Auswirkungen geopolitischer Konflikte auf die Lieferkettenstabilität österreichischer Unternehmen

: Eine Analyse am Beispiel der Angriffe der Huthi-Miliz im Roten Meer

Abstract

This research paper explores how geopolitical conflicts, especially the attacks by the Houthi militia in the Red Sea, affect the stability of supply chains for Austrian companies. The goal is to answer two main research questions: First, what impact do these disruptions in the Red Sea have on Austrian supply chains? Second, how can companies improve their resilience to such disruptions? According to academic sources, these attacks caused serious problems for global trade routes, especially the Suez Canal. As a result, many companies had to switch to longer and more expensive routes around the Cape of Good Hope. The number of ships using the Suez Canal dropped significantly. The alternative route increases transport times and leads to higher shipping costs. Interviews with affected companies showed that the Red Sea attacks had direct effects on their supply chains. To keep goods flowing, companies had to increase their inventory and use alternative transport routes. This led to higher financial costs. Experts say that supply chain resilience can be improved through flexible strategies. By holding more stock and planning for alternative routes, companies can continue to deliver products even during crises. The paper is divided into several chapters: Introduction, Theoretical Background, Methodology, Research Results, Discussion, and Outlook. The introduction explains the problem and the aim of the study. The theoretical part looks at trade routes between Asia and Europe, different transport methods, supply chain management, and risk management. The methodology chapter describes how expert interviews were used to study the effects of geopolitical conflicts. The results chapter presents the interview findings in categories such as transport time, cost development, resilience, and risk management. The discussion reflects critically on the methods and findings. Finally, the outlook gives recommendations for future research and explains why the results are important for companies.

Date of Award	2025
Original language	German (Austria)
Supervisor	Mátyás Gritsch (Supervisor)