What Potential Does the Metaverse Hold for Overcoming Supply Chain Geopolitical Disruptions Through Scenario-Based Planning and Risk Management?

Geopolitical disruptions such as trade wars, sanctions, and political instability threaten global supply chain (SC) resilience. As a result, multinational corporations face financial losses, operational delays, and strategic uncertainties, creating an urgent demand for innovative risk management and scenario-planning strategies. Traditional risk management methods struggle to keep pace with the complexity of these events. This study explores the metaverse, combining VR, AR, digital twins, AI, and blockchain, as a tool for enhancing SC risk management. By enabling immersive scenario planning, real-time risk visualization, and collaborative decision-making, the metaverse supports agile and resilient supply chains. This research proposes a conceptual framework integrating key fourth industrial revolution (4IR) technologies to address geopolitical SC disruptions systematically. This model fosters digital preparedness, simulation-based learning, and adaptive coordination. While technological, organizational, and regulatory challenges persist, the study demonstrates that metaverse-enabled systems can support future-ready SC resilience strategies.