Blockchain Technology as A Guarantee of Transparency in The Supply Chain of Commercial Enterprises

Abstract

Traceability has become an essential element of supply chain management, especially in safety-sensitive sectors such as food, pharmaceuticals, etc. Upstream (manufacturers, producers, etc.) and downstream (distributors, wholesalers, etc.) supply chain actors need to store and process traceability information in order to provide proof of regulatory compliance to national authorities as well as the most demanding customers. Studies have shown that developing countries, especially on the African continent, are particularly prone to the commercialization of counterfeit products and the use of diverted consumables, thus reducing the confidence in the various products and services offered by commercial enterprises, not only towards consumers but also towards companies and other actors of the concerned sectors. Therefore, the main objective of this paper is to examine the characteristics and functionalities of blockchain technology and to identify blockchain-based solutions to address consumer product traceability issues, as well as to highlight the benefits of implementing blockchain-based traceability systems by proposing a blockchain architecture to ensure traceability and transparency.