Zambia

Evaluating a Labor Dispute and its Impact on the Supply Chain

Extractive

Kitwe, Lusaka and Ndola, Zambia

Strategy

Challenge

The client is a major buyer of a metal commodity that it sourced from Zambian suppliers. A labor dispute between workers and expatriate senior management resulted in a strike that significantly impacted delivery lead times.

Solution

A  Madison Springfield team leveraged local researchers who conducted interviews of the striking workers, while simultaneously collaborating with the expatriate management team and local government officials, to identify which factors were contributing to the labor impasse and to assess the likelihood of a timely resolution.

Result

The insights obtained through the interviews of key actors provided the client with information necessary to anticipate challenges and shape the outcome of the negotiation and take corrective action to mitigate the strike’s impact on the client’s supply chain.