-critical IT operations and innovation.
• Workforce Management : Invest in staff training and development to handle advanced IT systems.

Continuous IT System Maintenance

Continuous IT system maintenance is integral to a proactive IT approach. This entails ongoing monitoring and regular updates to systems to maintain optimal performance. Adopting such continuous maintenance practices helps to minimize downtime and extends the lifespan of IT assets.

• Scheduled Maintenance : Perform regular check-ups and updates on IT infrastructure.
• Security Updates : Keep security measures up-to-date to protect against evolving threats.

The Reactive IT Management Approach

In the realm of IT management, a reactive approach is characterized by responding to problems as they occur, often requiring immediate action to manage and mitigate issues.

Dealing with Immediate IT Issues

When IT systems fail or unforeseen problems arise, a reactive strategy kicks in, focused on immediate troubleshooting and repair . Managed IT service providers (MSPs) equipped to handle such scenarios often operate under immense stress due to the urgency to resolve issues swiftly. This model relies heavily on the problem-solving skills of the IT team, who must be adept at quickly diagnosing and rectifying system errors to minimize downtime and damage control .

• System crashes
• Data breaches
• Hardware malfunctions

Short-Term Focus and Problem-Solving

A fundamentally short-term focus dominates the reactive IT management paradigm, with energy and resources directed towards problem-solving as challenges present themselves. While effective for immediate mitigation , this approach frequently overlooks the risks associated with a lack of long-term preventative measures. Reactive risk management typically necessitates demand -driven actions, which can be less cost-effective and more disruptive compared to proactive planning and prevention.

• On-demand response to IT incidents
• Emphasis on quick fixes over lasting solutions
• Potential for higher long-term costs and resource use due to repeated issues

Balancing Proactive and Reactive Strategies

A strategic approach to IT management emphasizes the necessity of a balance between proactive and reactive methodologies. Proactive IT management centers on foresight and planning, whereas reactive solutions focus on immediate responses to issues as they arise.

Maintaining Flexibility and Resilience

Flexibility and Resilience are key components of a balanced IT strategy. Strategic planning entails not only the anticipation of potential IT challenges but also the development of an adaptable infrastructure capable of withstanding various situations without major setbacks.

• Importance: Enables quick pivoting in face of unforeseen events.
• Decision-Making: Encourages considered, yet agile choices.
• Resilience: Reduces long-term damage, facilitating quick recovery.
• Adaptability: Preserves business operations against emergencies and disasters.

Maintaining this balance requires an environment where strategic planning for resilience is as much a priority as being adaptable to change.

Strategies for Effective Incident Response

An effective Incident Response strategy is crucial for minimizing the impact of unanticipated IT problems. Reactive IT solutions come into play here, allowing for swift damage control and service restoration.

• Emergencies: Pre-prepared plans for different types of incidents.
• Damage Control: Steps to limit damage and restore services effectively.
• Importance: Prepares IT staff for a variety of potential issues.
• Recovery: Ensures knowledgeable personnel are available for immediate action.

An organized approach to incident response demonstrates the balance between having immediate reactive measures in place and the strategic foresight of proactive management.

Benefits of a Proactive Approach

Proactive IT management equips businesses with the ability to not only foresee potential issues but also to take preemptive steps towards mitigating them, thereby fostering a more secure and dynamic environment for growth and innovation.

Anticipating and Mitigating Risks

In a proactive IT strategy, risk assessment is a continuous process where teams regularly scan the IT landscape to identify and evaluate potential vulnerabilities. Risk management becomes an integral part of daily operations rather than an afterthought, leading to the following advantages:

• Prevention of downtime : By anticipating problems, companies can implement measures to prevent system outages before they impact operations.
• Enhanced security : Regular updates and security protocols are put in place to ward off cyber threats ahead of time.

This approach to proactive risk management not only secures the present but also prepares the organization for new challenges in the future.

Facilitating Long-Term Growth

A forward-looking IT management philosophy influences much more than the immediate technological infrastructure. It encompasses:

• Learning and improvement : Teams are encouraged to learn from each interaction and find opportunities for improvement, fostering a culture of continuous innovation.
• Strategic growth : With a clear understanding of their IT landscape, organizations can plan for the future and align their IT strategies with broader business growth objectives.

This alignment ensures that investments in IT not only serve current operational needs but also drive long-term growth and innovation.

Challenges of Reactive Management

In reactive IT management, organizations often face difficulties due to untimely responses and the high-pressure nature of managing crises. These challenges frequently revolve around the strain on resources and unanticipated financial repercussions.

Impact on Resources and Efficiency

Reactive management can severely strain IT resources , inducing stress on employees and systems. When an unexpected event occurs, teams may find themselves scrambling to allocate sufficient resources to address the issue, which often leads to:

• Decreased efficiency: IT staff redirect their focus from planned projects to urgent fixations of unforeseen problems, disrupting the workflow.
• Increased demand on staff: Personnel are required to work under pressure which can lead to burnout and reduced job satisfaction.

Assessing the True Cost of Reactive Measures

A closer examination of the financial impact reveals higher costs associated with reactive solutions:

• Immediate expenses: Emergency repairs often come at a premium, with organizations enduring a financial hit due to expedited service rates and overtime pay.
• Long-term damage: Repeated reactive measures can lead to incremental wear on IT infrastructure, culminating in the necessity for more extensive and expensive recovery operations.

Consistently relying on reactive measures compromises an organization’s ability to plan effectively and maintain a predictable budget.

Implementing a Proactive IT Framework

A proactive IT framework is hinged upon strategic foresight, involving comprehensive planning and ongoing improvement.

Key Aspects of IT Strategic Planning

Implementing a proactive IT management framework involves a series of strategic, anticipatory actions that align IT services with business goals. Strategic planning is essential to this approach and widely recognized as a critical factor for long-term business success.

• Leadership Style : Effective IT strategic planning requires a leadership style that is forward-thinking and open to embracing innovation. Leaders must champion a culture of continuous improvement and motivate teams to adapt to evolving technology trends. This helps to foster an environment where proactive strategies can thrive.
• Training : Equipping IT staff with the necessary skills is a central pillar of a proactive IT management. Regular training sessions ensure that the team is capable of recognizing potential issues before they become problems and is versed in the latest technologies and methodologies.
• Innovation : Maintaining a competitive edge in the marketplace often hinges on a company’s ability to innovate. A proactive IT framework supports innovation by providing the systems and processes that facilitate the exploration of new ideas and technologies.
• Continuous Improvement : The heart of proactive IT lies in the principle of continuous improvement . Regular reviews of IT strategies and infrastructure, along with a commitment to refining processes, ensures that the IT framework never becomes static and always contributes to the company’s agility.
• Strategic Planning : Proactive IT entails detailed strategic planning , defining the organization’s IT mission , and vision for the future, and outlining the steps necessary to reach those goals. It requires a methodical approach that includes risk assessments, setting clear objectives, and performance metrics to guide decision-making.

By integrating these principles, organizations can crystalize a proactive IT management framework that not only addresses current technological needs but also sets the groundwork for future growth and stability.

The Role of Managed Service Providers (MSPs)

Managed Service Providers (MSPs) are pivotal in implementing a strategic approach to IT management, enhancing organizational efficiency, growth, and adaptability to new technologies.

Advantages of Partnering with MSPs

Goals and Opportunities: MSPs offer organizations the ability to align IT services with business goals, presenting numerous opportunities for growth and profitability. By embracing proactive management , MSPs help companies stay ahead of problems, minimize downtime, and maintain smooth operations.

• Proactive Management: Regular monitoring and maintenance preempt potential issues, optimizing IT system performance and reducing the risk of disruptions.
• Efficiency: MSPs streamline IT processes, allowing businesses to focus on core functions without being sidetracked by technical difficulties.
• Growth: With the support of MSPs, organizations can scale up their IT infrastructure effectively, aligning it with expansion endeavors.
• New Technologies: Integration and management of cutting-edge technologies become manageable, as MSPs navigate through the complexity of IT advancements.

Transitioning from Reactive to Proactive with MSPs

Managed IT Solutions: Moving from a reactive, break-fix model to a proactive one is facilitated by MSPs through continuous monitoring and preventative maintenance . This transition not only reduces downtime but can also lead to a more predictable IT budget.

• From Reactive to Proactive: MSPs transform the traditional reactive model into a proactive strategy, employing advanced analytics and real-time monitoring to prevent incidents.
• Organization-wide Impact: A proactive approach fosters a more resilient IT framework, contributing to an organization’s overall stability.
• Profitability: By reducing the frequency and impact of IT issues, MSPs contribute to more consistent operational profitability through enhanced reliability and trust.

Measuring the Impact of IT Management Strategies

Evaluating IT management strategies is crucial for organizations to understand their effectiveness in handling technology-related operations and issues. This involves assessing strategic outcomes and making necessary adjustments based on real-world examples and feedback to drive continuous improvement.

Proactive vs. Reactive Outcomes

• Proactive IT Management : Organizations employing a proactive approach typically measure impact by tracking metrics related to system uptime, incident prevention, and pre-emptive problem resolution. Regular assessments often reveal fewer critical incidents and less downtime.
• Reactive IT Solutions : Reactive metrics might include the number of issues resolved, time-to-resolution, and cost of fixes. These assessments often uncover a higher number of critical break-fix scenarios and potentially more significant periods of downtime.
• In proactive IT management, assessment results guide adjustments to strategies and processes, like refining monitoring tools or enhancing cybersecurity measures.
• Reactive IT solutions might adjust tactics based on the patterns of issues encountered, potentially shifting resources to more problematic areas after the fact.
• Feedback mechanisms in proactive management involve stakeholder surveys and performance reviews that can illustrate user satisfaction and system reliability.
• Reactive management collects feedback post-resolution to learn about user experience during system outages or technical issues.
• With proactive IT management, continuous improvement is sought through the enhancement of preventive measures and the fine-tuning of protocols.
• Improvement in a reactive setting revolves around bettering the response times and efficiency of solutions applied when systems fail or issues occur.

Implementing Proactive Security Measures

Embracing proactive security measures in IT management is not merely about responding to threats, but anticipating and neutralizing them ahead of time. This strategic shift is crucial for organizations aiming to safeguard their operations against the potentially catastrophic effects of data loss and downtime.

Cybersecurity and the Proactive Approach

In a proactive IT management model, cybersecurity is the cornerstone. Proactive leaders in IT understand the importance of a strategy that moves beyond mere damage control. They continuously seek innovation in security technologies and methodologies to identify and address vulnerabilities before they can be exploited.

• Risk Assessments : Regularly scheduled risk assessments are critical. They identify security weaknesses and ensure that all security measures are up to date and effective.
• Compliance : Maintaining pace with the ever-changing landscape of regulatory compliance helps in proactively protecting against breaches that could lead to severe penalties.
• Continuous Monitoring : Implementation of systems that offer real-time monitoring can provide immediate alerts to suspicious activities, enabling rapid response to potential threats.

Through these ongoing efforts, organizations fortify their defenses, significantly reducing the risk of successful cyber attacks.

Preventing Data Loss and Downtime

Proactive IT strategies prioritize the prevention of data loss and the minimization of downtime, recognizing both as key to an organization’s continuity and success.

• Security Measures : Deploying advanced endpoint protection can ensure that individual systems and devices are fortified against attacks, thus safeguarding data integrity.
• Data Backup : Regularly scheduled and secure data backups are essential. They provide a fallback in the event of a successful attack, preventing total data loss and enabling quicker recovery.
• Incident Response Planning : A well-developed incident response plan equips an organization to efficiently manage and recover from security incidents, cutting down potential downtime.

Proactive security measures encompass a holistic approach where every aspect of an organization’s IT infrastructure is designed to prevent security incidents, thereby establishing a more secure, reliable operating environment.

Proactive IT management orchestrated by Managed Service Providers (MSPs) is a testament to forward-thinking. Organizations that adopt this mentality not only secure their operations but also invest in their future. Proactive IT management ensures continuous learning and adaptation, allowing companies to stay ahead of technological advancements and emerging threats.

On the other hand, reactive IT solutions often result in a patchwork landscape of fixes that could hinder growth and long-term stability. The balance between immediate needs and future readiness is crucial, and proactive IT strategies deftly maintain this equilibrium.

A vision that incorporates proactive IT measures is inherently aligned with a company’s objectives. It conveys a commitment to excellence and an understanding that the IT landscape is dynamic. Firms benefit from minimized downtime, which is a direct outcome of anticipating and addressing issues before they escalate.

The hallmark of a mature IT strategy is not just in its ability to solve problems, but in its capacity to prevent them. The confidence of stakeholders in such systems grows as they witness the efficiency and foresight of adopted practices, bolstering the company’s market position.

In adopting proactive measures, businesses ensure they are well-prepared for the future, thereby cementing their reputation as reliable, resilient, and ready for whatever challenges the digital world may bring.

Frequently Asked Questions

This section addresses common queries regarding the strategic benefits of proactive IT management and the role of MSPs in optimizing IT services for businesses.

How does proactive IT management enhance system reliability and performance?

Proactive IT management involves regular monitoring and maintenance of systems, which helps in early detection and resolution of issues. This approach leads to reduced downtime and maintains consistent system performance.

In what ways can a proactive IT approach contribute to cost savings over time?

By anticipating issues and optimizing systems, a proactive IT stance reduces emergency interventions and downtime, which translates to lower repair costs and prevention of revenue loss due to system failures.

What role do Managed Service Providers (MSPs) play in transitioning from reactive to proactive IT strategies?

MSPs provide expertise and resources to implement proactive measures like predictive analytics and 24/7 monitoring, enabling businesses to transition smoothly from a reactive to a proactive IT strategy.

How does a reactive IT model impact business operations compared to a proactive model?

A reactive IT model relies on responding to crises, leading to unpredictable downtime and potential data loss. In contrast, a proactive model supports business continuity with strategic planning and preventative measures.

What are the key indicators that an organization should shift from a reactive to a proactive IT management approach?

Frequent system outages, slow performance, escalating IT maintenance costs, and high levels of staff frustration are indicators that an organization could benefit from the more strategic, predictable approach offered by proactive IT management.

How does a proactive IT strategy align with long-term business growth and scalability?

Proactive IT management proactively scales resources and infrastructure to meet growing demand, ensuring that technology is a driver of growth rather than a bottleneck, which is essential for achieving long-term business objectives.

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Make Smarter Choices for Success: Proactive vs Reactive Decisions

July 25, 2023

Proactive decision-making and reactive decision-making are two distinct approaches that businesses use when faced with choices and challenges. Understanding the difference between the two is crucial in order to make informed decisions that yield positive outcomes.

Proactive decision-making involves taking a proactive stance by anticipating potential issues, analyzing available information, and formulating strategies to address them before they even arise. This approach requires foresight, planning, and a proactive mindset. By being proactive, businesses can minimize risks, seize opportunities, and stay ahead of the curve.

On flip side, reactive decision-making is characterized by responding to situations as they unfold without much prior planning or anticipation. It involves making decisions in response to immediate circumstances or external factors. While this approach may be necessary in certain urgent or unforeseen situations, it often leads to short-term fixes rather than long-term solutions.

Understanding the distinction between proactive and reactive decision-making is essential for effective problem-solving and strategic thinking. By adopting a proactive approach, businesses can better prepare themselves for future challenges, capitalize on opportunities before they pass by, and ultimately achieve their goals more successfully.

Proactive Decisions

Proactive decisions are forward thinking approaches to grow and strengthen a business. They combine current and highly predictable factors of a business to develop strategic plans for the future. These would include all elements necessary to operate a growing and highly efficient business – finances, operations, human capital, and marketing, as examples.

Embracing proactive decisions is a smart strategy for business growth and resilience. By taking a forward-thinking approach, a business can effectively leverage the current and predictable factors of the company to develop robust strategic plans for the future. This will ultimately position a business for success and ensure its sustainable growth in today's dynamic marketplace. 

Typical proactive decisions might be based on:

·      Taking advantage of company strengths

·      Capitalizing on untapped market opportunities

·      Introducing new products or services 

·      Keeping abreast of industry and economic forecasts

·      Attempting to eliminate or reduce potential problems or threats

Reactive Decisions

In contrast, reactive decisions are based on what has happened in the past, or what is currently happening in the business. These decisions might be based on a review of financial statements, current operating problems, or customer and employee feedback. Many times, these are "knee-jerk" reactions to counter some type of problem that surfaces. 

Reactive decisions are basically rooted in past events or the current state of affairs within a business. These decision-making approaches rely on tangible data and real-time trends to guide actions and strategies. When making important business decisions, it is crucial to gather relevant information from various sources such as financial statements, ongoing issues, and feedback from customers and employees. However, it is common for these decisions to be driven by a sense of urgency or in response to unexpected problems that arise. While such reactions may seem impulsive at times, they are often necessary steps taken to address the challenges at hand effectively.

Typical reactive decisions might be based on:

·      Company weaknesses

·      Quality control problems

·      Customer dissatisfaction

·      Employee morale

·      Action by competitors

·      Economic conditions

·      Some type of disaster

One Versus the Other

The advantages of making proactive decisions in business far outweigh the disadvantages of reactive responses. By embracing a proactive approach, businesses can position themselves at the forefront of their industries equipped to anticipate and capitalize on emerging opportunities. Proactive decisions enable businesses to minimize risks, enhance their operational efficiency, and cultivate stronger relationships with customers, suppliers, and stakeholders. They foster a culture of innovation and adaptability, enabling companies to stay ahead of market shifts and maintain a competitive edge. Moreover, proactive decision-making empowers leaders to chart a clear course towards long-term success, driving sustainable growth and profitability. While reactive decisions may offer short-term solutions, they often lead to firefighting and missed opportunities. Therefore, investing in proactive decision-making strategies remains not only prudent but essential in navigating the dynamic and ever-evolving landscape of today’s business.

In every business, there are always opportunities for improvement and growth. The challenge lies in determining the right time to make decisions that will enhance operational efficiency and lay the foundation for sustainable growth. Businesses often face critical decisions: should they anticipate the future and act now, should they act when problems arise, or wait until their competition gains an upper hand in the market, etc.? It's essential to take proactive measures before becoming a weaker competitor and falling behind. By anticipating challenges and making strategic choices ahead of time, businesses can stay competitive and maintain their foothold in the marketplace. Waiting until it's too late can be detrimental to a company's success. It is prudent to make the right decisions now, stay ahead of the competition, and secure the business’s position as a strong contender in the market.

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Reactive vs proactive: How to balance both management styles

How do you manage issues in the workplace? Do you tackle them head-on as they happen? Or do you anticipate and prepare beforehand to resolve them before they lead to conflict?

More than one-third of CEOs do the former: they respond to situations in the moment (instead of planning ahead) to better manage time. 1

While being reactive works, research shows that companies with proactive leaders are 25% more likely to see an increase in team performance , revenue growth, and profitability. 2

The best way to succeed in leadership is to understand your unique management style and how it impacts your team. Then develop the right soft skills to succeed.

This allows you to predict and prevent conflict before it occurs, tackle emergencies as they arise, and gain the best from your team.

Reactive vs proactive leaders: What's the difference?

Reactive leaders in the workplace are senior-level employees who respond to problems , crises, and opportunities after they become evident.

Proactive leaders expect challenges and future events. They plan ahead, and delegate responsibilities to solve problems before they become evident.

Say an e-commerce customer service team manager noticed a few customer complaints about delayed deliveries. A reactive management style would see a person:

• Ignore early warning signs and focus on other pressing needs
• Resolve individual complaints without uncovering the root cause
• Provide relief in the short term but not necessarily prevent future delays

A proactive manager would:

• Gather feedback from the logistics team
• Analyze data to identify the root cause of the delays
• Collaborate with a cross-functional team to solve the problem
• Install preventive measures to keep the delays from recurring

Despite their differences, both management styles have their pros and cons. Let’s learn about these below.

Pros and cons of reactive vs proactive management styles

Reactive leaders adapt to change more quickly than proactive managers.

They make quick decisions under pressure, allocate resources, and introduce immediate solutions in difficult situations. These fast response times mean reactive leaders are experts when it comes to managing crises and urgent tasks. 3

At F4S, we call this (reactive) action level, Initiation .

This reactive mindset means you take action, get things going, and think on your feet. A reactive manager is less motivated by long-term planning and strategic thinking and is comfortable operating with limited information.

A proactive leader’s greatest strength is their ability to anticipate and plan for risks and opportunities in advance. They inspire their team to take preventative measures and experiment with new ideas. 

This proactive mindset contributes to innovation, a critical driver of business growth. 4

We call this motivation, Reflection and Patience . You prefer to pause, observe, research, and plan before taking action. But waiting too long to act means you might miss out on opportunities.

There are advantages and disadvantages of both leadership styles. Let’s go over these:

5 advantages of reactive and proactive leadership

5 disadvantages of reactive vs proactive leadership, is it better to be proactive or reactive.

Generally speaking, proactive behavior is better than reactive behavior in the workplace. This is especially the case if you’re in a leadership role. 

Proactive people are more likely to increase employee engagement , prevent burnout , and adapt to different work environments, as they plan ahead. 6 They also have a 15% higher chance of quiet (or internal) hiring success, which is identifying and developing the right talents for different roles.

The approach works best in situations where you have control, can anticipate challenges, and want to set a positive course for the future.

For example, suppose you work in an enterprise where you need stakeholder buy-in to kick off a project. In this case, proactivity helps you anticipate opportunities and issues and make a plan that increases your chances of winning approval.

While being proactive is useful in most scenarios, you can’t be proactive all the time. Sometimes being reactive is necessary.

For example, if you work in a fast-paced environment such as a startup, being reactive enables you address issues as they arise. This prevents issues from escalating.

Ultimately, being proactive or reactive largely depends on your natural leadership (work) style and how you develop it over time.

Vital soft skills to develop to become proactive vs reactive

More companies favor a proactive mindset over a reactive one as it has been shown to be 25% more productive. 7  

Studies conducted by Michelle Duval, Founder & CEO of Fingerprint for Success , highlight that while soft skills are crucial for success, their importance varies based on individual motivations.

For example, in entrepreneurship, proactive individuals leverage effective communication, adaptability, and problem-solving to navigate the dynamic business landscape. 

Similarly, proactive leaders in corporate settings rely on attributes like leadership, emotional intelligence, and teamwork to drive career advancement and organizational success.

For those committed to personal growth, self-motivation, resilience, and a commitment to continuous learning are proactive steps toward achieving fulfillment and success. 

The adaptability and versatility of soft skills align seamlessly with proactive approaches, serving as foundational elements across diverse motivations for success.

6 defining soft skills of a proactive approach are:

Communication: Clear and concise communication is crucial for proactivity. Active listening, asking questions, and expressing ideas help in understanding expectations and build smooth collaborations.

Critical thinking: Critical thinking skills allow you to analyze situations from different perspectives, make informed decisions, and anticipate potential challenges. A review published in Harvard Business Review explored why this is essential for proactive problem-solving. 8

Problem-solving: A meta-analysis published in Frontiers in Psychology found that proactive problem-solving behaviors contribute to organizational success. 9 Proactive problem-solvers address issues before they escalate. They have a solution-oriented mindset and take the initiative to resolve challenges.

Adaptability: Proactively adapting to change and viewing it as an opportunity for growth is a valuable skill. Being open to new ideas and adjusting your approach in response to evolving circumstances enhances your proactive stance.

Initiative: Taking initiative means seeking new responsibilities, volunteering for tasks, and identifying areas for improvement. This demonstrates a proactive attitude toward personal and professional development.

Self-motivation: Setting and pursuing personal and professional goals, finding intrinsic motivation, and staying committed to tasks even in the face of challenges are essential components of self-motivation, contributing to a proactive mindset.

Fingerprint for Success offers individuals a deeper understanding of their underlying motivations through a series of questions .  

Insights gained will enhance your proactive approach in various aspects of work, enabling you to anticipate needs, solve problems, and drive positive outcomes.

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Ways to balance being reactive vs proactive at work

A balance of reactive and proactive approaches allows organizations to maintain an equilibrium between adaptability and strategic planning.

Proactive measures enable businesses to anticipate future trends, capitalize on emerging opportunities, and stay ahead of the competition. 

Meanwhile, reactive strategies equip organizations to respond promptly and effectively to unforeseen challenges or shifts in the market. 

A dual approach fosters organizational agility, resilience, and the capacity to navigate both anticipated changes and unexpected disruptions.

During his time as CEO of Microsoft Satya Nadella’s leadership was characterized by a combination of reactive responses to market shifts and proactive initiatives to drive innovation and growth.

Reacting to market changes: When Nadella assumed the role of CEO in 2014, Microsoft was facing challenges shifting to cloud computing and mobile technologies. Nadella took a reactive approach. Under his leadership, the company's cloud platform became a major player in the industry. It was able to respond to the increasing demand for cloud-based solutions.

Anticipation of future trends : Proactively, Nadella, recognizing the growing importance of a multi-platform ecosystem. He embraced a more open and collaborative approach. He also adapted to the changing preferences of users and encouraged the development of Microsoft applications for platforms beyond Windows, including iOS and Android.

Individuals who can skillfully navigate the 2 approaches are more likely to excel in their roles and contribute to organizational success.

Studies also emphasize the importance of self-awareness in achieving this balance. 10 Employees who understand their natural motivations, whether they tend to react swiftly to immediate demands or proactively plan for future challenges, can leverage this awareness to enhance their effectiveness.

Recognizing these inherent motivations enables individuals to strategically apply them in different situations, optimizing their responses based on the demands of the task at hand.

With F4S, you can answer questions about what motivates you and receive a personalized report unveiling the motivational traits that shape your leadership style and decision-making at work. 

Grounded in deep scientific research and analysis , these traits are linked to individuals with a proven track record of success. This helps you to identify and optimize proactive habits through AI coaching .

Reactive vs proactive leadership: Which is right for you?

The best approach depends on your work style and motivations. It is worth considering the different styles of leaders that you look up to.

Proactive leaders

Driven by a visionary outlook, proactive people excel in anticipating challenges and seizing opportunities. This encourages a workplace of innovation and adaptability, crucial in today's rapidly evolving landscape. 

These leaders are forward-thinking. They engage in strategic planning to navigate uncertainties effectively. 

An example of a proactive leader is the CEO of Tesla and SpaceX Elon Musk. Musk is known for his visionary approach and proactive stance in the industries he operates in.

• Innovation and vision: Musk pushes the boundaries of technology. He has a long-term vision for sustainable energy and space exploration. With Tesla, he aimed to accelerate the world's transition to electric vehicles, and with SpaceX, he aspires to make life multi-planetary.
• Anticipation of future trends: Musk has a track record of anticipating future trends and disruptions. He entered the electric vehicle market in its early stages. He took proactive measures to develop technology like Neuralink, an implantable brain/computer interface. This demonstrates his forward-thinking approach.
• Problem-solving: When faced with challenges, Musk is known for his hands-on approach. He doesn't wait for problems to escalate, instead, he engages in finding solutions. For example, when production issues arose at Tesla, Musk got involved in the manufacturing process to address bottlenecks.
• Risk-taking: Musk is not afraid to take significant risks to achieve his goals. Both Tesla and SpaceX faced financial challenges at various points, but Musk's proactive decisions, such as investing his own money and pushing for innovation, have contributed to the success of these companies.

Reactive leadership

When appropriately employed, reactive people are valuable in managing immediate crises and troubleshooting unexpected issues. Swift decision-making in response to emergent challenges can prevent escalation. 

While Mark Zuckerberg, CEO of Meta (formerly Facebook) was proactive in driving the development of new technologies, key aspects of Zuckerberg's leadership are reactive. For example:

• Addressing market shifts: Facebook's early success was primarily as a desktop-based social networking platform. As mobile use surged, Zuckerberg recognized the importance of adapting. His purchase of Instagram in 2012 and WhatsApp in 2014 were reactive moves to address the increasing popularity of mobile-centric social media.
• Addressing new competition: In response to the rise of new platforms, such as Snapchat, Zuckerberg demonstrated a reactive approach by incorporating similar features into Facebook's ecosystem. For example, he launched Instagram Stories with disappearing photo and video content in response to Snapchat. 
• Crisis management: The company has faced significant challenges related to data privacy. Reactive thinking saw Zuckerberg’s implementation of policy change to enhance user data protections, and increase transparency.

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Frequently asked questions

Can a leader shift between being reactive and proactive based on team dynamics.

Yes, a versatile leader recognizes that different team dynamics demand varied approaches. 

In a dynamic environment, a leader might use a proactive approach to foster innovation, while in a crisis, a reactive stance may be necessary to address immediate concerns.

Do external factors, such as market trends, influence a leader's decision to be reactive or proactive?

External factors can heavily influence strategy. In a rapidly evolving market, leaders may proactively invest in emerging trends. Conversely, unexpected external events might necessitate a reactive response to reduce risks.

Do some industries have predominantly reactive or proactive leadership styles?

Industries like technology and start-ups often have reactive people in leadership due to their fast-paced nature. In contrast, finance or healthcare, with more stable conditions, may emphasize proactive planning and long-term strategies.

In a crisis, how can a leader effectively integrate reactive and proactive strategies?

A leader should react swiftly to manage immediate threats while proactively strategizing to prevent similar crises, incorporating lessons learned into future planning.

How can leaders encourage a culture of proactive thinking within their teams?

Leaders can foster proactive thinking by promoting open communication, acknowledging and rewarding forward-thinking initiatives, and creating an environment that values continuous learning and foresight.

• Porter ME and Nohria N, 2018, How CEOs manage Time, Harvard Business Review , https://hbr.org/2018/07/how-ceos-manage-time
• Viraj V, 2023, Embracing Proactive Leadership: Shaping a Dynamic Workplace, LinkedIn, https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/embracing-proactive-leadership-shaping-dynamic-workplace-viraj#:~:text=Key%20Statistics%3A,experience%20high%20growth%20and%20profitability
• Wasche D, 2021, Developing Leaders for a Crisis - Ego is the Enemy, Oil Spill Response, https://www.oilspillresponse.com/knowledge-hub/crisis-management/developing-leaders-for-a-crisis--ego-is-the-enemy/
• McKinsey & Company, Strategic Growth and Innovation, McKinsey & Company, https://www.mckinsey.com/capabilities/strategy-and-corporate-finance/how-we-help-clients/strategic-growth-and-innovation
• Long JC, 2021, The Pace of Hospital Life: A Mixed methods Study, PLOS One, 16(8): e0255775, https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8372908/
• Lin SH, Lu WC, Chen YC, Wu MH, 2022, The relationship among proactive personality, work engagement and perceived work competence in sports coaches: The moderating role of perceived supervisor support,  International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 19(19), 12707, https://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/19/19/12707
• Plummer M, 2019, A Short Term Guide to Building Your Team’s Critical Thinking Skills, Harvard Business Review, https://hbr.org/2019/10/a-short-guide-to-building-your-teams-critical-thinking-skills
• Zhang Z, Fang H, Luan Y, Chen Q and Peng J, 2022, A meta-analysis of proactive personality and career success: The mediating effects of task performance and organizational citizenship behavior, Frontiers in Psychology, 13: 979412 , https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC9606340/
• Sutton A, 2016, Measuring the Effects of Self-Awareness: Construction of the Self-Awareness Outcomes Questionnaire, Europe’s Journal of Psychology, 12(4):645–658, https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5114878/

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Proactive vs. Reactive

What's the difference.

Proactive and reactive are two contrasting approaches to dealing with situations. Proactive refers to taking initiative and anticipating potential problems or opportunities before they arise. It involves planning, setting goals, and taking actions to prevent issues or achieve desired outcomes. Proactive individuals or organizations are proactive in their decision-making and take responsibility for their actions. On the other hand, reactive refers to responding to situations after they occur. It involves addressing problems or opportunities as they arise, often in a hurried or unplanned manner. Reactive individuals or organizations tend to be more passive and may struggle to adapt to unexpected changes. In summary, being proactive allows for better control and preparedness, while being reactive often leads to a more chaotic and less efficient response.

Further Detail

Introduction.

In life, we often face situations that require us to make decisions and take actions. How we approach these situations can greatly impact the outcomes we achieve. Two common approaches are being proactive and reactive. While both have their merits, understanding their attributes can help us make more informed choices. In this article, we will explore the characteristics of being proactive and reactive, highlighting their differences and potential benefits.

Being proactive refers to taking initiative and anticipating potential challenges or opportunities before they arise. It involves actively seeking solutions, setting goals, and taking actions to achieve them. Proactive individuals are often seen as self-starters, problem solvers, and forward thinkers. They tend to be more prepared and in control of their circumstances.

One of the key attributes of being proactive is the ability to plan ahead. Proactive individuals take the time to assess the situation, identify potential obstacles, and develop strategies to overcome them. By doing so, they can minimize the impact of unexpected events and maintain a sense of stability and progress.

Another attribute of being proactive is the focus on personal responsibility. Proactive individuals understand that they have control over their actions and choices. They take ownership of their decisions and outcomes, rather than blaming external factors. This mindset empowers them to make positive changes and adapt to new circumstances.

Furthermore, being proactive fosters a proactive mindset. By consistently taking action and seeking solutions, individuals develop a habit of proactivity. This mindset becomes ingrained in their approach to life, enabling them to navigate challenges more effectively and seize opportunities as they arise.

Lastly, being proactive often leads to increased productivity. By actively addressing potential issues and setting goals, individuals can better manage their time and resources. They prioritize tasks, eliminate unnecessary distractions, and focus on activities that align with their objectives. This heightened productivity can result in greater efficiency and overall success.

On the other side of the spectrum, being reactive involves responding to situations after they occur. Reactive individuals tend to wait for problems to arise before taking action. While this approach can be effective in certain scenarios, it often leads to a more chaotic and unpredictable experience.

One attribute of being reactive is the ability to adapt quickly. Reactive individuals are often skilled at thinking on their feet and making decisions in the moment. They can respond to unexpected events with agility and find immediate solutions. This attribute can be particularly valuable in fast-paced environments where quick decision-making is essential.

Another attribute of being reactive is the ability to learn from mistakes. Reactive individuals often gain valuable insights from their experiences, as they have firsthand knowledge of the consequences of their actions. This knowledge can help them make more informed decisions in the future and avoid similar pitfalls.

Furthermore, being reactive can foster a sense of flexibility. Reactive individuals are often open to new ideas and adaptable to changing circumstances. They can pivot their strategies and approaches based on real-time feedback and emerging trends. This flexibility allows them to seize unexpected opportunities and navigate uncertain situations.

Lastly, being reactive can be less mentally taxing in certain situations. Instead of constantly planning and anticipating, reactive individuals can focus on the present moment and respond accordingly. This can provide a sense of relief and freedom from the pressures of constant decision-making and planning.

While both proactive and reactive approaches have their merits, understanding their attributes can help us make more informed choices in different situations. Proactive individuals excel in planning, taking personal responsibility, fostering a proactive mindset, and increasing productivity. On the other hand, reactive individuals thrive in adapting quickly, learning from mistakes, embracing flexibility, and experiencing less mental burden.

Ultimately, the choice between being proactive and reactive depends on the context and desired outcomes. By recognizing the strengths and weaknesses of each approach, we can navigate life's challenges more effectively and achieve greater success.

Comparisons may contain inaccurate information about people, places, or facts. Please report any issues.

Project Management

The Undeniable Benefits of Proactive Problem Management

Max 7 min read

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Do you ever go through periods at work that feel like a constant game of whack-a-mole? Just when everyone swarms to solve one problem, a new one surfaces, and you never get a chance to clear your head and get anything in order.

Proactive problem management is about rooting out some of these “work surprises,” and putting together a system and strategy for solving and preventing problems. It’s also helpful in developing a business strategy.

Let’s briefly define proactive problem management with examples, then discuss its benefits and how to implement it into the workplace.

What is Proactive Problem Management?

We’re presented with so many rapid changes and problems in the workplace, and wrangling them all requires some finesse. Proactive problem management is one facet of a successful strategy.

The Information Technology Infrastructure Library (ITIL) codified many of the concepts around problem management with clear terms and definitions. Let’s look into their definition of proactive problem management, and some of the key terms surrounding it.

An incident is anything that disrupts the regular workflow or the performance of equipment. It can also mean a decline in performance, such as a weak internet signal.

A problem is an incident where the cause isn’t known. Addressing a problem requires an investigation into the cause.

Let’s distinguish between an incident and a problem. An incident is something that happens, let’s say an email bounces. A problem is when the cause of the incident isn’t known; so the reason for the bounce is unclear.

Reactive problem management is the process for addressing a problem that has already occurred. This is the most common form of problem management. After investigating the cause of the problem, a team often swarms together to fix it.

Proactive problem management is about anticipating potential problems and preventing them. It entails looking at data and incident reports to identify trends and patterns, then putting systems into place to preclude or prevent incidents. It’s very similar to the risk management concept of mitigating controls .

Event Management Process is the system for monitoring proactive project management. It’s about stopping a problem before anyone is even impacted by it.

Examples of Proactive Problem Management

With these definitions in mind, let’s look into a few examples of proactive and reactive problem management, to see what they look like in real life.

A Doctor Visit

Let’s say you go to see the doctor about a stomachache, and he or she examines you, diagnoses it as an infection, then prescribes some antibiotics to treat it.

In this scenario, the stomachache is the problem, as you don’t know what caused it. The doctor’s investigation into the root cause is an example of reactive problem management.

On another occasion, you visit the doctor for a checkup, and everything looks fine. As part of the checkup, the doctor advises you to eat well, take vitamins, and exercise.

In this scenario, there was no incident. However, steps were taken to prevent one from happening, with the doctor’s advice for healthy living. And so this is an example of proactive problem management.

Now, let’s look at a workplace problem. Let’s say a remote team is having a meeting on a conference platform, and the audio stops working halfway through.

At this point, the IT team swarms around the problem to identify the cause and fix it. This is reactive problem management.

Over the next few days, the IT team does its due diligence, investigating what caused the audio to fail and putting preventative measures into place. The very next week, the team has the same meeting, and everything proceeds without a hitch.

This is an example of proactive problem management: there was no incident, as preventative measures were taken to keep one from happening.

As you can see, proactive problem management is about researching and addressing causes before they have a chance to happen. And reactive problem management means rooting out the cause of an incident that has occurred, and fixing the problem.

How to Implement Proactive Problem Management

Implementing proactive problem management is about planning, brainstorming, and looking ahead. It also entails collecting data and identifying patterns.

Proactive problem management benefits any department within an organization, not simply IT. Let’s look at a few ways to implement it into the workplace.

Track Data on Problems and Incidents

For most departments, particularly IT, you tend to see the same incident over and over again. Proactive problem management looks at what you’re doing to reduce these incidents.

Reactive problem management plays an integral role in putting systems in place to prevent further hangups. After a team has investigated a problem and identified the cause, they’ve developed a system. Codifying this system is a central component to mitigating and reducing incidents.

Keeping data on problems is important, too. By knowing the frequency of incidents, and when and where they occur, it’s possible to create procedures. Understanding which incidents occur the most frequently also helps with resource allocation.

Research and Know Customers

Customer needs change so rapidly with market trends that it’s necessary to constantly refresh and update products in order to meet these needs.

A proactive approach to product development means brainstorming ideas in light of current and anticipated trends. This forward thinking results in a product that serves customers, and prevents creating something that’s irrelevant or outdated.

Promote a Mindset of Growth

A company culture can cultivate a proactive approach to problems as well. When a culture is open, welcomes debate, and listens to feedback and constructive criticism , it creates an environment where people are making improvements all the time.

One effective process for developing a proactive culture is with a weekly meeting, where everyone reflects on the activity of the week, and brainstorms ways to improve processes, products and services.

In sum, proactive problem management is helpful in many parts of an organization. It benefits the operations that allow people to communicate and use equipment. It also benefits the product and services a business produces.

Benefits of Proactive Problem Management

Proactive problem management is a systematic approach to reducing the interruption of workflow. Let’s look at some of the ways it benefits an organization.

It Reduces Incidents

Most clearly, proactive problem management keeps systems running smoothly. It’s about looking ahead to things that might happen, and then avoiding or reducing the occurrence.

When organizations utilize proactive problem management, people don’t even realize they’re avoiding problems. Meetings run smoothly, the internet works, and a business consistently produces a solid product or provides top-notch service.

The Work Day is Predictable

When a department exclusively uses reactive problem management, it’s constantly swarming around one problem and then another. It forces a team to work on whatever fire happens to be burning at the moment.

Proactive problem management, on the other hand, is systematic.

It’s easier to know what to expect from a workday when energy is geared toward researching data and putting processes into place, rather than playing whack-a-mole.

A Time Saver

Have you ever noticed that the first time you do something, it takes forever, but then after you’ve done it a dozen or so times, it takes way less time?

Reactive problem management is about solving a problem for the first time. For this reason, it tends to be a time-consuming process.

With proactive problem management, on the other hand, a system has been put into place (thanks to the knowledge gained from reactive problem management). And so you’re doing something that you’ve already done many times before, which uses up much less time and energy.

You’re also not going out and fixing things, as many problems don’t happen in the first place.

As you can see, proactive problem management brings a lot of order into a workplace, so it’s definitely a boon to any department.

Proactive problem management is one approach for addressing problems. It is used in IT, company operations, product strategy and anywhere, really.

Developing the systems and processes for proactive problem management leans heavily on investigating and solving existing problems. It’s also important to collect data, in order to understand which problems occur the most frequently.

We see proactive problem management wherever we go. Even a stop sign alerts us to prevent the possible incident of hitting another car.

The forward-thinking aspect of proactive problem management allows an organization to run smoothly. People fix problems before they even start.

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Successful people are often proactive leaders who anticipate problems before they occur and actively seek resolutions. This is in contrast to reactive leaders, who might spend more time struggling up against issues due to their “wait and see” approach. Learn more about the difference between reactive vs. proactive thinking and behavior.

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What is root cause analysis? A proactive approach to change management

Root cause analysis (rca) focuses on fostering a proactive approach to solving problems before they happen and eliminating the potential for flaws to reoccur in the future..

Root cause analysis definition

Root cause analysis (RCA) is a problem-solving process that focuses on identifying the root cause of issues or errors with the goal of preventing them from reoccurring in the future. RCA is typically part of service management methodologies and frameworks, such as ITIL , TQM , and Kanban , that focus on continuous process improvement . This type of analysis can help identify flaws in IT processes, potential security breaches, and faults in business processes.

When a problem is identified and removed, it is considered a “root cause” if it prevents the problem from reoccurring. If, however, a problem is removed and it impacts the event’s outcome, but not in the way intended, then it is a “causal factor.” RCA is typically used to find the root cause of software or infrastructure problems to improve the quality and efficiency of processes, and thereby to save time and money. Every potential cause in a given process is identified and analyzed to ensure the organization is treating the disease, rather than just the symptoms.

Reactive vs. proactive problem management

Reactive management and proactive management are the two main approaches organizations take to repairing issues and solving problems. With reactive management, problems are fixed soon after they occur, often called “putting out fires.” The goal is to act quickly to resolve issues and alleviate any effects of a problem as soon as possible.

Proactive management, on the other hand, aims to prevent problems from reoccurring. It is focused less on quickly solving problems and instead on analyzing them to find ways to prevent them from happening again. That’s where root cause analysis comes in. Its methodology is best suited to support proactive problem management’s goal of identifying and fixing underlying issues, rather than just reacting to problems as they happen.

Root cause analysis steps

While there’s no strict rulebook on how to conduct a root cause analysis, certain guidelines can help ensure your root cause analysis process is effective. The four main steps that most professionals agree are essential for RCA to be successful include the following:

• Identification and description: Organizations must first identify the failures, errors, or events that triggered the problem in question and then establish event descriptions to explain what happened.
• Chronology: After identifying these issues, organizations must then create a sequential timeline of events to better visualize the root cause and any contributing causal factors. Here, it’s important to establish the nature of the event, the impact it had, and where and when the problem occurred.
• Differentiation: Once the sequence of events is established, data involved with a particular issue can be matched to historical data from past analysis to identify the root cause, causal factors, and non-causal factors.
• Causal graphing: Those investigating the problem should be able to establish key events that explain how the problem occurred and convert that data into a causal graph.

Root cause analysis takes a systematic approach to identifying problems and requires the effort of full teams to properly perform the analysis. Those tasked with the analysis typically work backwards to determine what happened, why it happened, and how to reduce the chances of it happening again. They can trace triggered actions to find the root cause that started the chain reaction of errors in a process to remedy it. These steps help guide the process and give organizations a framework for how to successfully complete a root cause analysis.

Root cause analysis methods

RCA is already baked into several IT frameworks and methodologies as a step for change, problem, or risk management. It’s been established as a proven, effective way to support continuous process and quality improvement. But if you are conducting a root cause analysis outside of a separate process management framework, organizations typically employ the following methods to ensure a successful RCA:

• Form a team to conduct the RCA and evaluate processes and procedures in the organization that have flaws. This team should be built by bringing together employees who work in relevant business areas or who work directly with the broken processes.
• Once the analysis begins, it can take upwards of two months to complete. Each step of the process is given equal weight whether it’s defining and understanding the problem, identifying possible causes, analyzing the effects of the problem, or determining potential solutions.
• Teams should meet at least once per week, if not more often, with meetings being kept to no longer than two hours with a loose agenda. The meetings are intended to be relatively creative, so you want to avoid bogging people down with too much structure.
• Team members should be assigned specific roles or tasks so everyone has a clear understanding of what they should be investigating.
• Upon finding a potential solution, it’s crucial to follow up to make sure that the solution is effective and that it’s implemented successfully.

Root cause analysis tools

You don’t need much to conduct a root cause analysis, but there are several tools that are helpful and commonly used to help make the process easier. Commonly used tools to perform an effective root cause analysis include:  

• Fishbone diagrams: A fishbone diagram is mapped out in the shape of a fishbone, allowing you to group causes into sub-categories to be analyzed.
• Failure mode and effects analysis (FMEA): FMEA is a technique that can be used to map out a system or process and identify the failures within it. It can be used not only to identify flaws but also to map out how often they happen, what actions have already been taken, and what actions have been effective in remedying the issue.
• Pareto charts: A Pareto chart is a simple bar chart that maps out related events and problems in order of how often they occur. This helps identify which problems are more significant than others and where to focus process improvement efforts.
• Scatter diagrams: A scatter diagram plots data on a chart with an x and y axis. This is another useful tool for mapping out problems to understand their impact and significance.
• Fault tree analysis: A fault tree analysis uses Boolean logic to identify the cause of problems or flaws. They are mapped out on a diagram that looks like a tree, where every potential cause is included as its own “branch.”
• 5 whys analysis: With 5 whys analysis, you will ask the question “why” five times too delve deeper into a problem to develop a clearer picture of its root cause.

Root cause analysis training

While RCA is a part of other frameworks and methodologies, there are training programs and courses designed to focus on helping people better understand how to perform the analysis. If you want to get more training on RCA, here are a handful of programs designed to help:

• Workhub Root Cause Analysis training
• Udemy Root Cause Analysis course
• Pink Elephant Problem Management: Root Cause Analysis Specialist certification course
• NSF Root cause analysis CAPA training and certification
• Coursera Root Cause Analysis course
• ASQ root cause analysis course
• Lean Six Sigma Root cause analysis online training

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Reactive vs. Proactive Behavior: Examples, Benefits, and Tips

By Status.net Editorial Team on February 28, 2024 — 9 minutes to read

In our daily lives, we often encounter situations that require us to either react or be proactive. These two types of behavior can significantly impact our personal and professional success. This article will discuss reactive vs. proactive behavior, provide examples of each, explore their benefits, and offer tips on how to develop a more proactive approach to life.

• Reactive behavior means responding to events, situations, or people after they have occurred or taken action. For example, you might wait for a problem to arise before addressing it, or respond to an email only when someone reminds you about it. While this approach can sometimes work, it frequently leaves you scrambling to mitigate the consequences or catch up on missed opportunities.
• Proactive behavior refers to anticipating possible scenarios and taking action to prevent or handle them before they happen. For instance, regularly maintaining your car to avoid breakdowns, or setting weekly goals to ensure you stay on track with your projects. Proactive behavior allows you to be better prepared for challenges and take advantage of openings when they appear.

Defining Reactive and Proactive Behavior

Understanding reactive behavior.

Reactive behavior means that you’re responding to events and situations as they happen. It’s a style of behavior in which the individual reacts to their environment instead of creating the circumstances they desire.

For example, suppose you’re at work, and you suddenly receive an urgent email from your boss. In a reactive mode, you would immediately drop what you’re doing and respond to the email, even if it disrupts your day’s schedule. This type of approach can lead to increased stress and a feeling of always being on the defensive.

In a reactive mindset, you might also find yourself being more susceptible to external influences and opinions, making it harder for you to focus on your long-term goals. Because you’re responding to situations as they arise, you may end up spending more time fixing problems.

Understanding Proactive Behavior

Proactive behavior means taking intentional steps to control your life and reach your goals. Being proactive requires planning, preparation, and goal-setting, which in turn, enable you to anticipate and manage potential obstacles and challenges.

For example, if you know a deadline is approaching, you can get an early start on the project and tackle potential issues before they become major problems.

A proactive approach also includes developing your self-awareness , understanding your strengths and weaknesses , and identifying areas for growth . This helps you make better decisions, allocate resources effectively, and work on personal development.

Here are some examples of proactive behavior:

• Setting and reviewing personal and professional goals regularly.
• Seeking continuous learning and self-improvement opportunities.
• Building strong relationships through networking and collaboration.
• Creating a structured daily routine that promotes efficiency and productivity.
• Accepting responsibility for your actions and learning from your mistakes.

Comparing Reactive and Proactive Approaches

Response to stimuli.

• With reactive approach , you wait for events to unfold and then react to them. This means that you are constantly adapting to external factors, often without any control over the situation.
• A proactive approach occurs when you anticipate potential situations and plan for them.

Impact on Decision-Making

• The decision-making process is quite different in reactive and proactive approaches. With a reactive mindset, your decisions are often quick, short-term-oriented, and focused on solving the problem at hand. However, this can sometimes lead to less optimal long-term outcomes.
• In contrast, proactive decision-making includes assessing a situation, evaluating potential outcomes, and preparing for the long term. By looking at the big picture, you are more likely to find effective solutions that address the core issue instead of just treating the symptoms.

Effects on Stress Management

How you manage stress heavily depends on whether you have a reactive or proactive mindset. With a reactive approach, you are more likely to feel stressed because you are constantly adapting to unforeseen circumstances. When you don’t have control over a situation, it can cause anxiety and negatively impact your overall well-being.

By adopting a proactive attitude, you can significantly reduce stress levels. This is because proactively addressing potential issues in advance provides a sense of control, order, and helps to prevent or minimize problems.

Examples of Proactive Behavior

In personal life.

In your personal life, being proactive means taking charge of your actions and planning for the future.

• Setting long-term and short-term goals and actively working towards them helps you focus on what’s important and prioritize your time and energy.
• Engaging in regular exercise and maintaining a healthy diet demonstrates your commitment to taking care of your body and well-being.
• Developing a budget and saving money for emergencies or future expenses showcases that you’re prepared for unexpected situations and mindful of your financial goals.
• Learning new skills or hobbies can help you grow as an individual, and it’s a great way to build resilience and adaptability.

In Professional Settings

In professional environments, practicing proactive behavior leads to efficiency, productivity, and the ability to face challenges head-on.

• Taking initiative in completing tasks or proposing new projects shows you’re committed to contributing to the growth and success of the organization.
• Actively seeking feedback from colleagues and supervisors demonstrates that you’re willing to learn from their insights and improve your performance.
• Prioritizing tasks and managing your time effectively allows you to focus on what’s important, make better decisions, and be more productive.
• Networking and building relationships with peers, supervisors, and clients shows that you’re proactive in maintaining and developing relationships crucial for your professional growth.

Benefits of Proactive Over Reactive

For individual growth.

When you adopt proactive behavior, it means you take charge of your life and the situations you encounter. By anticipating challenges and preparing for them, you can avoid getting caught off guard.

For example, imagine you are aware of an upcoming deadline. Instead of waiting until the last minute and reacting to the stress, you can plan your tasks and allocate time to complete the work ahead of the deadline. This approach helps you stay calm and focused, ultimately leading to personal growth.

One way to enhance your proactive behavior is by setting achievable goals. This way, you can track your progress and celebrate your successes.

For Team Dynamics

When working in a team, being proactive is an invaluable trait. It’s important because it promotes collaboration and harmony within the group. By identifying potential issues early and actively seeking solutions, you can prevent misunderstandings and conflicts that may disrupt team synergy.

For example, suppose you notice the group is falling behind on a project. Instead of waiting till someone points it out, you can initiate a team meeting to discuss strategies for getting back on track.

Strategies to Reduce Reactivity

Improving emotional intelligence.

One way to reduce reactivity is by improving your emotional intelligence . Emotional intelligence is the ability to recognize, understand, and manage your emotions and reactions. By doing so, it’s easier to respond to situations in a calm and controlled manner. For example, if someone criticizes your work, instead of reacting defensively or taking it personally, you might take a step back, evaluate the feedback, and decide how to move forward.

To improve your emotional intelligence, you can:

• Practice self-awareness: Pay attention to your feelings and emotions, and try to identify what triggers them.
• Cultivate empathy: Put yourself in others’ shoes and try to understand their perspective and feelings.
• Regulate emotions: Practice techniques such as deep breathing, meditation, or mindfulness to help manage emotions in challenging situations.

Related: Emotional Intelligence (EQ) in Leadership [Examples, Tips]

Enhancing Time Management

Another strategy to reduce reactivity is by enhancing your time management skills . Poor time management can lead to last-minute decisions, increased stress, and reactive behavior. By effectively managing your time, you can plan your actions and avoid rushing into hasty decisions.

Some tips to improve time management include:

• Prioritize tasks: Identify the most crucial tasks and complete them first.
• Break tasks into smaller steps: Tackle larger tasks in more manageable chunks.
• Limit distractions: Set specific times for checking email or browsing social media, and focus on tasks during your designated work time.
• Use a planner or scheduling tool: Keep track of deadlines, appointments, and responsibilities in one place.

Strengthening Personal Discipline

Finally, strengthening your personal discipline is another key to reducing reactivity. When you’re disciplined, you’re less likely to make impulsive decisions and more likely to maintain focus on your goals. This means that even in emotionally charged situations, you can maintain self-control and make thoughtful choices.

To build personal discipline, consider the following suggestions:

• Set clear goals: Identify what you want to achieve, both short and long term, and create a plan to work toward them.
• Develop a routine: Establish daily habits that support your goals and help you stay focused.
• Stay accountable: Share your goals with someone who can support and encourage you along the way.

Frequently Asked Questions

What are some key differences between proactive and reactive behaviors in personal development.

Proactive behavior means taking control of your actions and decisions, planning ahead, and being prepared for various situations. This approach helps you anticipate problems and come up with solutions before they occur. Reactive behavior, on the other hand, involves reacting to events as they happen. This can lead to a lack of preparation and feeling overwhelmed by situations. A key difference in personal development is that proactive individuals tend to have higher self-confidence, better time management, and increased adaptability to change.

Can you provide examples of how being proactive rather than reactive can benefit a business?

Being proactive in business means anticipating potential issues, making strategic decisions, and adapting to market changes. For example, a proactive business might allocate resources to research future market trends and stay ahead of competitors. This could involve developing new products or services, adapting to new technologies, or targeting emerging markets. Reactive businesses, on the other hand, might only react to market changes and trends after they have occurred, which can be less efficient and lead to missed opportunities.

How do proactive and reactive strategies vary in terms of outcomes in workplace settings?

Proactive strategies often lead to better outcomes in the workplace because they encourage planning, prevent surprises, and allow for more effective solutions. Employees who take a proactive approach might identify potential obstacles earlier and find ways to overcome them in advance. Reactive strategies, on the other hand, can sometimes result in missed opportunities and damage control, as employees respond to unexpected issues without adequate foresight. A proactive focus can lead to increased productivity, fewer mistakes, and a more efficient workflow.

What role do proactive and reactive behaviors play in psychological well-being?

Proactive behaviors can positively impact psychological well-being by promoting personal control and autonomy, reducing stress, and increasing feelings of competence and purpose. When you take a proactive approach, you’re empowered to make choices and take responsibility for your life, which contributes to a sense of agency and self-esteem. Reactive behaviors can have the opposite effect; constant reactions to situations may lead to feelings of helplessness, stress, and decreased self-worth.

In what ways can adopting a proactive approach influence long-term health maintenance compared to a reactive one?

Adopting a proactive approach to health maintenance means actively engaging in behaviors that promote well-being and prevent illness. This can include regular exercise, a healthy diet, routine medical checkups, and managing stress effectively. A proactive approach can lead to long-term benefits, such as a reduced risk of chronic illnesses, improved mental health, and a higher quality of life. Conversely, a reactive approach to health care might only address issues as they arise, potentially leading to a decreased ability to prevent and manage chronic conditions.

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Healthcare Evolves From Reactive to Proactive

Scott a waldman.

1 Department of Pharmacology and Experimental Therapeutics, Division of Clinical Pharmacology, Department of Medicine, Thomas Jefferson University, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA

Andre Terzic

2 Center for Regenerative Medicine, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minnesota, USA

Decoding health and disease pathways drives healthcare evolution. Historically, therapeutic paradigms have relied on interventions that mitigate symptoms of established diseases. Increasingly, molecular insights into pathophysiology now provide unprecedented opportunities to offer curative solutions or even prevent disease and thereby secure longitudinal wellness. These opportunities extend past individual patients to entire populations and geographies. Moreover, they optimize prospective healthspan across lifespan. Linking discovery science and its translatable innovations beyond reactive disease intervention to proactive prevention will maximize society’s returns creating the greatest benefit for the greatest number of people globally.

Innovation distinguishes between a leader and a follower.

Biological discovery, associated with advances in enabling technologies, have transformed healthcare management paradigms for patients and populations. 1 This transformation reflects logarithmic expansion of our molecular, technological and engineering enterprises, driven by investments from the public and private sectors. 2 Evolution in discovery and technology impels the emergence of precision healthcare solutions, extending insights in biological systems to the pathophysiology underlying disease, yielding mechanism-based targets for curative therapies. 3 In that context, the growing toolkit of enabling omic and informatics platforms has yielded extraordinary opportunities to customize curative therapies that can be deployed to individuals, communities, and global populations. 4 Indeed, molecular and technological innovations have been translated by a burgeoning biopharmaceutical industry into new paradigms that interrupt the lifecycle of disease, whose reach and impact are amplified by international regulatory agencies that ensure safe access to global populations. 5 Moreover, clinical paradigms emerging from these molecularly-directed therapies shifts the “average patient” model of healthcare management to individualized solutions for disease interventions. 6 These advancements are positioned to transform our concepts of health, revealed in developing fields like regenerative medicine, impelling the control of degenerative diseases by mobilizing inherent reserves that support rebuilding (tissue) health. 7 , 8

An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.

Benjamin franklin.

This revolution in molecular insights into the pathophysiological underpinnings of disease has created an unprecedented opportunity to go beyond our reactionary approach to healthcare. 9 In that context, much of medicine today is based on the practice of intervening to interrupt the progression of established disease. 10 Traditionally, therapeutic intervention is designed to treat the patient to correct the cause of the pathophysiology and alleviate the symptoms of, or even cure, disease. 11 We are all familiar with the paradigms of treating infections with antimicrobials; intervening with chemotherapy in patients with cancer to improve disease-free and overall survival; and placing stents in blood vessels occluded with plaque to relieve the risks of coronary artery disease. 11 , 12 Over the past decades, the advantages of preventing disease, rather than intervening with therapy in established disease, have become manifest. In that context, it is more effective to prevent infections through vaccination; cancer by mitigating environmental exposures like smoking; and heart disease through diet, exercise, and metabolic management. 13 Indeed, preventing disease, rather than interventions that interrupt the progression of established disease, is more effective from the perspective of providing the greatest health benefits to the greatest number of people. 13 Moreover, prevention has proven to be one of the most cost-effective ways to achieve improved population health. 13 To place that economic argument into context, three fourths of US health spending is directed at treating chronic disease, and two-thirds of the growth in health spending is attributable to worsening health habits of the American population. 8 , 12 – 14 This, in part, reflects a healthcare delivery system that places a priority on reimbursing for the treatment of chronic illness, rather than preventing disease in the first place. 13 In that context, advancing molecular and regenerative approaches, in conjunction with enabling informatics and omic technologies, offer unique opportunities to evolve preventive strategies that promote healthy aging and longitudinal wellness across the continuum from inception to senescence. 1 , 3 , 5

Beauty is only skin deep

Sir thomas overbury.

These considerations of primary prevention are exemplified by considering skin and aging. Skin is equipped with an intricate network of antioxidants and antioxidant enzymes that oppose damage, induced by ultraviolet radiation and airborne pollutants which lead to accelerated photoaging, preneoplasias, and cancers. In that context, topical antioxidants, including vitamins C and E and selenium, create a reservoir that prevents, and reverses, environmental oxidative stress. 15 Vitamin C is the body’s major aquaphase antioxidant, but must be provided exogenously because primates lack the appropriate synthetic enzymes. As an antioxidant, vitamin C deactivates UV- and pollution-induced free radicals, reactivates tumor suppressor genes to protect against UV-induced apoptosis, and directly opposes inflammation by deactivating nuclear factor kβ. Vitamin E is the most important lipid-soluble, membrane-bound antioxidant, brought to the stratum corneum by sebum. Vitamin E significantly reduces acute damaging effects to skin, including erythema, edema, sunburn cells, lipid peroxidation, DNA-adduct formation, and inflammation. Selenium is an essential trace element required by selenoproteins which regulate antioxidant defenses, inflammation, thyroid and lipid metabolism, DNA synthesis, and immunity. Topical antioxidants not only photoprotect but also reverse environmental damage. Topical application of these agents reactivates senescent skin fibroblasts, and inactivates UV-induced matrix metalloproteinases, to restore collagen and elastin production and accumulation opposing and reversing photo- and environmental-aging underlying wrinkles, preneoplasias, and skin cancers. Regular protection using these topical approaches has the potential to prevent injury, and maintain the youthfulness, of the largest surface area of the body. 15

Body building is the closest we have to the fountain of youth

Lee labrada.

Increases in average life expectancy, in part, reflecting reductions in childhood mortality, the development of antibiotics, and, more recently, advances in the treatment of chronic diseases have produced greater numbers of individuals living to adulthood. 16 In turn, increases in longevity result in more older adults experiencing age-related senescence across multiple physiological systems. Geriatric syndromes, including sarcopenia, or muscle loss, and frailty, reflect declines in physiological function that occur over decades. These conditions have become more clinically relevant, reflecting a greater percentage of our total healthcare expenditure, as the population ages. The goal of preventative efforts in this domain is to improve mobility, strength, functional independence and quality of life to promote healthy aging and the maintenance of longitudinal wellness in older adults. Indeed, for these individuals, the focus is directed at increasing the number of years of life without disability. While, historically, geriatric medicine has typically been delivered through maintenance approaches, including clinical care, physical rehabilitation, and nutritional support, recent advances in the biology of aging and senescence have revealed opportunities for new preventive interventions. 16 These recent innovations raise the possibility of not only attenuating the negative effects of aging, but in many cases reversing those effects. 16 , 17 Indeed, these insights have led to the development of molecular interventions opposing the frailty and the loss of functional muscle mass associated with growing old that promise to extend healthy aging and create a virtual fountain of youth. 16

At the other extreme of the developmental continuum, novel approaches in regenerative medicine are being applied in utero to address severe congenital conditions at the prenatal stage, offering a unique opportunity for the earliest forms of disease prevention and prophylaxis. 18 In that context, prenatal regenerative prophylaxis’ harnesses the plasticity of developing fetal organs to deliver postnatal pediatric health. Here, fetal surgery, implemented to reconstitute early normal organ growth and restore function in select congenital conditions, is increasingly considered to improve postnatal outcomes. Thus, congenital diaphragmatic hernia (CDH) is characterized by a diaphragmatic defect during fetal development that allows abdominal cavity contents to herniate through, and ultimately interfere with, lung development. CDH affects 1 in 3,836 births, and is associated with a high morbidity and mortality due to severe pulmonary hypoplasia and pulmonary arterial hypertension. IN that regard, fetal endoscopic tracheal occlusion has been performed for isolated severe CDH to promote fetal lung re-growth and restitution of organ development. 18 Further, spina bifida is a congenital defect of the neural tube defined by the exposure of meninges and spinal cord due to incomplete closure of the spinal canal. Exposure of the neural tube to amniotic fluid and trauma in utero increase the risk of paralysis, abnormal mental development, and bladder and/or bowel dysfunction. Advances in ultrasound technology allow diagnosis of this condition as early as the first trimester. Accordingly, in utero surgical repair approaches have been developed and children who underwent this procedure had improved brain and motor function, and reduced risk of postnatal hydrocephalus, resulting in higher psychomotor development scores. 18 These observations highlight the transformative potential of regenerative therapeutic care in utero to preventive postnatal disease and disability. 19

These considerations underscore the importance of maintaining a focus on preventive approaches that complement therapeutic interventions, as our mechanistic armamentarium evolves from discoveries of the biological bases of health and disease. 2 , 11 , 20 – 22 While molecular innovation has been impressive, the translation of those discovery-based insights into preventive therapies for individual patients which are scalable to populations must remain a priority. 1 , 3 , 5 Emerging clinical paradigms should maximize the impact of discovery innovations by facilitating their translation into novel preventive algorithms to maintain longitudinal health and wellness, at all points along the developmental continuum. Indeed, advances in the emerging science of disease prevention offer the greatest opportunities to favorably impact the largest number of people across global communities and populations. 13

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

SAW is the Samuel M.V. Hamilton Endowed Professor of Thomas Jefferson University. AT is Michael S. and Mary Sue Shannon Family Director, Center for Regenerative Medicine, and Marriott Family Professor at Mayo Clinic. The authors are supported by grants from NIH (R01CA204881, R01CA206026, P30CA56036), Targeted Diagnostic & Therapeutics, Inc. to SAW, and NIH (R01HL134664), Michael S. and Mary Sue Shannon Family, Marriott Family Foundation, VanCleve Cardiac Regenerative Medicine Program and Mayo Clinic to AT.

Funding: No funding was received for this work.

Conflict of Interest: The authors declared no competing interests for this work.

FINANCIAL DISCLOSURES

The authors have no relevant disclosures.

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Thrive with Purpose & Confidence

Proactive vs Reactive Behavior: Why Both are Essential in Life

December 6, 2022

Those who feel in control and achieve their goals without sacrificing joy are masters of proactive and reactive behavior.

Not just one of the two.

Surprised? You might have heard about being more proactive . But more reactive? Not so much. However, you need both to unleash your full potential.

What matters is context.

In this article, we will explain the exact differences between proactive and reactive thinking and behavior. And we will cover why you need both for a successful and joyful life.

Let’s dive in!

The difference between proactive and reactive behavior

The difference between proactive and reactive behavior hides behind their definitions: 

• Reactive behavior means responding to a situation or event as it happens. So there’s a trigger that causes an action.
• Proactive behavior means acting before something happens. In other words, no trigger event causes the action.

Let’s take a closer look at the benefits of proactive and reactive behavior to understand these differences better.

The benefits of proactive and reactive behavior

The best kind of behavior is always situational. Specific careers are a great example to illustrate this point:

• Nurses require reactive thinking and behavior. They respond to beeping monitoring devices, make the best decision, and adapt to everyday situations.
• Entrepreneurs require proactive behavior. If they would only react to day-to-day stuff, their business would run them instead of the other way around. Innovation and value creation require proactivity.

Here are the benefits of each in comparison.

There are benefits to both sides of the coin. 

And while that’s obvious in the career examples, you may wonder how proactive and reactive behavior play a role in your life.

So, how exactly does it affect you?

Example of proactive vs reactive behavior in everyday life

Why do you need mastery in proactive and reactive thinking to live your best life? Here are two example situations to illustrate the idea:

• Your goal is to achieve financial independence.
• You live below your means and invest the difference. But the worst thing happens. The market collapses, and you lose 50% of your net worth within days.

Example 1: Pursuing financial independence

What’s the required behavior to achieve this goal?

If you said proactive behavior, you’re correct. Besides setting the goal, success requires you to plan and execute on it.

In other words, fulfilling your goals and desires requires proactive behavior , whether in financial success, pursuing your career ambitions, optimizing for health, or finding the perfect mate.

What about the second example?

Example 2: Experiencing a market crash

You live below your means and invest the difference. But now the market crashes. What behavior do you need in this situation?

A market crash triggers reactive behavior. 

The trigger is unavoidable.

When reactive situations occur, it always triggers a response in the form of an emotion. And feelings lead to actions – often automatically. 

Those who lack self-control suffer.

In the case of a market crash, most people would beat themselves up internally. How could I haven’t seen that coming, I’m so stupid. 

An irrational external response often follows. Panic selling during a market crash is such a response. And that’s unfortunate because the wealthy become even wealthier during those times.

What’s their secret?

While they experience the same emotional cocktail, they exert self-discipline . They explore their feelings objectively, look at all pieces of the puzzle, and, thus, make better decisions.

Self-mastery is key in any aspect of life.

Buddhist monks have known this truth for ages and spend a chunk of their time practicing the art of self-control and mastery. It’s the secret ingredient to inner peace and happiness.

In summary:

• Mastering proactive behavior gives you control and motivates you to pursue your goals and create your ideal future .
• Mastering reactive behavior enables you to deal better with difficulties and challenges . After all, not what happens to you but how you respond to it determines the quality of your life.

A well-balanced and optimal life includes mastery in both aspects.

Why should most people be more proactive, not reactive?

Reactive behavior is part of your survival mechanism. And you will experience it daily. Therefore, mastering the art of self-mastery is an excellent idea. 

However, proactive behavior isn’t essential to survive. However, it’s a necessary element to create the life you desire. Unfortunately, there’s no class in school that teaches proactivity.

As a result, most people never learn to act proactively. Self-doubt and fear keeps them from pursuing their goals and dreams. 

• They wait for new career opportunities.
• They wait for the perfect partner.
• They hope to win the lottery.

You read a personal development blog because you’re the creator of your own destiny. A proactive approach to life means that:

• You create career opportunities by proactively adding value; 
• You develop high-value skills , even if your job doesn’t demand that;
• And you pursue continuous self-improvement to enhance every aspect of life, from optimizing for success to happiness.

Get into the driver’s seat and take control of your future.

Proactive behavior is rare.

And just being a little more proactive will make a difference.

How to be proactive instead of reactive?

There are many different ways to become more proactive. But instead of giving you a bunch of tactics, I will provide a solid framework.

One that applies to all realms of life.

Though developing these behaviors takes time, the more it becomes an ingrained part of yourself, the more results you will see.

Let’s dig in.

#1: Always add value

Wherever you go, seek to add value.

That’s a simple but effective mentality that makes you more proactive than 99% of people. 

Here are some examples:

• Come up with innovative ideas for existing problems
• Ask thoughtful questions in personal or team meetings
• Give someone a genuine compliment
• Smile to strangers on the street

I’m illustrating a critical point with these examples. 

Adding value isn’t just about increasing numbers in a bank account. You can add value in many ways, even with almost zero effort.

The crux is not to overthink it. 

When people think about proactivity and adding value, they feel anxious because they think it requires something revolutionary.

Instead, focus on the little things. 

How can you make a situation slightly better?  

In many cases, a positive mental attitude and being helpful makes all the difference. For example, be a beacon of hope when everyone else feels down.

Build the habit of adding value in small ways. When this behavior becomes automatic, it transforms your ability to provide more value at a lesser effort.

The worst case?

Consistently adding value stacks up and makes you a helpful individual worth respecting. So, seek to provide value at any moment, wherever you are.

#2: Take radical responsibility

Proactive people take personal responsibility .

When you’re proactive, you take charge of your life instead of blaming others and complaining about situations. You find out what they can do next and take action.

Even when a situation is not their fault.

Even when they’re not responsible for it.

Taking control of your life means taking responsibility and grabbing the steering wheel at all times – no matter what happens.

Here are two ideas:

• What’s a recurring problem in your field that no one resolves, for example, because it isn’t part of anyone’s job description?
• How can you proactively support other projects, teams, friends, family, local events, etc.?

Radical responsibility is about taking charge of what you can do and doing them without anyone telling you to.  

Whatever happened in the past is the past. Instead, control what’s in front of you to create your desired future.

#3: Seek first to understand

Car salespeople have a bad reputation because, in most cases, their interest doesn’t match yours. 

• You want to buy the best car for your situation. 
• They want to sell the best car to hit their short-term targets.

However, true salesmanship is about providing value.

Say you walk into a car shop and meet the owner whose goal is a customer for life – not maximizing short-term profit.

His goal aligns with yours.

He wants to serve you to the best of his abilities. And he asks thoughtful questions to understand your situations and needs.

Then, he finds the perfect car for you – within your budget.

You walk out with a great experience and will only buy from that person in the future. They have a new customer for life!

The point of this story?

Understand exactly what’s needed in any given situation before you provide ideas and solutions.

Seek to understand before being understood is one of the seven principles of the classic: 7 Habits for Highly Effective People . And that’s for a very good reason.

Some practical examples:

• In business, you want to understand what tasks provide the most value to your clients or boss.  
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Designing resilient supply chain networks: a systematic literature review of mitigation strategies

• Original - Survey or Exposition
• Open access
• Published: 18 September 2024

Cite this article

You have full access to this open access article

• Abdolreza Roshani   ORCID: orcid.org/0000-0002-3067-0633 1 ,
• Philip Walker-Davies 3 &
• Glenn Parry   ORCID: orcid.org/0000-0002-6432-2055 2  

With increased globalisation supply chain (SC) disruption significantly affects people, organisations and society. Supply chain network design (SCND) reduces the effects of disruption, employing mitigation strategies such as extra capacity and flexibility to make SCs resilient. Currently, no systematic literature review classifies mitigation strategies for SCND. This paper systematically reviews the literature on SCND, analysing proposed mitigation strategies and the methods used for their integration into quantitative models. First to understand the key failure drivers SCND literature is categorised using geography, with local, regional or global disruptions linked to vulnerable sections of a SC. Second, the strategies used in mathematical models to increase SC resilience are categorized as proactive, reactive, or SC design quality capabilities. Third, the relative performance of mitigation strategies is analysed to provide a comparison, identifying the most effective strategies in given contexts. Forth, mathematical modelling techniques used in resilient SCND are reviewed, identifying how strategies are integrated into quantitative models. Finally, gaps in knowledge, key research questions and future directions for researchers are described.

Avoid common mistakes on your manuscript.

1 Introduction

The 9/11 terror attacks, the 2011 Japanese tsunami, and the 2020 COVID-19 pandemic are events that significantly impacted supply chains [SCs] (Aldrighetti et al., 2021 ; Snyder et al., 2016 ; Suryawanshi & Dutta, 2022 ). Although the risk likelihood of these events is low, they significantly impact SC performance (Tang, 2006 ) and encourage design of resilient SCs that can adjust to disruption (Wieland & Durach, 2021 ). Supply Chain Network Design [SCND] is of interest to academics and practitioners as it decreases (increases) the cost (profit) of SCs (Simchi-Levi & Kaminsky, 2004 ) and effects performance and resilience (Shen, 2007 ). Resilience can be achieved through creating redundancy (Sheffi, 2005 ), including holding safety/emergency stocks, having multiple suppliers and low capacity utilization rates to hedge against disruptions. In the literature, different redundancies are modelled to create mitigation strategies (Hosseini et al., 2019a , 2019b ), hedging against disruption risk (Ivanov et al., 2017 ). Mitigation strategies have two subcategories, proactive and reactive, depending if their applied pre- or post-disruption (Elluru et al., 2019 ).

Supply chain disruption and resilience have been analysed using both qualitative and quantitative models. Empirical and conceptual qualitative models are commonly used to identify, assess, and manage risks of disruption (Hervani et al., 2022 ; Hosseini et al., 2019a , 2019b ). Quantitative models are applied to assess the impacts of disruptions on supply chains and to evaluate relevant mitigation strategies (Azad & Hassini, 2019 ; Snyder et al., 2016 ; Taleizadeh et al., 2022 ). Quantitative work integrates mitigation strategies into mathematical models to design resilient SCs [RSCs] (Abbasian et al., 2023 ; Aldrighetti et al., 2021 ; Kabadurmus & Erdogan, 2020 ). However, before integration several critical challenges must be addressed. First disruptive events may affect different parts of SCs. Thus, the failure parameters in the models must be adjusted to show the actual condition of SCs’ vulnerability. Second, the efficiency of resilience strategies differs with context. When modelling resilient SCND [RSCND] problems, identifying an optimum strategy needs information of the relative performance of mitigation strategies in specific context. Third, RSC design requires that modelling approaches integrate the appropriate mitigation strategies and define their characteristics.

To address these challenges, a systematic literature review (SLR) of quantitative models of SCND was undertaken, focusing on mitigation strategies, their relative performance and their integration into mathematical models. The SLR is a well-established method used in analysing literature, including supply chain resilience (Aldrighetti et al., 2021 ; Maharjan & Kato, 2022 ; Naghshineh & Carvalho, 2022 ). However, few literature reviews examine quantitative models of RSC design that consider strategic facility location and supplier selection decisions. Table 1 details the content of extant literature reviews articles; √, o and x imply the area is covered, partially covered, and not covered respectively.

Whilst this review has some overlap with references from previous work (Table  1 ), significant differences exist. To our knowledge, no published review classified mitigation strategies applied in designing SCs based on vulnerabilities, none categorises them into proactive, reactive and SC design quality groups, none identify the relative performance of mitigation strategies that improve SC resilience, and none identify methods to integrate mitigation strategies into quantitative models. This paper aims to advance research in these areas by answering the following research questions:

RQ1: What is the classification of disruptions based on their geographic scope and the part of SCs they affect?

RQ2: Focussing on vulnerable SC sections, what strategies have been introduced to improve resilience?

RQ3: Drawing on performance criteria from literature, how have these strategies improved the resilience of supply chains?

RQ4: How are resilience strategies integrated into mathematical models?

The remainder of this paper is organized as follows: Sect.  2 presents the research method. Section  3 addresses RQ1, Sect.  4 addresses RQ2 & 3, whilst Sect.  5 addresses Q4. Concluding remarks, managerial insights, and future research directions will follow in Sects.  6 .

2 SLR methodology

The SLR was undertaken in three stages, Fig.  1 (Tranfield et al., 2003 ). Stage one is process planning, in stage two the review process is undertaken and in stage 3 findings from analysis of the literature are reported, and each are now detailed.

Literature review methodology. A flow diagram represents the process of searching selected keywords in Scopus and WoS databases, to find reference articles by excluding duplicates, reviews and irrelevant articles

2.1 Data source, inclusion, and exclusion criteria

Scopus and Web of Science (WoS) databases were selected as the most relevant sources, in accordance with previous reviews papers (Aldrighetti et al., 2021 ; Katsaliaki et al., 2021 ). The earliest articles on SC disruption and resilience were published the early 2000s, following the 9/11 Terrorist attacks (Katsaliaki et al., 2021 ), so the sample selection timeframe is restricted to 2001–2024. To ensure the inclusion of only top-tier research and industrial development, our analysis specifically targets articles published in prominent English-language journals. In this regard, we exclusively consider articles published in journals listed in the latest Chartered Association of Business Schools (CABS) 2021 ranking. This ranking incorporates multiple journal quality assessments, providing a reliable measure of research rigor and excellence. While journal rankings are inevitably subject to debate, the CABS ranking is widely recognized for its consistent and high standards of research quality (Kamal & Irani, 2014 ; Miemczyk & Johnsen, 2012 ; Rajagopal et al., 2017 ). Thus, in accordance with (Kamal & Irani, 2014 ; Rajagopal et al., 2017 ) only journals rated CABS 3, 4, and 4* are selected, and lower ranked and grey literature excluded (selected journals are listed in table i in supplementary materials).

Content criteria filters are employed in selecting articles to review. First, selected articles should be categorized as SC design problems. Second, only resilient decision-making [DM] problems with strategic and tactical time scales are considered. Third, papers must contain mathematical models, with binary variables used for selecting suppliers or opening facilities. Following Aldrighetti et al. ( 2021 ), we focus on SCND applied in industrial commercial sectors, excluding design of water, telecommunication and healthcare SCs. R-interdiction and fortification problems are also omitted since their goal is to select existing facilities to fortify, rather than relocating them (Liberatore et al., 2012 ; Starita & Paola Scaparra, 2021 ).

2.2 Retrieval strategy and review process

Following Saunders et al. ( 2009 ) the article retrieval strategy employed an iterative procedure of defining appropriate keywords, searching, analysing the literature and finalising results. Examination of research reviews on similar topics gave rise to two groups of keywords. The first relates to SCND and the second to resilience. The keyword combinations used to search given databases are provided in the supplementary material (table i).

The SLR starts (Fig.  1 ) with a keyword search on Scopus (3145 articles identified) and WoS (908 articles) databases, and was performed at the end of April 2024. Article titles were used to exclude duplicates. The abstract and main body of the paper were examined to exclude irrelevant papers and those not published in target journals, leaving 145 papers. Finally, the full-text was read and to avoid missing relevant papers, forward and backward snow balling methods performed. 103 articles were selected for final analysis (Supplementary Material Figure i shows number of articles published by year).

3 Definitions

To establish a clear and consistent understanding of terms related to supply chain disruption and resilience several researchers' definitions for these terms have been analysed. Through analysis and consideration of contexts of these definitions, we have sought to unify a comprehensive understanding. Five key terms were selected, which include "supply chain disruption," "supply chain resilience," "resilience or mitigation strategies," "proactive strategies," and "reactive or contingency strategies." The definitions and explanations of these terms have been thoroughly examined, and the resulting insights presented in Table  2 .

4 Finding from the content analysis

In this section we present the findings from the content analysis, which explore various aspects of supply chain disruptions and mitigation strategies. We investigate the types of disruptions and vulnerable sections in 4.1, followed by a detailed review of proposed mitigation strategies in designing supply chains in 4.2. Furthermore, we investigate the integration of resilience strategies into mathematical models in subSect.  4.3 , focusing on disruption-related parameters in 4.3.1 and the methodology for incorporating these strategies into the mathematical models in 4.3.2.

4.1 Type of disruption and supply chain vulnerable sections

To answer to RQ1, “what is the classification of disruptions based on their geographic scope and the part of SCs they affect?”, disruption events reported in the SCND literature were categorized based on their geographic affect: local, regional, or global (Sawik, 2013b , 2019 , 2014 ). Local disruptions are characterized by their confined impact, typically affecting specific facilities or locations within a supply chain. For instance, an illustrative example of a local disruption is the Philips microchip plant fire that occurred in New Mexico in 2000, which had repercussions limited to that particular facility. Researchers and scholars, such as (Norrman & Jansson, 2004 ), have explored and documented local disruptions extensively.

Moving beyond localized disruptions, regional disruptions encompass a broader scale, impacting multiple nodes and arcs within a particular geographic region. These disruptions can be caused by various events, including but not limited to regional labour strikes, logistical errors, and natural disasters like floods or earthquakes. The devastating Tohoku earthquake of 2011 (Park et al., 2013 ) and the unexpected 2018 UK KFC chicken shortage (Young & Bhattacharyya, 2020 ) are compelling instances of regional disruptions that affected different parts of the supply chain within their respective areas.

On a grander scale, global disruptions have the potential to disrupt entire supply chains, transcending regional and local boundaries. These disruptions are often caused by significant global events such as economic crises, labor strikes in the transportation sector, or catastrophic events like the Covid-19 pandemic in 2019 (Remko, 2020 ). The Covid-19 pandemic, in particular, had far-reaching consequences, profoundly impacting supply chains worldwide (Paul et al., 2021 ).

To organize the body of literature, Table  3 provides a comprehensive categorization based on the type of disruption and the corresponding decision-making (DM) problems studied. The DM problems are grouped into four main classes: resilient supplier selection (RSS), reliable facility location (RFL), resilient logistic network design (RLND), and integrated reliable facility location (IRFL). The table includes a summary column presenting the percentages of studies that address each DM problem based on the categories of disruptions, namely, global, regional, and local.

From the table, it becomes evident that the majority of the studies have focused on local disruptions, accounting for approximately 96.12% of the research. Regional disruptions constituted about 14.56% of the studies, while global disruptions represented 4.85% of the analysed articles (total exceeds 100% due to overlaps in the data). When dealing with global and regional disruptions, researchers have primarily concentrated on RSS and RLND, likely due to the broader and more severe impact these disruptions can have on the supply chain. In contrast, studies addressing local disruptions have often explored RLND and RFL, given the more contained scope of these disruptions.

Supply chain networks usually encompass multiple tiers, including suppliers, manufacturers (plants), distribution centres (warehouses or depots), retailers, and customers (demand zones). To represent this interconnected system, a general graph, G = (V, A), is employed, where V denotes the set of nodes representing the different facilities and customer zones dispersed across R disjoint geographic regions. The set of arcs, denoted by A, captures the various routes that connect these nodes, symbolizing the intricate flow of goods and information within the supply chain network. Table 3 summarizes the percentage of studies that have addressed specific vulnerable areas of the supply chain concerning the type of disruption. From the table, it is evident that researchers have primarily focused on studying the vulnerabilities of suppliers, which represents approximately 55.34% of the examined articles. Following closely, distribution centres have garnered significant attention, constituting 30.1% of the studies, while general facilities have been the subject of 29.13% of the analysed research.

4.2 Mitigation strategies

In this subsection, we provide a comprehensive exploration of different aspects related to the design and evaluation of supply chain mitigation strategies. Included is a thorough review of proposed mitigation strategies in designing supply chains (Sect.  4.2.1 ), an analysis of mitigation strategy combinations (Sect.  4.2.2 ), and an assessment of the relative performances of various mitigation strategies (Sect.  4.2.3 ).

4.2.1 Review of proposed mitigation strategies in designing supply chains

RQ2 asked “focussing on vulnerable SC sections, what strategies have been introduced to improve resilience?”. We identify SCs resilience strategies used for different vulnerable sections and examine their use in the design of SCs. Chowdhury and Quaddus ( 2017 ) define three groups of capabilities that determine the resilience of a SC against disruptions: (a) proactive capabilities, (b) reactive capabilities, and (c) SC design quality capabilities. Proactive capabilities, such as SC readiness and flexibility, help systems to recognise, anticipate and defend against the risk of disruption, reducing impact before it occurs. Reactive capabilities of SCs form from SC response and recovery. SC response is the capability of the system to mitigate the disruption in the shortest possible time and with smallest impact, while recovery capability is defined as the ability to rapidly return to a normal operational state (Pettit et al., 2013 ). SC design quality capability is determined by node density, complexity and critically (Chowdhury & Quaddus, 2017 ; Craighead et al., 2007a , 2007b ). The full list of 133 mitigation strategies from literature is in Table 8 , categorising resilient strategies based on specified vulnerable section i.e. suppliers, general facilities etc., and the three SC capabilities from Chowdhury and Quaddus ( 2017 ).

Proactive strategies are mainly applied to suppliers (PrasannaVenkatesan & Goh, 2016 ; Sawik, 2020 ), DCs (Gholami-Zanjani et al., 2021a ; Hasani & Khosrojerdi, 2016 ) and plant and manufacturers (Gholami-Zanjani et al., 2021b ; Hasani & Khosrojerdi, 2016 ). SC design quality strategies are used extensively for suppliers (Nooraie & Parast, 2016 ; Sawik, 2011 ), general facilities (Snyder & Daskin, 2005 ; Saha et al., 2023), DCs (Hasani & Khosrojerdi, 2016 ) and transportation (Ghavamifar et al., 2018 , Wang and Yao 2023). Reactive strategies are commonly applied to suppliers (Cheng et al., 2018 , Ghomi-Avili et al., 2021; Fattahi et al., 2020 ), DCs (Alikhani et al., 2021 ; Zhang et al., 2024 ), demand points (Hosseini et al., 2019a , 2019b ; Alikhani et al., 2023a , 2023b ), plant and manufacturers (Feng et al., 2023 ; Sabouhi et al., 2020 ) and general facilities (Egri et al., 2023 ; Xie et al., 2019 ).

Reviewing information summarised in Table 8 reveals a set of mitigation strategies commonly used to make SCs more robust and resilient. Table 4 lists those strategies applied to at least two different vulnerable sections of SCs. We have also assigned a code referring to each mitigation strategy in column one of Table  4 . The last column reports the percentage of reference articles that apply the respective strategy in their quantitative model. Table 4 contains eight proactive mitigation strategies (labelled P1–P8). P5 (11.65%), and P7 (9.71%) utilising reserve capacity , and P1 (11.65%) from SC readiness are the most commonly studied approaches in the sample. Though commonly used, these strategies may perform differently in different SCND contexts. For example, in designing a global supply chain (GSC) for an electro-medical device manufacturer, with the objective of maximising total net present value of the GSC after-tax profit, Hasani and Khosrojerdi ( 2016 ) applied P1 to protect suppliers, manufacturers, and warehouses against disruptions. They applied P7 in warehouses to deal with the finished product shortage resulting from capacity disruption of facilities in the upper tiers. They found that P1 significantly mitigated the risk of disruptions, while the efficiency of strategy P7 was not significant. In contrast, Rezapour et al. ( 2017 ) analysed the design of a resilient automotive parts manufacturer SC under competition to maximise total expected profit. They applied P5 to enable suppliers to increase their production capacities and P7 to allow retailers to hold emergency stock as a mitigation strategy. They showed that P7 is more efficient than P5 in both reducing profit variation and improving the SC worse case profit. Recently, Alikhani et al., ( 2023a , 2023b ) applied various combinations of mitigation strategies, including P1 and P7, to design resilient retail supply chains. They demonstrated that combining P1 with SD8 (see Table 8 ) yields superior results by generating synergistic effects among resilience strategies under budget limitations for supply chain resilience.

Table 4 lists nine reactive supply chain resilience strategies (R1 to R9) commonly used to hedge vulnerable sections of SCs against disruptions. The most frequently employed reactive strategies are R1 (28.15% of 103 reference articles), R2 (13.59% of 103 reference articles) and R3 (8.74% of 103 reference articles). The RSCND literature reveals that, similar to proactive strategies, the efficiency of this group of strategies is dependent on the nature of the SC. For example, Fattahi et al. ( 2017 ) addressed the design of a glass company SC for which the objective function is the minimisation of the total cost of SC network over a planning horizon. Based on several computational experiments, they concluded that R1 the most effective strategy in designing a resilient SC. In contrast Gholami-Zanjani et al. ( 2021a ) addressed a location-inventory problem in a food supply chain where the objective function is the expected total profit minus total strategic costs, andthey found R1 to be dominated by P1 and DR8 strategies.

Table 4 also contains seven mitigation strategies from the SC design quality category (D1 to D7). The most common SC design quality strategies in the academic papers are D2 (33%), D5 (19.42%), and D3 (16.50%) all from complexity group. A less complex SC has fewer nodes and/or fewer interconnections, so increased complexity is expected to create more vulnerabilities. However, additional nodes that create a buffer in the SC reduce vulnerability (Chowdhury & Quaddus, 2017 ). Adding additional nodes, D2 strategy, is found to be effective in comparison to a single sourcing strategy (Berger & Zeng, 2006 ). The efficiency of a D2 strategy has been compared to other mitigation strategies (see Hasani & Khosrojerdi, 2016 ; Sabouhi et al., 2020 ; Aldrighetti et al., 2023 ). The details of the performance comparison of this strategy is given in the next subsection. Strategy D5 is used to increase the reliability of the system in the event of a failure at a facility, and has mainly been applied in RFL models. Each customer is assigned to r closest facilities such that if their primary facility is disrupted their order is met by the next facility and so on. We found no evidence of any comparative performance analysis of D5 against other resilience strategies in the literature. Strategy D3 has been used in the design of many different RSCs (Jabbarzadeh et al., 2018 , Wang & Yao, 2023). Literature indicates that D3’s performance depends on SC context. For example, Sabouhi et al. ( 2020 ) applied several mitigation strategies including D3 to the design of an industrial paint manufacturer SC where suppliers, factories, DCs and routes are at risk of disruption. They found D3 was the most efficient mitigation strategy to minimise total cost.

4.2.2 Mitigation strategy combinations

In the previous subsection, to answer RQ2, the proposed mitigation strategies in the reference articles were categorized into three subcategories and the most common strategies were analysed. In this subsection, building upon the analysis already conducted, our objective is to specify the strategies introduced in each article and explain how they are combined in the proposed mathematical models in reference articles.

Table 9 lists the resilience strategies used in the mathematical models proposed in each reference article in designing RSCs. Reviewing the information summarized in Table 9 reveals that resilience strategies have been used both singularly and in combination to construct the proposed mathematical models. Table 5 displays the number of reference articles that have utilized a subset of strategies in each group in designing their mathematical models. The models have been categorized into two groups: those that applied single resilience strategies and those that combined resilience strategies.

In Table  5 , the models that have employed only one strategy are categorized into three groups based on the capabilities of the supply chain. However, none of these models presented the use of purely proactive strategies. Among the models discussed, eight utilized single reactive strategies, six of which applied FR1 (reassignment of customers to surviving facilities). The remaining models in this category employed one of FR2 (customers rerouting until receiving a service), or FR5 (reassignment of demand nodes to r closer facilities (level-r)) from reactive strategies. In addition, single strategies from SC design quality were employed in 21 articles. Specifically, FD1 (assignment of demand nodes to the closest facilities) was applied in 13 articles, while SD3, DD3, FD2, and RD3, and SD6 were applied in three, two, one, one, and one time respectively.

Table 5 lists possible combinations of different sets of resilience strategies and the number of reference articles that applied such combinations. Among these articles, some only combine strategies selected from the same category, with researchers predominantly focusing on combining more reactive strategies compared to other types.

Furthermore, several researchers have attempted to apply combined strategies selected from different categories. Among these studies, a larger number of authors applied (1) a combination of strategies selected from all categories, and (2) a combination of strategies selected from both reactive and SC design quality categories, with 23 articles referencing each approach.

Strategies such as SD3 (Using dual or multiple sourcing) and SD4 (contracting with (reliable or unreliable) recovery or backup suppliers) from the SC design quality category, as well as SR4 (customers’ demand reallocation or recalculation of purchase or shipment from primary or backup suppliers), and DR6 (recalculating inventory position), DR3 (recalculating the amount of products transferred from DCs) and MR1 (recalculating the amount of lost sales or unmet demand to apply penalties) from the reactive strategies category, were frequently combined in the design of RSCNs. Additionally, strategies such as SP1 and FP1 (protection or fortification), SP10 and DP7 (pre-positioned inventory & holding safety and emergency stocks), and SP8 and PP8 (additional extra production capacity) and DP6 (Adding extra inventory capacity) were among the strategies that were combined more often than others.

Researchers have explored the potential to enhance supply chain resilience by combining strategies and applying them simultaneously. For instance, Alikhani et al., ( 2023a , 2023b ) uses a multi-method approach that integrates analytical modeling and qualitative theory development to propose a framework for selecting the optimal set of resilience strategies for SCND problems. Their approach includes a two-stage stochastic programming model to design a resilient network for a three-echelon RSC comprising multiple suppliers, DCs, and retail stores. The model aims to select the best resilience strategies to maximize their synergistic effects while minimizing the fixed and operational costs of SCND. Considering different vulnerable sections within a supply chain is another reason for employing a combination of resilience strategies in its design. For example, in their study Jabbarzadeh et al. ( 2018 ), introduce a model to design a three echolnes RSC that accounts for random disruptions at both suppliers and factories by employing resilience strategies, such as 'contracting with backup suppliers and facilities,' 'multiple sourcing,' and 'adding extra supply/production capacities'. In another study, Sabouhi et al. ( 2020 ) addressed the problem of designing a four-echelon RSC (Resilient Supply Chain) in which suppliers, factories, DCs (Distribution Centers), and transportation routes were identified as vulnerable sections of the supply chain. In this study, the authors aimed to combine different resilience strategies to hedge the supply chain against disruptions. Some of the mitigation strategies are interrelated, and implementing one strategy from a particular group may necessitate the application of another strategy from a different group. For instance, SP10 and DP7 from the proactive strategies category, along with SR3 from the reactive strategies category can be synergistically applied together. Strategies like SD3 and SD4 have been integrated with various strategies from diverse groups (see Table 9 ). Various reference articles have examined the efficiency of several resilience strategies in enhancing the resilience of a supply chain (see Sect.  4.2.3 ) without providing justification for the combination of these strategies (see for example: Fattahi et al., 2017 ; Azad & Hassini, 2019 ).

4.2.3 Mitigation strategies relative performances

One of the challenges faced in SCND is deciding on the most effective mitigation strategy. RQ3 asks “how have these strategies improved the resilience of supply chains?”, and draws on relative performance of mitigation strategies literature. In the previous section, several mitigation strategies were identified place into three categories: proactive, reactive and SC design quality. However, few studies analyse and compare mitigation strategy application. In our literature review we identify 21 strategies where comparative analysis is reported.

The results in Table  6 show: (1) The most common strategies, D2 and P1, often out-perform other strategies regardless of industrial application (Fattahi et al. ( 2017 ) provide an exception). (2) The relative performance of mitigation strategies is related to the objective function (see D3, P3 in Kamalahmadi et al. ( 2022 ), D2 and single sourcing in Sawik ( 2013b )). (3) Combined strategies often outperform single applications (see D2, D3, P5, and D5 in Jabbarzadeh et al. ( 2018 ) and SD8, P1, SR10, P7 in Alikhani et al., ( 2023a , 2023b )). (4) The most commonly employed strategies, identified in Table  4 , do not necessarily provide the best performance in a given context (see SP9, SP10, D2, P5 in Yoon et al. ( 2018 ) and D2, D3, P1, and R9 in Aldrighetti et al. ( 2023 )).

4.3 Integration of resilience strategies into mathematical models

This section aims to show how resilience strategies are integrated into mathematical models by analysing: (1) decision making environments and proposed modelling approaches; and (2) the main characteristics of the mathematical models used for common strategies.

4.3.1 Disruption related parameters

In developing mathematical models for RSCND, decision making environment play an essential role, specifying how failure probabilities, and disruption scenarios are defined. In this article, decision making environments are categorised into three groups in accordance with Rosenhead et al. (1972): certainty, risk, and uncertainty situations (see table iv in the supplementary material). Certainty situation (DET) involves models in which all parameters are deterministic and known. DET models do not include any disruption related parameters and are used to investigate the impact of disruptions events on SCs for each pre-defined disruption scenario separately (Kungwalsong et al., 2022 ). Models designed for supply chains known to be at risk of disruption (RSK) containing parameters where exact risk values aren’t known, but have known probability distributions (Snyder et al., 2006 ). In this paper, we categorise RSK models into five sub categories (the first three categories are from Snyder et al. ( 2016 )): implicit functions (IF), reliable backup (RB), scenario-based (SB), stochastic programming (SP), and reliability and risk based (R&R) models. In IF modelling methods, three different categories of failure parameters are used. Facilities are often given identical local disruption probabilities to make modelling easier (Albareda-Sambola et al., 2017 ; Alcaraz et al., 2015 ; Snyder & Daskin, 2005 ; Yun et al., 2015 ; Zhang et al., 2016 ). However, this approach is not representative of practice (Aboolian et al., 2013 ; Cui et al., 2010 ). To better simulate reality, researchers define site- or facility-dependent failure probabilities for local independent failure modes (Albareda-Sambola et al., 2015 ; Berman et al., 2007 ; Yu & Zhang, 2018 ; Yun et al., 2020 ). Another approach is to remove the facility failure independence hypothesis and define failures as correlated disruption probabilities (Li et al., 2013a , 2013b , 2013c ; Xie et al., 2019 ). In RB models, as with some IF models, facility failure probability is considered as facility-dependent (Benyoucef et al., 2013 ; Lim et al., 2010 ). In IF and RB modelling facility failure probabilities are implicitly imposed and the decision process is not divided into pre- and post-disruption phases (Lu et al., 2015 ). For this reason, IF and RB have not been applied for modelling reactive strategies, however, used to apply several proactive and SC design quality strategies (Azad et al., 2019 ; Lim et al., 2010 ). SB models presented in reference articles fall into the class of two-stage programming models. In these models, the first-stage decisions are made prior to realizing any stochastic event (e.g. facilities disruptions) while the second-stage decisions are made after the uncertainty is revealed as a set of disruption scenarios. The probability for each scenario is calculated independently, taking into account the probability of facility disruption, which may be global, regional, or local (Sawik, 2011 , 2013a , 2017 ). SB aims to optimise the first-stage objective function and the expected value of the random second-stage objective across all possible disruption scenarios. SB is one of the most widely applied modelling approaches in designing RSCs (see Table iv in supplementary materials) and have been successfully applied to model proactive, reactive, and SC design quality strategies (Alikhani, Torabi, and Altay 2021). However, one of the main limitations of SB models is that when the number of scenarios increases, the problem size increases exponentially making solving the problem difficult and in some cases impossible (Sabouhi et al., 2020 ). In SP models, some model’s parameters (such as demand and lead-time) follow specified statistical distributions (Saputro et al., 2021 ). Facility failure parameters in SP models are defined as the disruption frequency rate and disruption downtime rate (Firouz et al., 2017 ). SC design quality such as multiple sourcing and inventory control (Yoon et al., 2018 ) and proactive strategies (Saputro et al., 2021 ) are among the mitigations strategies that have been integrated into SP models. R&R models are used to either minimise risk in the entire SC, or maximise reliability. In Ravindran et al. ( 2010 ), each facility is associated with two risk types; value-at-risk (VaR) and miss-the-target (MtT). The risk of selecting a supplier or opening a facility is defined as a value between 0 and 1 (Kaur and Prakash Singh 2021; Yoon et al., 2018 ). Some researchers (Yildiz et al., 2016 ) aim to maximise network reliability by assigning each node and arc a given reliability index. The SCND objective function is first to minimise the total cost and second to maximise total reliability.

In models defined under uncertainty situations (UCT), parameters are uncertain or vague and no information about the probabilities is known. In this paper, we categorise UCT models into two subcategories: robust (RO) and Fuzzy (FUZZ) models. In RO models, parameters are uncertain and no information about probabilities are known. Similar to SB methods, RO models have been successfully applied to model proactive, reactive, and SC design quality strategies (An et al., 2014 ; Cheng et al., 2021 ; Hernandez et al., 2014 ; Lu et al., 2015 ). The main advantage of RO models is that they do not rely on probability distributions or the generation of scenarios (Cheng et al., 2021 ). A solution to an RO model is defined either as solution robust or model robust. A solution robust remains ‘close’ to optimal for all scenarios of the input data, and a model robust solution remains ‘almost’ feasible for all data scenarios (Jabbarzadeh et al., 2014). The RO model aims to measure trade-offs between solution and model robustness (Lu & Cheng, 2021 ). FUZ models are used when some critical parameters (such as demand and capacity levels) are imprecise in nature due to incompleteness and/or unavailability of data (Torabi & Hassani, 2008). Torabi et al. ( 2015 ) proposed a fuzzy enhanced possibilistic programming approach to deal with epistemic uncertainty in input data such as costs, demands, and number of returned products. The scenario-based method including scenario dependent failure probabilities is applied to define the possible disruption of facilities. They integrated proactive, reactive and SC design quality strategies in their model.

4.3.2 Integrating resilience strategies into the mathematical models

In this subsection, we show how mitigation strategies have been integrated into the mathematical models by analysing the characteristics of the mathematical models employing most efficient and frequently applied strategies in the models in the references articles; these include P1 from proactive resilience strategies, R1 from reactive strategies and D2 and D5 from SC design complexity strategies. Tables 7 summarize the information related to proactive, reactive and SC design strategies, respectively. A review of the characteristic of the models listed in Table  7 shows that RB (Jabbarzadeh et al., 2016 ; Li et al., 2013a , 2013b , 2013c ), SB (Aldrighetti et al., 2023 ; Alikhani et al., 2021 ; Gholami-Zanjani, et al., 2021a ; Sawik, 2013a ; Torabi et al., 2015 ; Zhang et al., 2024 ) and RO (Aksen & Aras, 2012 ; Hasani & Khosrojerdi, 2016 ) models have been applied to model P1 strategy. For example, Aldrighetti et al. ( 2023 ) propose that facilities can be reinforced through investments in protection systems. This resilience investment is quantified as a percentage of the standard facility establishment costs and is categorized into various protection levels. Each level corresponds to a reduction in disruption magnitude. In these models, non-scenario dependent binary variables are used as the dominant variables in modelling. As an exception, Gholami-Zanjani et al. ( 2021a ) employ the fortification of facilities as a continuous function based on investment costs, which can be adjusted at any time period under each disruption scenario. The facilities which are protected in case of disruption either do not fail (Aksen & Aras, 2012 ; Li et al., 2013a , 2013b , 2013c ; Sawik, 2013a ), or lose capacity according to their fortification level or the amount of investment (Gholami-Zanjani, et al., 2021a ). In the implementation of this strategy, the protection cost is minimized as the objective function and the amount of investment may be limited to available budget (Hasani & Khosrojerdi, 2016 ; Jabbarzadeh et al., 2016 ; Zhang et al., 2024 ).

Table 7 also presents the main characteristics of the mathematical models that applied R1 strategy as a post disruption scenario. As reported in Table  7 , SB (e.g. Hosseini et al., 2019a , 2019b ; Fahimnia & Jabbarzadeh, 2016; Ghanei et al., 2023 ), RO (e.g. Alikhani et al., 2023a , 2023b ; Hasani & Khosrojerdi, 2016 ), DET (Maliki et al., 2022 ), and FUZ (Namdar et al., 2021 ) models have been applied to model R1. A review of the decision variables used in modelling R1 shows that they are defined as a scenario dependent integer or continuous variables that determine the number of products sent to customers or other facilities in any disruption scenario. Transportation costs, selling price, unit purchasing cost of materials, distance between facilities and customers, and expected defect rate of products supplied by each supplier are related parameters that makes it possible to optimise the integration of this strategy by taking into account the objective function (column 4, Table  7 ). Capacity at each facility is the most commonly applied constraint in models and scenario-based modelling is the dominant method in this strategy.

SC design quality strategies are used before disruptions, increasing resilience and robustness. To explore how such strategies are integrated into mathematical models focus was placed on the two strategies identified as most efficient in research articles, D2 and D5 (see Sect.  4.2 ). Table 7 shows the characteristics of the mathematical models applying these strategies. IF (Snyder & Daskin, 2005 ; Chen et al., 2011; PrasannaVenkatesan & Goh, 2016 , Enayati et al., 2024 ) and SB (Dupont et al., 2018 ; Feng et al., 2023 ; Sawik, 2020 ) are among the modelling approaches being applied to model D2, and D5. The goal of strategy D2 is to reduce the potential effects of disruptions on the SC by selecting the best combination of suppliers to allocated customer demand. To include this strategy in mathematical models, similar to proactive strategies, non-scenario dependent binary variables are used for supplier selection (column 2 of Table  7 ). Continuous variables, such as ‘Fraction of total demand assigned to each supplier’ determine demand attributed to suppliers (PrasannaVenkatesan & Goh, 2016 ; Sawik, 2014 , 2020 ). Supplier capacity and demand satisfaction constraints are key limitations frequently used to regulate this strategy. IF is the only modeling approach used for D5, defined by binary variables such as 'assigning customers to a facility at different levels,' or continuous variables like 'the probability that a facility is assigned a customer at different levels' (see column two of Table  7 for the full list of variables). The objective function defined for modelling this strategy mainly includes the minimisation of the expected transportation cost. In some of the presented models, assignment of customers to the facilities is limited by their capacity. The mathematical formulation for this strategy must include constraints such as 'each customer can only be assigned to one facility at each assignment level' and 'customers must be assigned to facilities that have been opened.' IF models are not applicable in modelling reactive strategies since they do not explicitly define failure scenarios. However, unlike SB models that can exponentially increase numbers of variables and constraints, IF models are more compact, polynomial in size, so produce solutions more quickly (Cui et al., 2010 ).

5 Future research directions

5.1 disruption types.

The Covid-19 pandemic demonstrated how global disruption can cause all sections of a SC to fail simultaneously. These types of disruptions in supply chain networks can be studied either separately or in an integrated manner. Scenario-based (SB) and robust optimization (RO) approaches have the potential to model these disruptions on a semi-global or global scale. However, only a few studies have investigated these scenarios, whether separately or in an integrated manner. Integrated global or semi-global disruption types, alongside regional ones, are often addressed in RSS problems; however, designing RLND networks demands even greater attention. Furthermore, studies focusing on RFL and IRFL problems that integrate such disruption events are also limited (Table  3 ) meaning further research in this area is required in future studies. In a multi-period stochastic setting, the accommodation of multiple disruptions occurring in succession during the recovery process in all decision-making problems addressed by SCND has not been studied. By incorporating this capability into the expanded framework, a deeper analysis of the sequential disruptions and their cumulative effects on the supply chain can be conducted (Azad & Hassini, 2019 ; Sawik, 2021 ). It is essential to recognize that different types of disruptions can have varying impacts on different regions. The effects of disruptions can be heterogeneous, with some regions experiencing more severe consequences than others, so insights into the relationship between supply chain resilience and robustness require exploration of such situations (Fahimnia et al., 2018 ).

5.2 Vulnerable sections

Our analysis revealed researchers focus on suppliers and plants as vulnerable sections of SCs. In retail SCs distributors and retailers are at risk of disruption, and this area warrants further attention. Moreover, in much of the analyzed research, it is assumed that customer demand remains independent of supply chain disruptions. However, during regional or global disruptions, simultaneous changes in customer demand are likely to occur, as evidenced by the increased demand for essentials like pasta and rice during the Covid-19 pandemic. This issue deserves particular attention in the context of RSS, IRFL, and RFL problems.

The possibility of local, regional or global disruptions occurring in the transportation routes or modes in RFL and RSS problems has not been considered until now and should be addressed in future research. Disruption in SC transportation sectors significantly impact on performance since meeting customer demand for physical products is only possible when this sector is operative. Future research should address disruption at transportation nodes and the implications of port congestion as a significant source of delays on supply chain performance (Namdar et al., 2021 ). This entails exploring mitigation strategies, operational adjustments, and decision-making frameworks to enhance resilience in the face of such disruptions. For instance, studying the coordination and synchronization of port operations, or optimizing resource allocation can help alleviate the negative impact of port congestion on supply chains.

Finally, the impact of facility disruptions on reachability and access distances presents an intriguing avenue for future research (Yan & Ji, 2020). Disruption, reachability and access distances opens opportunities to explore integrated RSCND problems, along with other optimization problems such as routing optimization under disruption scenarios. A comprehensive understanding of the performance of supply chain networks, requires consideration of the wider effects of disruptions, including the impact of disruptions on critical factors such as lead time or capacity of different sections of SCs (Hasani & Khosrojerdi, 2016 ).

5.3 Mitigation strategies

Suggestions for future research in this section are made by comparing the results obtained in this research and the aspects of the triple capabilities presented in Chowdhury and Quaddus (2017).

5.3.1 Proactive strategies

Proactive strategies related to disaster readiness capabilities of SCs including readiness resource, disruption detection, and security, is under researched. Specifically, when considering digital technologies now central to all supply chains in practice, greater focus needs to be placed upon cyber attacks and proactive cybersecurity strategies within the models. Our analysis in Table 8 reveals that only one study has proposed a cybersecurity strategy in modelling RLND problems. This strategy deserves greater attention, and incorporating this into future models across all types of resilient supply chain network design problems will advance understanding.

Few studies consider product substitution in RFL and assign flexibility indices to facilities in RLND problems. Exploring other types of flexibility strategies, such as time flexibility (the ability to adjust production lead times) and production volume flexibility, could open new avenues for future research. Flexibility in the workforce, products and production has not been considered too.

Efficiency gains from increased productivity and hardworking employees, and quality control are among the SC proactive capabilities that can be used as the basis of improving the resiliency of SCs by introducing suitable mitigation strategies. Another proactive strategy that requires more attention is the application of insurance as a mitigation strategy. Investigating the impact of insurance on supply chain resilience and developing insurance strategies could yield valuable insights.

A review of the mitigation strategies listed in the Table 8 shows that the application of proactive strategies for different vulnerable sections of SCs have not been equal. For suppliers, plants and manufacturers, and DCs, more than 10% of the reference articles applied proactive strategies, while for general facilities, retailers, and the transportation section, this number is reduced to below 5%. Proactive strategies have not been employed for geographically defined areas of customer demand. Future studies should investigate the effectiveness of proactive strategies for vulnerable SC sectors that have received little attention. In particular, future studies should explore approaches to enhance the robustness and resilience of arcs and transportation routes (Meng et al., 2021 ). This may involve evaluating alternative routes, and optimizing resource allocation for route protection, or implementing real-time monitoring systems to detect and respond to disruptions promptly. In addition, collaboration has been limited to suppliers, facilities, and DCs but it is increasingly recognized that the involvement and support of all supply chain partners are critical to the success of the proposed strategy. To address capability maintenance and control challenges, it is advisable to focus future efforts on the development of a comprehensive monitoring framework. This framework can leverage potential solutions from recent advancements in Internet-based technologies, including the Internet of Things (IoT), blockchain technology, artificial intelligence, and other related fields (Vishnu et al., 2021).

5.3.2 Reactive strategies

A number of reactive strategies have been proposed to increase the response capability of SCs (e.g., Alikhani et al., 2021 ; Sawik, 2013a , 2019 , 2021 ; Tucker et al., 2020 ). However, several research avenues remain in this area. First, by replenishing capacity through non-disrupted facilities and maintaining customer allocations, companies can effectively navigate challenges and maintain operational capabilities (Lu & Cheng, 2021 ). Secondly, in the event of disruptions, the availability of parts in the inventory for transhipment can be compromised (Sawik, 2019 ). To address these issues, analysis is required of contingency plans that can effectively deal with part non-availability for transhipment and constraints on the transhipment process. The analysis provided in Table 8 indicates that limited research has been conducted on applying reactive strategies to increase resilience in general facilities, retailers, transportation modes, routes, and customer zones within supply chains. More exploration is needed to understand how reactive strategies can be tailored and implemented at the facility level, within retail operations, for transportation modes and routes, and in customer zones. The concept of relocating DCs has recently been examined by Maliki et al. ( 2022 ) within the scope of dynamic RFL problems. Their sensitivity analysis revealed that utilizing mobile facilities can result in cost savings by eliminating the extra expenses of opening and closing facilities associated with dynamic relocations during each period of a finite planning horizon. Further exploration is necessary to determine if similar cost savings and operational efficiencies can be achieved within the context of other types of reverse supply chain network design (RSCND) problems, such as reverse logistics network design (RLND) and integrated reverse flow logistics (IRFL) problems.

Limited research has been done in the field of recovery related strategies. This group of strategies has only been applied where suppliers, manufacturers, DCs are the vulnerable sections of SC. Recovery strategies have not been examined in other sections defined as vulnerable and could be examined in future research.

5.3.3 SC design quality:

SC design quality related strategies are most often employed to improve the complexity related capabilities of SCs when suppliers, general facilities, plants, DCs and retailers are vulnerable to disruption. The greatest attention is given to strategies at transportation modes and routes, and customer demand disruptions. There is a knowledge gap related to capabilities that further improve resilience, such as SC node density, critically for suppliers, general facilities, plants, DCs and retailers, customer demand, and complexity for transportation modes and routes. Strategies can then be devised to enhance the robustness and redundancy of these critical nodes, ensuring uninterrupted flow of materials and minimizing disruptions. There is a notable lack of studies focusing on modeling facility segregation and dispersion strategies, despite their critical importance, particularly in addressing vulnerabilities among manufacturers, DCs, and retailers within supply chains (see Table 8 ). Currently, there is a lack of studies addressing mitigation strategies that prioritize the resilience of demand nodes. Future research could explore the advantages of having multiple buyers instead of relying heavily on a few large buyers. Another compelling area for further investigation is comparing strategies in concentrated markets versus diversified markets within different node density groups.

5.3.4 Mitigation strategy combinations

Several authors have attempted to integrate diverse mitigation strategies from various categories. However, it is evident that only one paper (Alikhani et al., 2023a , 2023b ) provides justifications for these integrations, specifically studying the synergistic effects of combining resilience strategies. A promising direction for future research entails conducting a qualitative study to delve into the underlying reasons behind these combinations, complemented by a quantitative analysis of their overall performance.

When combining resilience strategies, only a limited number of studies have explored the integration of supply chain design quality resilience strategies. Moreover, there is a scarcity of studies that combine proactive and reactive strategies. Therefore, in the future, authors can focus their efforts on proposing models that leverage the advantages of combining such strategies and investigate both their potential benefits and drawbacks. For example, among these strategies listed in Table 8 , facility collaboration (SP11, PP10, and DP9), cybersecurity (SP4, and DP3)—proactive approaches—and facility dispersion (SD2, PD1, and DD1)—a SC design quality approach—have shown promising results when integrated with other proactive or reactive strategies. Their integration can also be studied alongside approaches from supply chain design quality and reactive strategies to explore their effectiveness in enhancing supply chain resilience.

5.4 Mitigation strategies relative performance

The results of the analysis presented (Sect.  4.2 ) shows that in most research the effectiveness of strategies and their relative performance has not been investigated, or is only compared against a SC model not employing resilience strategies. Future research should focus on the relative effectiveness of different strategic options. The findings in Sect.  4.2 show that the performance of resilience strategies can depend on objective functions. The efficiency of strategies with both monetary and non-monetary objective functions such as visibility, responsiveness, social and environmental performance measures should be considered. Very little research exists where models are defined as multi-objective.

Exploration of the relative performance of mitigation strategies in different contexts, taking into account various objective functions, is required to develop knowledge in this area. Such studies will contribute to developing standardized approaches for selecting mitigation strategies tailored to specific types of supply chains.

5.5 Modelling

First, in multi-objective models presented using IF, RB, SSO, RO and SP, the objective functions are defined to minimise SC disruption costs, where usually the disruption cost is defined as the expected cost of transportation. Going forward researchers should consider non-monetary objective functions such as environmental related criteria and green transportation (Erdoĝan & Miller-Hooks, 2012 ) as well as social criteria such as fairness (Jiang & Zografos, 2021 ). Taking into account a longer time horizon, it is valuable to explore the enhancement of visibility, agility, external flexibility, and integral integration through the utilization of objective functions, such as maximizing visibility and internal integration (Nooraie et al., 2020). Exploring the trade-offs between sustainability and resilience can provide valuable insights for businesses in making tactical and operational decisions, such as determining sales prices, discounts, and customer service levels (Jabbarzadeh et al., 2018 ).

Secondly, the majority of models focus on designing resilient supply chains (RSCs) for a single product and within a single time period. However, there is a need for the development of resilience strategies and quantitative models that address multi-period and multi-product problems. Multi-period models serve as a basis for studying the ripple effects (Dolgui et al., 2018 ; Gholami-Zanjani, et al., 2021a ) and recovery options in supply chain design. Additionally, these models provide a foundation for analysing lead-time constraints, delays, and late orders in supply chain analysis (Kaur & Prakash Singh, 2021). To increase the realism and applicability of multi-period models across diverse industries, it is essential to incorporate seasonal products and consider factors such as inflation and the time value of money (Saha et al., 2020).

Third, few integrative models exist, and research could consider combining location problems with transportation planning, inventory management, and production scheduling. Integrating optimization problems across different planning horizons may prove an effective approach to system design.

Finally, the application of the developed model to real-life case studies within actual supply chains is crucial for advancing knowledge in the field. By conducting empirical studies in real-world contexts, researchers can refine the model, address practical considerations, and provide valuable guidance for industry practitioners seeking to apply the resilience strategies in their RSCND processes.

6 Conclusions, and managerial implications

6.1 summary and conclusions.

Events such as the Covid-19 pandemic highlighted the importance of resilience in SC design. Resilience strategies are key to protecting SC’s through planning for pre- or post-disruption activities. This novel investigation used a systematic literature review method to investigate the mitigation strategies used in mathematical models of RSCND problems and the methods of integrating them in the proposed models to address several challenges in developing quantitative models for designing RSCs.

To address RQ1, ‘What is the classification of disruptions according to the extent of their impact on vulnerable parts of SCs?’ we classified disruptions events based on their geographic scope and the part of SCs they affect, and show that in most articles local disruptions are introduced as the main cause of facility failures, with fewer articles considering regional and global disruptions respectively. When addressing local disruptions, researchers more often considered RLND and RFL problems than RSS and RFL problems. Analysis shows that in the literature, little attention has been paid to the modelling of RSCND problems in the case of national and regional disruption events.

RQ2 asked “focussing on vulnerable SC sections, what strategies have been introduced to improve resilience?” This analysis found that SC design complexity related strategies are most commonly used to address vulnerabilities at suppliers, with general facilities and transportation also often used respectively. Reactive strategies are dominant in the other SC sections, except for retailers where proactive strategies are prevalent. This analysis also examines the performance of mitigation strategies in different SCND contexts by reviewing the efficiency of the most commonly employed strategies selected from proactive, reactive and SC chain quality categories. The results of this analysis show that the effectiveness of mitigation strategies in reducing the effects of disruption depends on the context of SCs.

RQ3 ‘Drawing on performance criteria from literature, how have these strategies improved the resilience of supply chains?’, required analyses of the performance of applied mitigation strategies in improving the resilience of SCs. Strategies D2 and P1 performed well in comparison to other strategies, regardless of context of industrial application, though there were exceptions (see for example (Fattahi et al., 2017 ). We found the relative performance of mitigation strategies related to the objective function, and that combined strategies often outperform discrete applications.

Finally, RQ4 asked ‘How are resilience strategies integrated into mathematical models?’. To address RO4, the proposed mathematical models that addressed RSCND were classified based on their modelling approaches. Our findings indicated that SB and RO modelling approaches from the STH category were the only methods used to model a wide range of disruptive events and resilience strategies. Reactive strategies can only be integrated into mathematical models such as SB and RO, which divide the problem solving process into two stages, pre- and post-disruption. IF and RB modelling approaches were mainly used for proactive and SC design quality strategies. SP and FUZ models were used in modelling RSCND with parameters following specified statistical distributions and fuzzy numbers respectively, while R&R models were applied to risk minimisation and reliability maximization strategies.

The findings of this review provide a basis for both academics and practitioners to utilise and undertake further research into the methods of integration of resilience strategies into mathematical models proposed for different version of RSCND problems to make further effective contributions to the field.

6.2 Managerial implications

This review paper provides several implications for managers, particularly in the design of RSCs. The review guides managers in the design of mathematical models, and in choosing among mitigation strategies for SCs. For example, in a scenario a manager intends to invest in a food SC in Cornwall, a coastal areas in the UK that is exposed to natural disasters such as floods and storms. The manager's goal is to design a SC that includes suppliers, manufacturers, and distribution centres, with suppliers and manufacturers located in the Cornwall region and therefore vulnerable to disruption events. The analysis performed in Sect.  3 as a first step will assist the manager to address the appropriate optimization problem considering the identified vulnerable sectors of the SC. In addition, the analysis presented will help them to understand how to model the disruptions in terms of geographic scope. In this case, a RLND problem may be defined considering the possibilities of regional and local disruption affecting both suppliers and manufacturers. The second implication is that managers can identify resilient strategies to hedge SC’s against the possible disruptions. The analysis in Sect.  4.1 aids managers evaluation of resilience strategies proposed for given conditions they face. Further the analyses in both Sects.  4.1 and 4.2 can be used to compare the performance of mitigation strategies in a given context, supporting the choice of the most efficient strategy. Suppose P1 strategy is selected from the proactive category, which according to the analysis of Sect.  4.2 provides reasonable relative performance. The final implication is related to the design of a suitable mathematical model to solve this problem. The results of the investigations carried out in Sect.  5.1 then aid managers choice of modelling approach. Supplementing the choice of model, the main characterises of the model can be determined by referring to the analyses in Sect.  5.2 .

Data availability

Data supporting the findings of this study are available on a reasonable request from the authors.

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This work was supported by the UK Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC) as part of the Responsive Additive Manufacture to Overcome Natural and Attack-based disruption (RAMONA) project grant [EP/V051040/1].

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The list of articles are presented for each strategy based on the associated DM problem discussed in Sect. 2.3. The last column of the Table 8 represents how often each strategy is applied in models in the articles (as a percent of total). In order to refer to the strategies more easily, in Table 8 , we have also assigned a code to each mitigation strategy e.g. SP1 is suppliers protection or fortification strategy.

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Roshani, A., Walker-Davies, P. & Parry, G. Designing resilient supply chain networks: a systematic literature review of mitigation strategies. Ann Oper Res (2024). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10479-024-06228-6

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