The algorithms big companies use to manage their supply chains don’t work during pandemics

Photo by Mikhail Japaridze / TASS via Getty Images Even during a pandemic, Walmart’s supply chain managers have to make sure stores and warehouses are stocked with the things customers want and need. COVID-19, though, has thrown off the digital program that helps them predict how many diapers and garden hoses they need to keep on the shelves.Normally, the system can reliably analyze things like inventory levels, historical purchasing trends, and discounts to recommend how much of a produc