Risk management has become an increasingly important topic in supply chain management (SCM), but decision-making under conditions of risk remains under-researched. This study used an experiment based on purchasing and the game of roulette to assess dynamic decision-making behaviors in SCM. An analysis of four separate risk domains – including a distinction between quantity- and variability-based decisions – indicated that decision-makers assess risk attitudes independently for each domain and that these attitudes affect subsequent decisions in their respective domains. These findings indicate that SCM represents a distinct decision context. For practitioners, this research demonstrates why standardized risk management approaches that assume consistent risk attitudes may fail, as a manager who appears risk-averse in one type of decision may simultaneously be risk-seeking elsewhere. Organizations can leverage these insights by matching employee risk profiles to decision types and implementing domain-specific training programs.

@article{ryanatkins-2026-1733,
  title={Supply Chain Decision-Making  Across Risk Domains},
  author={Ryan  Atkins and Matthew  Drake and Michael  Sherwin},
  journal={Operations and Supply Chain Management: An International Journal},
  year={2026},
  volume={19},
  number={2},
  pages={339--349},
  doi={10.31387/oscm0650524}
}

Ryan  Atkins, Matthew  Drake, Michael  Sherwin (2026). Supply Chain Decision-Making  Across Risk Domains. Operations and Supply Chain Management: An International Journal, 19(2), 339-349. https://doi.org/10.31387/oscm0650524