HWR Research Competence Centre: Challenges and Resilience of Global Supply and Value Chains

• Subject Area: Economics ; Jurisprudence ; Social Sciences
• Term: since 2024
• Project identifier: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 528278755

The "HWR Research Competence Centre: Challenges and Resilience of Global Supply and Value Chains" is a research impulse created to further develop existing capabilities in the field of global value and supply chains (GSVCs) while connecting it to the HWR’s other advanced research areas, such as sociology, criminology, security studies, business administration, economics, political science and law. It is constituted of 13 principal investigators (PIs), all of whom are professors at HWR Berlin, spanning three different departments and several institutes. The resulting hub aims to improve the quality of research of an increasingly globalised issue at the precipice of continuous crises such as climate change, armed conflict, and pandemics (as exemplified by Covid-19). Accordingly, goals include the development of new theories, models, and methodological approaches in the field of GSVC resilience, as well as their potential operationalisation for policy makers, universities, and international organisations. This increase in capacity also aims to support a pioneering role of HWR in the field and its visibility as an interdisciplinary centre of expertise in the area of GSVCs. This includes the establishment of a doctoral programme. Scientific objectives include the investigation of different dimensions of GSVC resilience, the influence of crises on these dimensions, future options for GSVC resilience, and the requirements for transformation. To achieve these goals and to leverage as well as create synergies, the Competence Centre structures itself into four Thematic Competence Clusters organised around one Central Competence Cluster. While Central Cluster A deals with interdisciplinary connections and overarching issues, Thematic Clusters B-E engage in knowledge-driven research, and are not only connected via the central cluster, but also through direct exchange, joint research and shared methodological approaches. Thematic Cluster B examines the relationship of value chain reconfiguration with interdependent growth regimes and effects on economic and social resilience in the context of varying degrees of globalisation. Thematic Cluster C investigates the resilience of legal and illegal GSVCs in the context of security, contestation, accountability, and the rule of law. Thematic Cluster D explores the viability of intertwined GSVCs, their costs to businesses and their societal value. Thematic Cluster E analyses the sustainability of GSVCs with climate related indicators, and pursues the goal to develop an integrated set of criteria for evaluation. Building on the results of this research impulse in combination with existing capabilities, HWR aims to become an important point of reference in GSVC decision-making, business practises and education. This process is further enhanced by HWR’s strong focus on internationalisation in education and research, including international research partners, and therefore fostering academic partnerships and exchange.

• DFG Programme: Research Impulses
• International Connection: Brazil, India
• Applicant Institution: Hochschule für Wirtschaft und Recht Berlin
• Spokesperson: Professor Dr. Hartmut Aden
• Participating Researchers: Professorin Dr. Silke Bustamante; Professor Dr. Tobias Börger; Professor Dr. Eckhard Hein; Professorin Dr. Daniela Hunold; Professor Dr. Dmitry Ivanov; Professor Dr. Matthias Kötter; Professor Dr. Vincenz Leuschner; Professorin Dr. Stefanie Lorenzen; Professorin Dr. Andrea Pelzeter; Dr. Markus Schultze-Kraft; Professorin Dr. Martina Sproll; Professorin Dr. Christina Teipen
• Cooperation Partners: Professorin Dr. Premilla D' Cruz; Professor Dr. Bruno De Conti; Professor Praveen Jha, Ph.D.; Professor Dr. Ermesto Noronha