Mahesh Kumar, Lavish Kumar, Jai Jai, Yogesh Sharma
Counterfeit drugs are a major and growing concern globally, particularly during pandemics. One of the reasons for this is the inefficiency of the supply chain system in the pharmaceutical industry, which can make it difficult to trace the ownership of drugs from manufacturer to wholesaler, distributor, and pharmacist before it reaches the customer. In this study, we have evaluated different proposed blockchain-based supply chain management systems. The system that uses Hyperledger Fabric ensures data sharing, storage, transparency, and traceability in every stage of the supply chain. Meanwhile, the Ethereum architecture makes use of smart contracts to manage the communication between sender and receiver. The primary aim of the research is to improve the safety of pharmaceutical products and streamline supply chain operations with the most effective architecture. In addition to the benefits of transparency and traceability that blockchain technology can provide, it can also help to improve the overall efficiency and security of the supply chain. For example, by using smart contracts, automated processes can be put in place for the transfer of ownership and payment for drugs, reducing the need for manual intervention and reducing the risk of errors or fraud. Additionally, by creating a tamper-proof record of all transactions, blockchain technology can provide an auditable trail of the movement of drugs through the supply chain, which can be helpful for regulatory compliance and quality assurance. Furthermore, blockchain technology can also support the implementation of new business models in the pharmaceutical industry such as digitalized provenance records and tokenization of drugs to provide more transparency, security, and trust for the customer. It's worth noting that implementing blockchain technology in the pharmaceutical supply chain will require collaboration and cooperation between stakeholders in the industry, including manufacturers, wholesalers, distributors, and regulators. With the right approach and collaboration, blockchain technology has the potential to revolutionize the way that the pharmaceutical industry operates, making the supply chain more efficient, secure, and reliable, while also helping to reduce the risk of counterfeit drugs and protect public health.
Ahmad MohD Ababneh, Manal Ali Almarashdah, Iqbal H. Jebril, Murad Ali Ahmad Al-Zaqeba ¡ 5 authors
This paper investigates the driving factors behind sustainable supply chains in Jordan, focusing on the implementation of blockchain technology, customs ports practices, and technological infrastructure. The primary data for the study was collected through questionnaires distributed to employees working in the Jordanian customs. A random sampling method was employed to select participants, and a total of 184 valid questionnaires were retrieved for analysis. The collected data was analyzed using the statistical software Smartpls PLS4. The results of quantitative research reveal that the implementation of blockchain technology and technological infrastructure positively affects the driving of sustainable supply chains in Jordan, also customs ports practices also have a positive impact on driving sustainable supply chains, emphasizing the significance of efficient and resilient customs operations for sustainability. Additionally, compliance with environmental regulations enhances the effectiveness of blockchain technology in achieving sustainability objectives. Moreover, underscoring the role of robust technological capabilities in supporting sustainable operations within customs ports. The study contributes to the understanding of the key drivers of sustainable supply chains in Jordan, providing valuable insights for policymakers, supply chain managers, and other stakeholders involved in promoting sustainability within the customs ports industry. The findings can guide decision-making and inform strategies aimed at enhancing eco-efficiency and resilience in supply chain operations.
Blockchain technology is revolutionizing all sectors of industries including the healthcare one. Blockchain technology applications have been realized in healthcare as they have the potential to revolutionize healthcare systems. Integrating blockchain into the design of supply chain design leads to decentralizing the management of the supply chain, and, in turn, improves workflow efficiency and reduces the various security threats. Therefore, this study aimed at examining the impact of integrating blockchain technology, into supply chain practices, on supply chain transparency and resilience. By adopting the organizational information processing theory, this study developed a research model that explored the impact of blockchain technology features including data quality, smart contracts, and traceability on supply chain resilience and transparency. Furthermore, this study examined the effect of supply chain transparency on supply chain resilience. The data was collected, from healthcare industry personnel, in Jordan, using an electronic survey. In total, 215 participants responded to the questionnaire. RStudio- 2022.07.1 was used to conduct the data analysis. Results revealed that data quality significantly and positively affects supply chain transparency and resilience. In addition to that, results indicated that while smart contracts are positively related to supply chain transparency, they do not affect supply chain resilience. Also, traceability was found to be positively related supply chain transparency and resilience. Finally, it was found that blockchain-driven supply chain transparency positively impacts blockchain-driven supply chain resilience. The results imply that integrating blockchain technology into the supply chain can enhance both supply chain transparency and resilience, and, in turn, provide the supply chain the capability of recovering to its original state should it encounter disruptive events. The outcomes of this study can help supply chain managers and other stakeholders to develop strategies and tactics to best utilize blockchain technology to enhance blockchain-driven supply chain transparency and resilience.
Kai Wannenwetsch, Isabel Ostermann, Rene Priel, Felix Gerschner ¡ 5 authors
In the era of digital transformation, supply chain management faces major challenges induced by the lack of transparency and the evolving industry. In this context, blockchain technology has emerged as a possible answer to the future problems of the supply chain. In this paper, we present a systematic literature review on blockchain in the context of supply chains. The goal of our work is to present the factors and capabilities of blockchain technology that contribute to improving supply chain resilience. We also show which supply chain management factors limit the use of blockchain technology. Based on this, we identify various areas and applications of blockchain technology to support supply chains and highlight current work in the field. From the reviewed literature, we deduce a number of open challenges regarding the application of blockchains in the context of supply chains, e.g. the need (a) to improve the implementation process, (b) to make blockchain more cost-effective, (c) to educate potential users regarding blockchain security aspects, and (d) to further digitize supply chains as part of the digital transformation process.
Yusra Abdulrahman, Edin ArnautoviÄ, Vladimir ParezanoviÄ, Davor SvetinoviÄ
This paper presents an exhaustive investigation into the potential of integrating blockchain and Artificial Intelligence (AI) technologies within aerospace engineering, explicitly emphasizing supply chain management and operational efficiency. Given the decentralized nature of blockchain, it has the potential to enhance diverse facets of an aircraftâs lifecycle management significantly. At the same time, AI stands to revolutionize predictive supply chain models and structural fault detection. This paper provides a comprehensive overview of the current state, potential applications, challenges, and future research directions in this field based on an analysis of previous relevant literature. Further, it compares blockchain technology against traditional record management systems, underlining its data storage, security, transparency, and traceability advantages. Although these technologies promise significant advancements, many legal, regulatory, and technological readiness issues need addressing for broader acceptance within the industry. The findings highlight the importance of targeted research and development to unfold an array of new applications, driving innovation in aerospace engineering. This paper serves as a comprehensive survey for researchers, practitioners, policymakers, and industry stakeholders, illustrating the transformative potential of AI and blockchain in the aerospace sector.
Establishing a well-functioning Supply Chain Management (SCM) system is paramount during challenging times such as pandemics, natural disasters, and international conflicts. The complexity of global supply chains necessitates efficient systems, procedures, and personnel to ensure optimal results. Poor coordination among entities can lead to increased counterfeit products, increased ocean transportation costs, more expensive freight brokerage, bottlenecks in cargo flow, congestion, and complications in product accountability. To ensure a smooth and hassle-free operation, itâs essential to maintain unambiguity and accuracy throughout every process. Therefore, it is vital to have effective systems, procedures, and personnel in place for SCM. The challenges encountered in SCM can be effectively tackled by utilizing blockchain technology. The architecture of blockchain technology is characterized by its distributed, decentralized and robust safety measures, which guarantee the integrity of data storage and its distribution across a meticulously organized ledger. Users can confidently rely on this innovative designâs transparency, reliability, and safety. Implementing blockchain technology carries immense potential in bolstering safety and privacy measures in diverse sectors, including agriculture, healthcare, Goods and Services Tax (GST), academics, e-voting and automobile. This investigation delves into the practical applications of blockchain technology for SCM. It thoroughly analyses existing research and literature to uncover the latest advancements and potential future breakthroughs in this area.
Despite the hype about blockchains among supply chain management (SCM) practitioners and researchers, the technologyâs adoption is still low, and confusion remains about its potential benefits for operational efficiency and effectiveness. Building on a multiple case study research, this paper clarifies current value creation opportunities enabled by the blockchain for product/material tracking and tracing. We highlight that the setup of blockchain projects depends on the presence of different drivers on customer value or efficiency and the focus towards products/components or raw materials. Based on how tracking and tracing drivers and focus influence the initial blockchain setup, contingent factors are discussed and possible evolutionary patterns are identified. These findings are elaborated in one setup matrix and three propositions. The study is one of the few to add empirical evidence to the mainly conceptual SCM blockchain literature and provides a middle-range theoretical contribution based on contingency theory. Furthermore, it offers actionable guidance for managers and policy makers about SCM blockchain adoption.
The objective of this article is to assist the reader in understanding the journey from traditional Supply Chain Management to Digital Supply Chain Management. It aims to augment the concept of Digital Supply Chain Management with blockchain technology and create an extensive literature review to assist in formulating the gaps and discovering the variables that contribute towards the efficiency of a Blockchain-Based Digital Supply Chain. Moreover, this article aims to validate the impact of specified parameters resulting in customer retention and market leadership for an organization. Digital technologies such as the Internet of Things, blockchain, etc., are disrupting the traditional ways of doing business and creating value propositions for customers. Supply Chain Management is a key business process for an organization that helps them compete in the market. Organizations have seized competition not as individual brands but as supply chains. Digital Supply Chain Management is the implementation of digital technologies to capture customer data at every interaction to create customer engagement strategies. This article provides an empirical analysis of parameters influencing a Blockchain-Augmented Digital Supply Chain resulting in customer retention and market leadership and shows how, through a Blockchain-Based Digital Supply Chain, the business objective of being a customer-centric organization is assisted with the customer data generated at each interaction that is enabled.
In the future, management in smart societies will revolve around knowledge workers and the works they produce. This article is committed to explore new management framework, model, paradigm, and solution for organizing, managing, and measuring knowledge works. First, the parallel management framework is presented that would allow for the virtual-real interactions of humans in social space, robots in physical space, and digital humans in cyberspace to realize descriptive, predictive, and prescriptive intelligence for management. Then, the management foundation models are proposed by fusing scenarios engineering with artificial intelligence foundation models and cyberâphysical-social systems. Moreover, the new management paradigm driven by decentralized autonomous organizations and operations is formulated for the advancement of smart organizations and intelligent operations. On these basis, the management operating systems that highlight features of simple intelligence, provable security, flexible scalability, and ecological harmony are finally put forward as new management solution.
Javed Aslam, Aqeela Saleem, Nokhaiz Tariq Khan, Yun Kim
Oil and gas (O&G) supply chain management (SCM) is complex because it deals with different geographic locations to manage demand and supply, transportation, inventory, and distribution. Blockchain technology has created an interesting research gap in the SCM domain, and this study is designed to describe the relevancy of blockchain technology for O&G SCM. SCM is based on agile and lean supply chains (SCs). Agile SC focuses on increasing flexibility and responsiveness to gain competitive advantages, and lean SC is based on eliminating waste and processes to improve firm performance. This study is an initial effort to propose a framework that suggests the implication of blockchain for O&G by providing an overview of O&G SCM. Data were collected from SC managers of O&G companies, and we analyzed the impact of agile and lean SCs on firm performance. The results indicate that agile SC is highly important for O&G industries in comparison to lean SC. This study proposes the key requirements of agile SC and how blockchain can uplift agile SC technology with state-of-the-art properties such as data-driven management, information sharing, data privacy, cyber-security, transparency, smart contracts, visibility, traceability, and reliability, which boost SC agility as well as firm performance.
Eleni Papadonikolaki, Algan Tezel, Ä°brahim Yitmen, Per Hilletofth
Purpose Rapid advancements in blockchain technology transform various sectors, attracting the attention of industrialists, practitioners, policymakers and academics, and profoundly affect construction businesses through smart contracts and crypto-economics. This paper explores the blockchain innovation ecosystem in construction. Design/methodology/approach Through a qualitative study of 23 diverse interviewees, the study explores how open or closed the blockchain innovation ecosystem in construction is and who its emerging orchestrators are. Findings The data showed that construction aims towards an open innovation blockchain ecosystem, although there are elements of hybridisation and closedness, each system pointing out to different orchestrators. Practical implications The study has implications for governments and large companies in construction, showing that open innovation initiatives need to be encouraged by policymakers through rules, regulations and government-sponsored demonstrator projects. Social implications The data showed that there is lack of readiness for business model change to support open innovation blockchain ecosystems in construction. Originality/value This is the first study applying the open innovation theory in the construction industry and sheds light into the phenomenon of blockchain, suggesting routes for further democratisation of the technology for policymakers and practitioners.
Rafael BettĂn-DĂaz, Alix E. Rojas, Camilo MejĂa-Moncayo
Abstract This exploratory study explains how to implement Blockchain technology for a supply chain by a proof of concept on Hyperledger Fabric, an open distributed ledger platform. This approach allowed to identify the feasibility and some implementation challenges, yield feedback, and exemplify one manner of tracing product origin using a distributed ledger technology. For this purpose, the case study of origin coffee is analyzed, given the relevance of traceability in this type of coffee and the cultural and economic importance of this agricultural product in the Colombian context. In addition, the data stored in the Blockchain and some technological architecture aspects are discussed.
Harmful product producers, such as alcohol companies, are exploring and already active in the metaverse [1]. Much in the same way as alcohol companies have used digital media platforms to embed alcohol into young people's lives [2-7] and shape behaviour through an all-encompassing marketing environment [8], alcohol company activities in the metaverse that similarly foster excessive consumption and addictive behaviour [9] may pose new and greater risks for young people and other vulnerable groups, accelerating the need for a regulatory response to alcohol marketing. The simplest way to describe the metaverse is as an immersive next-generation version of the internet using virtual or augmented reality technology [10]. The metaverse is a digital immersive reality that combines aspects of social media, online gaming, augmented reality (a digital overlay projected on the real world) [10], virtual reality (accessed using a headset to see and operate within a digital world) and cryptocurrencies [11, 12]. It is a fast-evolving collection of interactions, technologies and business models that will look very different from today's internet [13]. While the metaverse is still young, in the future there may be numerous sophisticated metaverses, providing the infrastructure, especially bandwidth, can be developed to support them [12]. The metaverse will be an observable digital universe made up of millions of digital galaxies (metaverses/platforms) [14]. Each metaverse will likely be designed based on the needs it serves, for example, Meta (previously Facebook) anticipates friends socialising [15] while others envision a place parallel to the physical world where you spend your digital life [16]. The metaverse will offer innovative and expansive economic opportunities for corporations and users alike. The ultimate vision for the metaverse is a world that has its own fully functioning economy, jobs and shopping centres [17] or, in other words, platforms for human leisure, labour and existence in general [10]. Metaverses in which alcohol companies are active will be relevant for public health. Alcohol corporations are developing innovative ways of embedding alcohol into consumers' lives in the metaverse [18]. They were early movers in previous digital technologies and similarly are engaging with the metaverse in its development. Not only will alcohol advertising be more immersive compared to social media platforms and therefore more impactful, but also young people and other vulnerable groups such as those on a path to becoming heavy drinkers will likely be targeted for advertising, much as they are now in social media digital spaces but with expanded access to and analysis of their individual data. These can include the use of biometrics such as heart rate, tracking eye movement and pupil dilation, which are required to produce the immersive experience of virtual reality but can also be used to identify a user's interests and buying preferences [19]. The metaverse can facilitate the integration of virtual and real-life consumption experiences. Like social media, the metaverse may utilise targeted advertising and consumer participation, integrating them with purchasing [20-22] and delivery in real-time to consumers. One company has already linked their virtual drinks to their real-world products where buyers are sent a six-bottle case of actual vodka [23]. These processes will likely be enhanced in the metaverse as e-commerce will evolve into i-commerce (immersive commerce) [13]. Users (as avatars) will be able to enter a virtual alcohol shop or wine retailer and interact with the store avatar. Each bottle will tell you about itselfâbefore you make a physical decision to purchase [13], after which a rapid delivery service may deliver alcohol to your location. Rapid online alcohol delivery is already expanding in many countries and is of concern as it is under-regulated [24]. Consumers will be able to go to virtual bars and buy virtual drinks [25]. Miller Lite is opening its first virtual bar and Heineken has opened a virtual brewery in Decentraland [26, 27]. Young consumers are already interacting in virtual bars in the metaverse [23]. The metaverse can allow for enhanced engagement with alcohol marketing. Engagement with merchandise will be facilitated by branded items being created in collaboration with upcoming Non Fungible Tokens artists (Non Fungible Tokens are blockchain-based tokens that each represent a unique asset like a piece of art, digital content, media or land title) [11], as well as new ways to encourage engagement via consumer-driven and viral advertising [28]. Brands do not necessarily expect the end result to be an immediate purchase; the bigger win is the chance to build a brand pathway, develop a relationship and engage in deeper dialogue with audiences that turns users into followers, customers and, hopefully 1 day, brand evangelists [29]. The metaverse could boost the impact of techniques already used by marketers. Influencers on social media have the power to affect purchase decisions of others because of their authority and popularity [30]. The metaverse will allow influencers to interact in 3D, to hold alcohol-branded events, concerts or virtual parties. Celebrities, famous musicians and users could be invited and attend. The power of influencers, paid for by alcohol companies, is likely to be magnified in an immersive environment and the metaverse will provide new ways to âinfluenceâ. Manipulation exploiting psychology and our reward system could be used in the metaverse [31] given these tactics are already employed on social media [9, 32]. One example is dark advertising exploiting cognitive bias [33] or dark patterns to create a cycle that provides unpredictability, which gives consumers dopamine hits [34]. In social media these are likes and shares, or the excitement of seeing what's new in the feed. In the metaverse, there will be unpredictability in 3D [34]. Unpredictability can include attending an alcohol branded concert or alcohol sponsored party to meet celebrities. Consumers can be a part of any exciting event they choose, which can then elevate dopamine levels [34]. The âaddiction by designâ techniques already harnessed on social media by global industries producing harmful products [9] will likely become more innovative and exacerbated in the metaverse. Behavioural scientists have raised the need to scrutinise the development of the metaverse given the enhancement of the negative aspects of social media [34] and because commercial interests have also recognised the potential impact of these concerns and responded accordingly. The social media platforms most involved in the development of the metaverse, including Facebook, now renamed Meta, have recognised the potential concerns of regulators in relation to issues such as data privacy. Facebook has established a research fund to collaborate with âpolicymakers, experts and industry partners to build the âmetaverseâ in a responsible mannerâ. This includes engaging with academic institutions on issues such as biometrics and human computer interaction and privacy models in the context of wearables such as virtual reality headsets [35]. While the metaverse is still in its early stages of development, public health needs to understand the metaverse. How will producers of harmful products target, engage and capture the attention of young people in the metaverse? What will the health impacts be? Or will young people drink less because they spend their time in the metaverse engaged in other activities, such as investing in Non Fungible Tokens or property, or socialising? Public health also needs to learn lessons from the failures to regulate alcohol on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and social media generally. Many metaverses are being developed by private companies in the current unregulated environment, which means the problems we have regulating technology companies now could be reproduced and amplified in the metaverse [36]. Relying on self-regulation by corporations has been shown to be ineffective [37]. Prohibiting alcohol marketers from using user-generated content and distributing content that is intended to be shared by consumers, such as in Finland, does not affect marketers' ability to increase consumer engagementâthe most important aspect of marketing in terms of effectiveness [38]. While some countries have bans on alcohol marketing online including social media, no good evaluations have been completed [39]. Other metaverses are user owned, where users may have the rights to sell direct ads [40] and it is not known how these could be regulated. Policy makers need to understand the metaverse and the potential challenges it poses to public health. Early research documenting developments is needed to avoid the same failure to act in time, as happened with social media [36]. While early engagement with the creators and owners of metaverses may lead to enhanced user safety, it is more likely government regulation will be needed, including a global treaty. What is certain is that we cannot let the metaverse develop unscrutinised, nor without effective strategies to protect the health and well-being of young people. Taisia Huckle: Conceptualisation; writing â original draft. Sally Casswell: Conceptualisation; writing â review and editing. Open access publishing facilitated by Massey University, as part of the Wiley - Massey University agreement via the Council of Australian University Librarians. None.
Dilupa Nakandala, Yung Po Tsang, H.C.W. Lau, C.K.M. Lee
In view of increasing supply chain disruption events, for example the ChinaâUnited States trade war, the COVID-19 pandemic, and the RussiaâUkraine war, the complexity and dynamicity of global freight management keeps increasing. To build a resilient and sustainable supply chain, industrial practitioners are eager to systematically revamp the freight management decision process related to the selection of carriers, shipping lanes, and third-party logistics service providers. Therefore, this study aims at strengthening decision-making capabilities for global freight management, in which an industrial blockchain-based global freight decision framework (IB-GFDF) is proposed to incorporate consortium blockchain technology with the Bayesian best-worst method. Through the blockchain technology, pairwise comparisons can be conducted over the international freight network in a decentralized and immutable manner, and thus, a secure and commonly agreed-on pairwise comparison dataset is acquired. Subsequently, the pairwise comparison dataset with multi-stakeholder opinions is analyzed using the Bayesian best-worst method in order to prioritize the selection decision criteria related to carriers, shipping lanes, and 3PL service providers for global freight management. To verify the methodological feasibility, a case study of an Australian agricultural supply chain firm was conducted to support the development end-to-end (E2E) supply chain solutions originated from Australia. It was found that port infrastructure, ports of call and communication effectiveness were the major criteria for the selection decision, which can be emphasized in future global freight collaboration. In addition, an immutable and append-only record of pairwise comparisons can be established to support the visibility of time-varying stakeholdersâ preferences.
Abstract Blockchain has recently been associated to Supply Chain Management to solve several problems and change operations management processes. The study proposes to analyse three different scenarios of the Parmigiano Reggiano supply chain considering blockchain technology as an enabler for the use of other technologies such as RFID and the Internet of Things (IoT) and for the exploitation of the Vendor Managed Inventory (VMI) strategy. The study is based on the evaluation of three agent-based simulation scenarios, a traditional "as is" scenario, a second "to be" scenario implementing emerging technologies including blockchain, and a third âto beâ scenario that combines the second one with the VMI optimization strategy. The results show how the combined adoption of these technologies improves the procurement process and customer satisfaction. Findings highlight the impacts that the different scenarios have on the supply chain operations in a quantitative way and allows to evaluate the changes in supply chain processes. By employing emerging technologies, order management activities are more automated and time to order and lead time order preparation are reduced. However, to achieve these performances, other data capture tools such as RFID and IoT are needed. Finally, the introduction of the VMI strategy, when enabled by blockchain technology, improves the procurement performances and significantly reduces unfilled orders.
In the face of increasingly complex market environment, supply chain members pay attention to the possibility of obtaining expected profits and various risks while considering profit maximization. The behaviors of decision makers are often influenced by their psychological preferences, and loss aversion is one of the basic characteristics of human economic behavior. We research the supply chain coordination problem with capital constraint and loss-averse retailer in the case of stochastic production and demand. In order to address the loss aversion, a novel utility function is structured according to the theory of mental account. Under wholesale price contract, the optimal expected utility of supply chain under decentralized decision is smaller than that under centralized decision due to the retailerâs constrained capital. Based on that, a model is constructed by making revenue sharing contract act as the dual role of supply chain coordination and delayed payment strategy without seeking external financing or internal financing, and the contract conditions and optimal decisions of the coordinated supply chain are solved. Theoretical analysis indicates that when the contract parameters are properly selected, even though the retailerâs capital is constrained, the revenue sharing contract can not only coordinate the supply chain but also realize the arbitrary distribution of supply chain profits within a certain range. Finally, the change of decision variables and expected utility or profit with contract parameters is analyzed by several numerical examples.
Berk Kßçßkaltan, RÄąfat KamaĹak, Baris Yalcinkaya, Zahir Irani
Blockchain has gained momentum as a disruptive technology in supply chain management against its introduction as a finance-related instrument. Nevertheless, the developing academic understanding and the limited practical implications lead to insufficient insights into the use of blockchain technology, particularly in the supply chain finance (SCF) domain. Thus, the expected potential of blockchain technology remains underexplored. Accordingly, this study explicates this situation by examining the extant literature findings and web-based big data that can provide evidence about the real needs in supply chains, and investigating how blockchain emerges as a disruptive SCF-oriented technology. The study employs a web analytics method, Search Engine Results Page (SERP) analysis which considers the trends in blockchain technology use and the interactions between blockchain, supply chain and finance appearing in Google searches. The SERP method examined real-time clicks, web traffics and most commonly asked questions about blockchain. The SERP findings revealed that the interest in blockchain technology neither focused on finance nor data privacy as emphasised in the literature but mainly on the benefits of increasing digitalisation and efficiency in supply chains. The results offered practical implications for capturing recent blockchain- and supply chain-related trends and designing more digital and efficient supply chains.