Linkages
Spring 2026 Volume 19, Issue 1
Global Supply Chain Management
On-Again, Off-Again Tariffs Cause Significant Uncertainty and Disruption in Global Supply Chains road-based, shifting tariffs on U.S. trade partners have led to significant supply chain disruptions and substantial business uncertainty. Businesses of all sizes and across most industries are unsure what the future might hold as U.S. trade policy continues to evolve. The resulting cost increases have been mostly absorbed by U.S. firms or passed down to U.S. consumers. The administration has acknowledged this with the recent rollback of food tariffs with the stated goal of lowering prices. Less visible is the frenzy of appeals for exemptions, a process that imposes significant costs on small- and mid-sized firms that lack sufficient resources to jump through bureaucratic and political hoops. Most worrisome is the prospect of supply chain chaos as many firms are forced to constantly monitor official guidance and adjust their supply chains to mitigate risks. This volatility has made it difficult for businesses to plan, invest and maintain stable operations, leading to higher costs. Furthermore, the uncertain business climate has prompted many firms to put the brakes on hiring as they tighten their belts to absorb the costs of tariffs and anxiously await a lasting trade deal. In summary: • Tariffs add complexity and costs in managing procurement and logistics of imported materials and components, which in turn raises operational costs for U.S. manufacturers, often passed on to consumers as higher prices.
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• The policy uncertainty resulting in frequent changes and announcements regarding tariff rates has prevented many businesses from having the stability required to reconfigure their supply chains and make long-term investments. • The unpredictable tariff rates have led some importers to stockpile goods to avoid potential future price hikes, creating additional volatility in the upstream supply networks, leading to bottlenecks and cost increases.
Permanent rollback of tariffs on a wide range of items would remove a major source of instability. This would allow firms to shift their focus from the scramble to constantly reconfigure their supply chains, renegotiate with their suppliers and lobby for tariff exemptions to maintaining stable operations, leading to lower costs and Prof. Farzad Mahmoodi sustained economic growth. Our Global Supply Chain Management program covers critical topics to help today’s professionals successfully navigate multifaceted challenges. In this issue of Linkages, you will read about our faculty’s latest achievements and research, including: a new faculty member whose research centers around optimization under uncertainty in supply chain transportation problems, (p. 2-3); research that combines advanced AI and logistics design to shape the future of truck and drone delivery systems (p. 4); research into Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) and their manufacturing and operational capability building dynamic to address supply chain misalignment and improve productivity (p. 5); as well as an interview with Reh School of Business Interim Dean Stephen Standifird on the attributes that distinguish and differentiate a Clarkson education. We hope you enjoy this issue and welcome your feedback (mahmoodi@clarkson.edu). — Professor Farzad Mahmoodi Joel Goldschein ’57 Endowed Chair in Supply Chain Management & Director of Clarkson’s GSCM Program
Clarkson’s Global Supply Chain Management Program in the Nation for 18 years. #1 in New York State.
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— U.S. News & World Report 2023