The theme of improving global value chain (GVC) resilience has dominated the discussions among operations research scholars and supply chain managers following the GVC disruptions caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. Drawing on the literature on flexibility and real options, this article moves beyond the conventional focus on GVC reconfiguration by advocating for flexibility strategies in response to the rising global uncertainty. It also proposes two illustrative option-creation methods for multinational corporations (MNCs) with the cases of Tesla, Nike, and Apple. The cognitive, organizational, and operational foundations of crafting and implementing successful flexibility strategies are also discussed.
