National Security Institute Publishes New NSI Decision Memo: Building Trusted Global Supply Chain Ecosystems in a Fractured World

December 15, 2020
Contact: Christina Brown
cbrown15@gmu.edu

National Security Institute Publishes New Decision Memo:
“Building Trusted Global Supply Chain Ecosystems in a Fractured World”
Arlington, VA – As concerns about disruptions to supply chain networks are amplified due to the pandemic, the National Security Institute (NSI) at George Mason University’s Antonin Scalia Law School published its latest NSI Decision Memo, “Building Trusted Global Supply Chain Ecosystems in a Fractured World,” by NSI Visiting Fellow Lori Gordon and NSI Senior Fellow Dr. Andrea Little Limbago.

 

This NSI Decision Memo:

  • Summarizes the growth of global supply chain fragility and insecurity.
  • Describes the growing global divisions into trusted and untrusted technospheres and national security implications.
  • Argues for a strong U.S. leadership role in developing strategies to expedite the move toward trusted supply chain ecosystems.

“In this new paper from NSI, Dr. Andrea Limbago and Lori Gordon have brought needed coherence at a critical time to the often disparate conversations around supply chain risk,” said John Lipsey, Director of Policy at the National Security Institute at GMU’s Antonin Scalia Law School.  “As government and the private sector seek immediate band aids in response to the latest risk that surfaces—whether it be 5G, COVID, or indeed this week’s shocking SolarWinds attack—and find their supply chains to be consistently more concentrated and intractable than they realized, policymakers and corporate leaders will need a more developed strategic playbook to create the partnerships and policy frameworks needed to deliver true resiliency. Andrea and Lori are fortunately here to help get us started.”

“New risks to the supply chain are continually emerging and the discussion on how to buy down risk must evolve and include every stakeholder across every policy and technology process.  Indeed, we are bearing down on some strategic opportunities,” said Lori Gordon.  “To put it simply, our ability to analyze our strengths and weaknesses from a domestic and global context, to learn from our mistakes and successes as well as those of our international partners, and to find the R&D and tech path that consciously and continuously embeds security and resilience will help all sectors – from finance to energy to critical manufacturing – inoculate from supply chain risk.”

“Supply chain risk is both a national and an economic security challenge that requires significant attention and visibility,” said Dr. Andrea Little Limbago.  “From critical technologies to catastrophic risk from pandemics and climate change, organizations and governments are restructuring their supply chains to obtain greater resilience from future disruptions. The U.S. must engage and lead collaborative efforts to define the policies, norms, and standards that will secure global supply chains and incentivize trustworthy and resilient ecosystems.”

The paper is available here.

Lori Gordon’s bio can be found here.

Andrea Little Limbago’s bio can be found here.

About the National Security InstituteThe National Security Institute serves as a platform for research, teaching, scholarship, and policy development that incorporates a realistic assessment of the threats facing the United States and its allies, as well as an appreciation of the legal and practical challenges facing U.S. intelligence, defense, law enforcement, homeland security, and cybersecurity communities.  NSI draws on the experience of its fellows, as well as its highly distinguished advisory board and faculty, to produce timely research and policy materials that deliver insightful analysis and actionable recommendations to senior policymakers in the White House and key departments and agencies, as well as those on Capitol Hill.

About George Mason
George Mason University is Virginia’s largest public research university. Located near Washington, D.C., Mason enrolls more than 33,000 students from 130 countries and all 50 states.  Mason has grown rapidly over the past half-century and is recognized for its innovation and entrepreneurship, remarkable diversity, and commitment to accessibility.

About the Scalia Law School
The Antonin Scalia Law School at George Mason University is defined by three words: Learn. Challenge. Lead. Students receive an outstanding legal education (Learn), are taught to critically evaluate prevailing orthodoxy and pursue new ideas (Challenge), and, ultimately, are well prepared to distinguish themselves in their chosen fields (Lead).  It has been one of America’s top-ranked law schools for the last fifteen years.