Blockchain Papers

Aguirre Ortiz, Sofía, Parrado Carreño, Gary Yeffet, Zamora, Jairo

Accelerated global digitalization is threatened by a profound crisis of digital trust, marked by systemic data breaches and eroding confidence in centralized intermediaries. This article investigates Distributed Ledger Technology (DLT) as a foundational solution, examining its capacity to replace institutional trust with cryptographic assurance through decentralized verification. Through a rigorous comparative case study methodology analyzing cross-border finance and supply chain traceability, the research assesses how DLT mitigates counterparty risk while generating new forms of economic value. The core analysis focuses on critical implementation tensions between operational scalability requirements and ideological decentralization goals, alongside the challenge of reconciling immutable systems with evolving global regulatory frameworks. Empirical findings confirm DLT's tangible economic value through significant reductions in financial verification costs and settlement timeframes, while simultaneously generating measurable consumer trust premiums in supply chain applications through verifiable provenance. However, evidence reveals a fundamental trade-off: practical enterprise adoption consistently favors high-throughput permissioned ledgers, compromising decentralization ideals for operational scalability and governance control. Significant regulatory friction further necessitates hybrid data architectures, positioning DLT as a crucial assurance layer within broader compliance ecosystems rather than a standalone solution. This underscores the need for future research developing integrated trust frameworks that balance technological potential with implementation pragmatism across diverse sectoral contexts.

Sorina Geanina Stănescu, Constantin Aurelian Ionescu, Maria Cristina Ștefan, Luiza Ionescu · 6 authors

The agri-food sector is currently undergoing a significant digital transformation, driven by climate change, frequent supply chain disruptions, and increasing demand for transparency and food safety. This article, based on a systematic review of 113 recent studies (in line with the PRISMA guidelines), delves into how emerging digital technologies, particularly blockchain, are reshaping agri-food supply chains towards sustainability, a circular economy, and complete product traceability from production to the final consumer. The paper identifies the main enabling factors, barriers, and implementation models of blockchain and other technologies associated with Industry 4.0 (IoT, artificial intelligence, smart contracts), highlighting their role in increasing the resilience of supply chains, optimising quality control, and sustainable resource management. A key contribution of the study is the introduction of the CTSAF (Converging Technologies for Sustainable Agri-Food Chains) conceptual framework, which provides practical implications for policymakers and organisations, enabling them to make informed decisions. The results also provide valuable insights for future research, supporting the transition to a more transparent, resilient, and sustainable global food system.

Tan Gürpinar, Mehmet Akif Gulum

Global supply chains face increasing disruptions from cyber threats, geopolitical instability, extreme weather events, and a range of economic, social, and environmental sustainability challenges. As these disruptions intensify, enhancing Supply Chain Resilience (SCR) has become a strategic priority. This study investigates how Distributed Ledger Technology (DLT) can contribute to SCR by mitigating vulnerabilities and strengthening key capabilities within global supply chains. A qualitative research approach is employed, utilizing expert evaluations to examine DLT’s impact on supply chain vulnerabilities and capabilities. Five workshops were conducted with 25 industry professionals from logistics, IT, procurement, and risk management. Experts examined how DLT could address disruptions stemming from supplier instability, poor traceability, and regulatory and environmental pressures, while highlighting its potential to drive ethical sourcing and environmentally responsible practices. The structured discussions were guided by theoretical frameworks and expert evaluations were synthesized into two analytical matrices illustrating DLT’s influence on SCR. The findings reveal that the contribution of DLT to SCR and sustainability is highly context-dependent, with its effectiveness hinging on how it is embedded within governance structures and aligned with the interplay of complementary technologies. Building on these insights, the study presents the DLT-LFL (Distributed Ledger Technology–Learning Feedback Loop) framework, which integrates sensing, decision-making, adaptation, and predictive learning from distributed operational data, allowing supply chains to better anticipate disruptions, adjust processes dynamically, and continuously strengthen resilience and sustainable practices. The study also develops a practical checklist to assess how effective DLT applications and their integration with predictive and AI-driven analytics reduce vulnerabilities, strengthen capabilities, mitigate risks, and support adaptive decision-making.

Jinho Cha, Young‐Chul Kim, Junyeol Ryu, Sangjun Park · 6 authors

This study develops a strategic procurement framework integrating blockchain-based smart contracts with bounded demand variability modeled through a truncated normal distribution. While existing research emphasizes the technical feasibility of smart contracts, the operational and economic implications of adoption under moderate uncertainty remain underexplored. We propose a multi-supplier model in which a centralized retailer jointly determines the optimal smart contract adoption intensity and supplier allocation decisions. The formulation endogenizes adoption costs, supplier digital readiness, and inventory penalties to capture realistic trade-offs among efficiency, sustainability, and profitability. Analytical results establish concavity and provide closed-form comparative statics for adoption thresholds and procurement quantities. Extensive numerical experiments demonstrate that moderate demand variability supports partial adoption strategies, whereas excessive investment in digital infrastructure can reduce overall profitability. Dynamic simulations further reveal how adaptive learning and declining implementation costs progressively enhance adoption intensity and supply chain performance. The findings provide theoretical and managerial insights for balancing digital transformation, resilience, and sustainability objectives in smart contract-enabled procurement.

Ejielo Ogbuefi, Stephen Ehilenomen Aifuwa, Jennifer Olatunde-Thorpe, David Akokodaripon

Resilience in critical infrastructures (CIs) has emerged as a pressing global concern, as societies become increasingly dependent on tightly interconnected systems that support communication, energy, finance, and healthcare. These infrastructures, once considered largely independent, now operate within a convergent ecosystem where disruptions in one domain can propagate rapidly across others, leading to cascading failures with severe societal and economic consequences. Conceptual frameworks addressing resilience in such interdependent systems emphasize the need to move beyond traditional robustness toward adaptive, absorptive, and restorative capacities that account for dynamic risks, systemic vulnerabilities, and emergent behaviors. The convergence of communication technologies with energy, financial, and healthcare services introduces both opportunities and challenges. While digital integration enhances efficiency, situational awareness, and service delivery, it also amplifies exposure to cyber threats, systemic shocks, and supply chain fragilities. For instance, a cyberattack on a power grid can simultaneously disrupt healthcare delivery and financial transactions, while communication failures may impede crisis coordination. To address these risks, resilience frameworks increasingly adopt network-centric, socio-technical, and complex adaptive systems perspectives, highlighting interdependencies and the need for multi-level governance. Key strategies include embedding redundancy and decentralization in communication systems, deploying microgrids and storage in energy infrastructures, integrating distributed ledgers and systemic risk monitoring in finance, and strengthening telemedicine and emergency preparedness in healthcare. At a broader level, resilience planning requires cross-sector interoperability standards, public–private collaboration, and ethical prioritization of vulnerable populations. Emerging tools such as AI-driven predictive analytics and digital twins offer promising avenues for resilience assessment and proactive adaptation. Ultimately, resilience in convergent critical infrastructures demands an integrated, multidisciplinary approach that bridges engineering, policy, and social dimensions. By adopting conceptual frameworks that embrace interdependency, adaptability, and inclusivity, societies can enhance preparedness, mitigate cascading risks, and ensure continuity of vital services under conditions of uncertainty.

Zhaoqian LIU

Sustainable trade requires verifiable, granular, and trustworthy data across multi-jurisdictional supply chains. This paper argues that blockchain’s binding constraints are institutional, not technical, and proposes the Green Trade Blockchain Governance Trilemma: no design can simultaneously maximize (i) transactional efficiency, (ii) regulatory verifiability, and (iii) decentralized governance with commercial privacy. Comparative cases—TradeLens, IBM Food Trust, Everledger, and Power Ledger—show divergent institutional choices and outcomes: TradeLens faltered under perceived hegemonic control; Food Trust succeeded via a buyer mandate; Everledger thrived through symbiosis with trusted authorities; Power Ledger scaled within a regulatory sandbox. We further analyze the Oracle Problem as the key limit to verifiability and assess privacy-enhancing technologies, especially zero-knowledge proofs, as partial mitigations that protect sensitive data while enabling compliance checks. We conclude that success hinges on context-specific institutional design—certified oracles plus verifiable computation—rather than a one-size-fits-all stack, offering actionable guidance for policymakers, consortia, and firms building credible green-trade infrastructure.

Jing Zhao

As global economic integration deepens, supply chain finance plays a crucial role in optimizing corporate cash flow and promoting the coordinated development of industrial chains. However, issues such as information asymmetry and credit assessment difficulties in traditional models have hindered its growth. Blockchain technology, with its decentralized nature, data immutability, and automated smart contracts, offers innovative solutions for credit risk management in supply chain finance. This article systematically analyzes the application logic, typical scenarios, and implementation effects of blockchain technology in credit risk management within supply chain finance. It also explores the technical bottlenecks, regulatory challenges, and coordination issues faced by the practical implementation of these technologies, and propose targeted optimization strategies. The aim is to provide theoretical support and practical references for the deep integration of blockchain technology with supply chain finance.

Madhu Kaushik

Globalized supply chains are strained by fragmented data, multi-tier opacity, counterfeit risks, and costly disputes. Blockchain—a shared, append-only ledger—has been proposed to enhance transparency, traceability, and operational efficiency, yet real-world adoption reveals both breakthroughs and bottlenecks. This paper develops a deploymentminded view that integrates GS1 EPCIS/CBV standards for interoperable event data, permissioned ledgers for governance, and privacy-preserving proofs (zero-knowledge) to reconcile transparency with business confidentiality. We synthesize evidence from systematic reviews and flagship pilots (e.g., Walmart–IBM Food Trust) and contrast them with lessons from initiatives that wound down (e.g., TradeLens), extracting adoption patterns, KPI impacts, and failure modes. We then describe a reference methodology—data acquisition via EPCIS events, Fabric-based channels, and role-based access—plus an evaluation rubric for trace time, recall precision, dispute cycle time, and data-reconciliation costs. Results from literature-anchored benchmarks indicate orders-of-magnitude traceability lead-time (TLT) reductions (days → seconds) and measurable reductions in manual reconciliation, with gains contingent on standards compliance and high-quality “oracle” data. Finally, we map future directions—zk-proof rollups, interoperable digital product passports, and policy-aligned sustainability metrics—alongside candid limitations around ecosystem incentives, privacy, scalability, and data veracity. We conclude that blockchain can shift chains from reactive to verifiable and auditable networks when combined with data standards, sound governance, and selective privacy technologies rather than “full transparency” alone.

Mohamed Al-Ali, Mohammad Miftaur Khan

No abstract is available for this record.

Aalok Kumar, Sourabh Kumar, Sunil Tiwari

No abstract is available for this record.

Linjing Liu, Yushi Chen, Jia Yang, Cheng‐Fu Yang

Supply chain finance (SCF) plays a key role in easing financing difficulties for small and medium-sized enterprises, but it also comes with risks such as information asymmetry, fraud involving pledged assets, and delays in credit evaluation.In this study, we introduce a dynamic risk management framework driven by IoT and enhanced by the integration of multiple technologies.Built on a four-layer IoT structure, comprising perception, network, processing, and application layers, the framework combines blockchain for secure and trusted data sharing, federated learning for collaborative data processing, and digital twin models for real-time risk simulation.At the perception level, 5th-Generation Mobile Communication Technology (5G)enabled low-power sensors ensure comprehensive and tamper-proof data collection.The network layer uses blockchain techniques such as sharding and zero-knowledge proofs to safeguard data privacy and institutional trust.In the processing layer, federated learning combined with edge and cloud computing enhances credit evaluation.On the other hand, the application layer employs smart contracts and feedback mechanisms to enable real-time responses and adaptive risk strategies.To put this framework into practice, we propose a phased approach: first building a real-time data ecosystem, then deploying secure risk control systems, optimizing distributed computing, and finally integrating a closed-loop risk control mechanism.This modular, collaborative strategy ensures that technological systems align with actual business needs.Ultimately, the research demonstrates how IoT, blockchain, and AI can work together to create a scalable and practical model for managing risk dynamically in SCF.

Hamed Nozari, Shereen Nassar, Agnieszka Szmelter-Jarosz

Managing finances in a supply chain today is not as straightforward as it once was. The world is constantly shifting—markets fluctuate, risks emerge unexpectedly—and companies are continually trying to stay one step ahead. In all this, financial resilience has become more than just a strategy. It is a survival skill. In our research, we examined how newer technologies (such as blockchain and the Internet of Things) can make a difference. The idea was not to reinvent the wheel but to see if these tools could actually make financing more transparent, reduce some of the friction, and maybe even help companies breathe a little easier when it comes to liquidity. We employed two optimization methods (Non-dominated Sorting Genetic Algorithm II (NSGA-II) and Multi-Objective Particle Swarm Optimization (MOPSO)) to achieve a balanced outcome. The goal was lower financing costs, better liquidity, and stronger resilience. Blockchain did not just record transactions—it seemed to build trust. Meanwhile, the Internet of Things (IoT) provided companies with a clearer picture of what is happening in real-time, making financial outcomes a bit less of a guessing game. However, it gives financial managers a better chance at planning and not getting caught off guard when the economy takes a turn.

Dishant Tandel Tandel

Blockchain technology has been widely explored for enhancing transparency, traceability, and security in food supply chains. However, existing blockchain implementations rely on single distributed ledgers, causing interoperability and privacy concerns. This paper introduces FoodFresh, a novel multi-chain blockchain approach that allows food supply chain stakeholders to maintain individual blockchains while ensuring interoperability via a decentralized relay hub. The system is evaluated using real-world supply chain datasets, analyzing efficiency, transaction latency, and security improvements. Results demonstrate enhanced traceability, improved data privacy, and increased scalability. Future work includes expanding cross-chain communication protocols and exploring AI integration for predictive analytics.

Hilal Yılmaz, Özlem Şenvar

This study investigates blockchain technologies and blockchain related researches from various sectors considering sectoral applications including food, healthcare, automotive, supply chain, information security, banking and quality management issues associated with these sectors. This study provides comparisons of various industries considering blockchain technology features. The aim of this study is to present an overview to intelligent quality management system based blockchain. This study examines standards for blockchain and distributed ledger technologies and discusses quality challenges for blockchain applications.

Raji Ramakrishnan Nair, Punam Rattan, Mukesh Kumar, Vivek Bhardwaj

The pandemic outbreak has revealed significant flaws in the complex and highly fragmented Healthcare Supply Chain’s (HSC’s). However, two major issues persist in the HSCs, leading to inefficiencies: transparency in vaccine distribution and accuracy in demand forecasting. The recent pandemic has highlighted and intensified existing vulnerabilities in HSC’s, leading to the effective utilization of digital technologies to manage them. This research proposes a novel framework that merges Blockchain (BC) and Machine Learning (ML) to bolster the HSCs amidst pandemics, by developing a framework named the Predictive BlockVax Distribution Network (PBDN) model. The proposed PBDN model utilizes BC for securing transactions and Long Short-Term Memory (LSTM), for precise demand prediction. Leveraging Hyperledger Besu, which represents an Ethereum client that is accessible for public use, the PBDN framework ensures BC’s privacy, scalability, and efficient network operations, while LSTM’s advanced forecasting outperforms traditional models and Deep Learning (DL) techniques. This integration showcases a significant leap in managing vaccine distribution and enhancing system resilience, fairness, and transparency. The proposed PBDN model illustrates the potential of BC and ML together to tackle pandemic-induced Supply Chains (SC’s) disruptions, providing a decentralized solution that supports autonomous, informed decision-making without third-party dependency. This approach not only addresses immediate challenges but also sets a precedent for future crisis response, emphasizing the need for robust, Transparent Supply Chain’s (TSC’s).

Lawrence Martin Mankata, Prince Antwi-Afari, S. Thomas Ng

The construction industry's shift to a circular economy has been hindered by multiple challenges. The emergence of blockchain has however demonstrated promising potential in overcoming these barriers. Nonetheless, there is limited research regarding the system implementation dynamics of blockchain-based circular economy applications within the construction supply chain. This paper proposes a blockchain-based construction supply chain framework for advancing circular economy in the construction industry . Systematic Evidence Synthesis (SES), prototyping, and case study triangulation approaches are adopted to review, experiment, and validate the findings. Relevant exploratory and experimental cases are identifed from Scopus and Web of Science databases for the SES process . The initial findings highlighted the main implementation domains, to include material passports, waste trading, and reverse logistics. Hyperledger and Ethereum are further identifed as the leading implementation platforms for developing prototypes. The key challenges identified from prototype development included, limited simulation samples, limited performance scalability, and uncertainty with return on investment . To address the challenges and gaps identified, a blockchain-based circular construction supply chain (BCCSC) framework is proposed. Modules from the proposed framework are experimented through a proof-of-concept prototype to demonstrate feasibility. Finally, selected cross-industry cases were triangulated to draw conceptual parallels and potential drawbacks in implementation. Through a blockchain-based web marketplace, stakeholder interactions in the construction supply chain can be deepened to support circular business models. Furthermore, the framework's modularization allows for easy scalability and practical implementation. Recommendations are made towards research in cost reduction and enhanced collaboration strategies, as well as developing full-scale modules to demonstrate end-to-end functionality.

Tianjiao Wang, Abdullah Al Mamun, Mohammad Masukujjaman, Qing Yang

The growing complexity and vulnerability of global supply chains underscore the need for robust frameworks to enhance resilience and sustainability. This quantitative study investigates the enablers of supply chain resilience and examines its dual role as both a direct contributor to sustainability performance and a mediator in the relationship between blockchain technology and sustainability outcomes. A cross-sectional approach was used to collect 387 valid responses from medium- and large-scale logistics firms operating in four major logistics hub cities in China. The data were analyzed using a structural equation modeling approach by applying partial least squares structural equation modeling. The results show that the proposed model explains 37.4% of the variance in SCR (R² = 0.374), 25.2% in economic performance (R² = 0.252), and 30.3% in environmental performance (R² = 0.303). Among the blockchain capabilities, transparency (β = 0.264, p = 0.001) and transaction cost efficiency (β = 0.212, p = 0.000) had the strongest direct effects on SCR, while value co-creation (β = 0.371, p = 0.000) significantly mediated the path between SCR and sustainability outcomes. Furthermore, multi-group analysis revealed significant differences based on firm size and operational tenure, such as a stronger effect of value chain integration on SCR among firms operating for eight years or less (β = 0.421, p = 0.022). Theoretically, this study integrates the multidimensional dynamic capabilities perspective with transaction cost economics, providing a nuanced understanding of blockchain’s role in enhancing supply chain resilience and sustainability, and enriching dynamic capability theory. Practically, it offers actionable insights for practitioners and policymakers by identifying enablers and barriers to blockchain adoption and emphasizing the need for standardized frameworks and supportive policies. This study advances the understanding of blockchain’s transformative potential for building resilient, adaptive, and sustainable supply chains amid global volatility.

Ashkan Emami, Mehdi Seifbarghy, Antragama Ewa Abbas, Wichai Chattinnawat · 5 authors

Supply chain operations have tended to become more complex, thus placing significant pressure on one of the most critical processes: supplier selection and order allocation (SSOA). This process involves a focal company selecting suppliers and allocating orders to obtain required materials. Achieving effective SSOA processes is challenged by (1) reliance on centralized governance and (2) ensuring effective contract management. While so called “smart contracts” could address these challenges, design knowledge about such technology — particularly in the SSOA context — is underexplored in the literature. In this paper we design a smart contract for SSOA in supply chains. We conducted a design science research study and developed three core artifacts: (1) a mathematical description of SSOA; (2) a system model of actor interactions; and (3) SSOA-relevant algorithms. Utilizing the Ethereum blockchain, we demonstrated and tested our smart contracts through scenario analysis. We found that our design is feasible and highly likely to address centralization and effectiveness challenges in SSOA. This paper contributes to the literature by demonstrating how smart contract design focusing on SSOA can further enhance blockchain-driven business models. In addition, we offer prescriptive knowledge on developing smart contracts for SSOA in supply chains.

Dnyaneshwar Jivanrao Ghode, Vinod Yadav, Rakesh Jain, Gunjan Soni

Industries aims to have a paradigm shift in supply chains (SC) to provide transparency in the shared information for the economic and social benefits of the stakeholders in an SC. The revolution of Blockchain Technology (BT) allows all the parties in the network to share secured data among themselves. This paper aims to develop a framework to integrate an SC with BT for the exchange of physical products and secured information among the stakeholders. The framework has been implemented by developing a generic SC with BT using Python 3.8.1. The framework comprises a blockchain-based distributed ledger that shares transaction information among manufacturers, distributors, retailers, and customers. For each transaction, a hash code was generated using the SHA-256 algorithm, and the Practical Byzantine Fault Tolerance (PBFT) consensus algorithm was used to verify the transactions. The quantity and rate of products have been checked through a smart contract. The influencing factors are inter-organizational trust, regulatory governance, data transparency, data immutability, interoperability, product type, social influence, and behavioural intention. This framework provides transparency in transactions between SC stakeholders and the provenance of products throughout the SC.

Sina Mirzaye Shirkoohi, Muhammad Mohiuddin

The convergence of blockchain and metaverse technologies is poised to redefine how Global Value Chains (GVCs) create, capture, and distribute value, yet scholarly insight into their joint impact remains scattered. Addressing this gap, the present study aims to clarify where, how, and under what conditions blockchain-enabled transparency and metaverse-enabled immersion enhance GVC performance. A systematic literature review (SLR), conducted according to PRISMA 2020 guidelines, screened 300 articles from ABI Global, Business Source Premier, and Web of Science records, yielding 65 peer-reviewed articles for in-depth analysis. The corpus was coded thematically and mapped against three theoretical lenses: transaction cost theory, resource-based view, and network/ecosystem perspectives. Key findings reveal the following: 1. digital twins anchored in immersive platforms reduce planning cycles by up to 30% and enable real-time, cross-border supply chain reconfiguration; 2. tokenized assets, micro-transactions, and decentralized finance (DeFi) are spawning new revenue models but simultaneously shift tax triggers and compliance burdens; 3. cross-chain protocols are critical for scalable trust, yet regulatory fragmentation—exemplified by divergent EU, U.S., and APAC rules—creates non-trivial coordination costs; and 4. traditional IB theories require extension to account for digital-capability orchestration, emerging cost centers (licensing, reserve backing, data audits), and metaverse-driven network effects. Based on these insights, this study recommends that managers adopt phased licensing and geo-aware tax engines, embed region-specific compliance flags in smart-contract metadata, and pilot digital-twin initiatives in sandbox-friendly jurisdictions. Policymakers are urged to accelerate work on interoperability and reporting standards to prevent systemic bottlenecks. Finally, researchers should pursue multi-case and longitudinal studies measuring the financial and ESG outcomes of integrated blockchain–metaverse deployments. By synthesizing disparate streams and articulating a forward agenda, this review provides a conceptual bridge for international business scholarship and a practical roadmap for firms navigating the next wave of digital GVC transformation.

Nidhi Singh, Usama Awan, Sarah Basahel, Rsha Alghafes

This study addresses a gap in the current research by investigating the relationship between BC based financial solutions and SC recoverability and financial resilience. Previous research provides little empirical evidence on how and under what conditions Fintech improves the manufacturing firm's financial resilience. This empirical research draws on the resource base view (RBV) to investigate the role of Fintech as a driver of better relationship transparency and SC production risk management for financial resilience. The data was collected from 295 engineering manufacturers in India. A key contribution of this study is that it provides new insights by highlighting the role of Blockchain Technology (BCT), built on the Ethereum-based system, in strengthening SC recoverability and enhancing relationship transparency. We present a research framework grounded in the Resource-Based View (RBV) that illustrates how blockchain technology (BCT) can provide firms with critical competencies for developing relationship transparency and managing production risks, thereby enhancing financial resilience in the SC. Relationship transparency, essential for SC recoverability, is pivotal in establishing the link between BCT and SC recoverability. Our findings advise SC managers that relationship transparency improves SC recoverability and may be an important source of financial resilience.

Jesu Marcus Immanuvel Arockiasamy

Healthcare supply chains face inefficiencies, transparency gaps, and fraud, with counterfeit drugs, which cost $200 billion annually and causing 1 million deaths. This paper proposes an integrated framework combining Ethereum Proof of Stake (PoS), predictive analytics, provider contracts, and DevOps to enhance resilience. Smart contracts ensure immutable tracking and compliance, while Exponential Smoothing and Isolation Forest enable demand forecasting (85% accuracy) and anomaly detection (4.8% anomalies). Dockerized deployment achieves 99.97% uptime. A proof-of-concept (PoC) simulating a vaccine supply chain with 10,000 items achieved 12.78 transactions per second, 0.060-second latency (99.98% faster than manual processes), and 10% fraud reduction. FHIR-compliant APIs reduced data exchange time to 0.026 seconds per item, cutting silos by 90%. Despite challenges like high simulated gas costs, the framework offers a scalable, transparent solution, reducing stockouts by 15% and enhancing patient safety. This work advances prior studies by holistically addressing traceability, compliance, and efficiency, paving the way for real-world healthcare adoption.

Ehsan Badakhshan, Dmitry Ivanov

Financial disruptions, such as extended trade credit periods and reduced down payments, pose significant challenges to effective working capital management in supply chains. While the benefits of blockchain and digital twin technologies have been studied independently in supply chain finance, their combined potential to optimise working capital performance during disruptions remains underexplored. Our study addresses this research gap by proposing an integrated blockchain and digital twin framework to enhance financial resilience in disrupted supply chains. Blockchain facilitates secure, decentralised data sharing, providing visibility into product, order, and cash flows across supply chain stages. The digital twin complements blockchain by offering predictive capabilities and enabling dynamic adjustments to working capital policies in response to disruptions. Within this framework, discrete-event simulation assesses the impact of financial disruptions on working capital performance, while machine learning models generate decision rules for adaptive working capital management. The study highlights the critical role of inventory adjustments in mitigating financial disruptions and reducing working capital variability relative to demand fluctuations. This research provides actionable insights for supply chain managers seeking to improve working capital stability amid disruptions and offers a data-driven approach to financial resilience in supply chains.

A S M Touhidul Hasan, Rakib Ul Haque, Larry Wigger, Anthony Vatterott

Counterfeit products cause financial losses for both the manufacturer and the enduser; e.g., fake foods and medicines pose significant risks to the public’s health. Moreover, it is challenging to ensure trust in a product’s supply chain, preventing counterfeit goods from being distributed throughout the network. However, fake product detection methods are expensive and need to be more scalable, whereas a unified traceability system for packaged products is not available. Therefore, this research proposes a product traceability system, named Trusted Traceability Service (TTS), using Blockchain and Self-Sovereign Identity (SSI). The TTS can be incorporated across diverse industries because of its generic and manageable four-layer product packaging strategy. Blockchain-enabled SSI empowers distributed nodes, to verify them without a centralized client–server authorization architecture. Moreover, due to its distributed nature, the proposed TTS framework is scalable and robust, with the use of web3.0 distributed application development. The adoption of Fantom, a public blockchain infrastructure, allows the proposed system to handle thousands of successful transactions more cost-effectively than the Ethereum network. The deployment of the proposed framework in both public and private blockchain networks demonstrated its superiority in execution time and number of successful transactions.