The interplay between digital technologies and supply chain resilience

Abstract

Purpose The pandemic, disruptions to transportation networks, geopolitical conflicts and trade restrictions over the past five years have intensified attention to supply chain resilience (SCRes) from both academia and industry. At the same time, rapid digitalisation is transforming traditional supply chains. Although numerous studies have examined digital technologies or SCRes independently, limited attention has been given to the reciprocal interrelationships among digital technologies and SCRes dimensions. Given the interconnected nature of digital technologies and the multidimensional characteristics of SCRes, examining these reciprocal interrelationships is essential for capturing their collective influence. Therefore, this study aims to identify the digital technologies that influence SCRes and examine their interrelationships with the dimensions of SCRes, thereby clarifying the relative roles and influence of both digital technologies and SCRes dimensions in strengthening more resilient and sustainable supply chains. Design/methodology/approach We conducted a structured literature review (SLR) and consulted a hybrid panel of seven academic and industry experts to identify the key dimensions of SCRes and the digital technologies influencing them. We then worked with experts to prioritise these factors using the analytic network process (ANP), an extension of the analytic hierarchy process (AHP) that is well-suited to modelling the strong interdependencies and feedback relationships among digital technologies and SCRes dimensions. Data were collected in both 2023 and 2025 from the same experts to capture the changes in expert judgements over time. Findings We found that collaboration and Internet-of-Things (IoT) have exerted the strongest relative influence on SCRes. In particular, collaboration becomes the highest priority factor overall, whereas IoT is the highest priority digital technology within the proposed decision framework. Visibility and velocity follow as the next most influential resilience dimensions, while AI and blockchain, although lower ranked, exhibit increasing relative influence across the two assessment periods. We also argue that no single digital technology on its own is sufficient to achieve supply chain resilience. Successful adoption and implementation require an understanding of how these technologies mutually interact with SCRes dimensions. By explicitly accounting for these interdependencies, the proposed decision framework prioritises both digital technologies and SCRes dimensions according to their relative influence on supply chain resilience, providing practical guidance for organisations seeking to strengthen resilience. Originality/value This study advances the SCRes literature by proposing an integrated ANP-based framework that models the interdependencies and feedback relationships between digital technologies and SCRes dimensions. Unlike prior studies that examine technologies in isolation or treat resilience dimensions as independent constructs, the present study evaluates both the combined and individual influence of digital technologies within a multidimensional resilience framework. The study further contributes by organising the literature around digital technologies and SCRes dimensions, revealing their interplay through expert judgement and providing a temporal comparison of evolving priorities between 2023 and 2025. The findings further demonstrate that SCRes emerges through reciprocal interdependencies between digital technologies and multiple resilience dimensions rather than through isolated technological effects.