Within the past years, enterprise blockchain solutions were frequently developed within different industry consortia. In most cases, this resulted in isolated solutions competing against each other due to similar approaches and goals. Today, decision makers do not necessarily need to establish entirely new blockchain consortia, as established ones already exist, and participation is a considerable way to avoid unreasonable efforts. In this paper, we apply an iterative literature review to identify different factors relevant for practitioners, who face the challenge of joining an existing enterprise blockchain consortium. In a second step, we discuss these factors utilizing supply chain management as a role model. As a main finding, we propose an evaluation framework for the purpose of enterprise blockchain consortium analysis. Additionally, we provide several questions relevant for practitioners during their evaluation stages. With our evaluation framework we contribute to blockchain research, where - despite its high relevance - the topic of consortium evaluation has so far been neglected. We also contribute to research in the field of technology evaluation by proposing and merging five different evaluation dimensions.
Sheet metal part manufacture is a precursor to various upstream assembly processes, including the manufacturing of mechanical and body parts of railcars, automobiles, ships, etc., in the transport manufacturing sector. The (re)manufacturing of railcars comprises a multi-tier manufacturing supply chain, mainly supported by local small and medium enterprises (SMEs), where siloed information leads to information disintegration between supplier and manufacturer. Technology spillovers in information technology (IT) and operational technology (OT) are disrupting traditional supply chains, leading to a sustainable digital economy, driven by new innovations and business models in manufacturing. This paper presents application of industrial DevOps by merging industry 4.0 technologies for collaborative and sustainable supply chains. A blockchain-based information system (IS) and a cloud manufacturing (CM) process system were integrated, for a supply chain management (SCM) system for the railcar manufacturer. A systems thinking methodology was used to identify the multi-hierarchical system, and a domain-driven design approach (DDD) was applied to develop the event-driven microservice architecture (MSA). The result is a blockchain-based cloud manufacturing as a service (BCMaaS) SCM system for outsourcing part production for boxed sheet metal parts. In conclusion, the BCMaaS system performs part provenance, traceability, and analytics in real time for improved quality control, inventory management, and audit reliability.
Aamir Rashid, Syed Baber Ali, Rizwana Rasheed, Noor Aina Amirah · 5 authors
Purpose This paper aims to find the impact of blockchain supply chain on supply chain performance with a mediating role of supplier trust, traceability and transparency. Design/methodology/approach Data was collected using the purposive sampling technique on a five-point Likert scale from 150 respondents. For data analysis, IBM SPSS and Smart PLS 3.3.7 were used to test the hypotheses by evaluating the structural equation modeling. Findings The blockchain supply chain found a significant effect on supply chain performance. Moreover, there is a substantial effect of the blockchain supply chain on supply chain performance via mediators, including supplier trust, supply chain traceability and supply chain transparency. Further, the mediation type of all mediators was full mediation in the relationships between blockchain supply chain and supply chain performance. Research limitations/implications The research findings are helpful for industrialists, supply chain practitioners and policymakers. The practitioners can adopt blockchain technology to enhance inter-organizational collaboration, develop trust, data visibility and traceability, and critical decisions, ultimately bringing sustainable growth for the firm. Originality/value The outcomes of this research enrich the literature and share the impact of one of the most trending technologies in the supply chain perspective. Future research can empirically test the relationship between blockchain and supply chain sustainability.
Global competition encourages all industries to attain cutting-edge performance by continuously developing their goods and processes; knowledge is the most effective and powerful weapon for long-term sustainability and growth. Effective blockchain adoption (BCA) and better supply chain visibility (SCV) via organizational and production knowledge management (KM) have emerged as the most powerful instruments for improving sustainable organizational performance (SOP). Therefore, drawing on the resource-based view and technology acceptance model, this study seeks to underline the empirical relationships among KM, BCA, SCV, and SOP in a developing country context of Chinese manufacturing, as research in this sector is still nascent encompassing these constructs. Data were collected from 289 respondents (senior, middle, and junior) level staff members from manufacturing industries and analyzed by a novel approach; partial least square structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM). The empirical analyses indicated that KM significantly impacts BCA. BCA also positively affects SCV. Besides BCA, the KM also positively impacts SOP. The mediation effect analysis revealed the significant serial mediating impact of BCA and SCV on the relationship of KM to SOP. This study enriches the inadequate literature and throws light on BCA from an organizational resource perspective. The study deepens our understanding and delivers valued insights to the managers and policymakers of manufacturing industries concerning the role of KM, BCA, and SCV in achieving SOP.
Simón Fernández-Vázquez, Rafael Rosillo, David de la Fuente, Javier Puente
Purpose The analytical hierarchical process (AHP)’s main purpose is to assess higher hierarchy levels based on the cooperation of its various levels. It results in a well-designed model-based method in which the weights for the selected attribute are calculated using dimensions, criteria, and indicators. This paper aims to highlight the benefits of blockchain in supply chain management with the help of a literature review along with opinions of experts from various sectors. Design/methodology/approach With the goal of enhancing the use of blockchain technology in supply chain management, particularly when comparing within the same industry, the AHP methodology has been used. In order to develop the AHP model, a total of eight elements are examined in this study, which are decentralization, resiliency, security, smart contracts, sustainability, traceability, transparency and trust. A calculation of a Desirability Index for conventional supply chain and blockchain-enabled supply chains has been also developed. Findings Findings where that in a blockchain-enabled supply chain, the global weights of individual benefit variables are considerably larger than in conventional supply chains. When the score of the Desirability Index for conventional supply chain and blockchain-enabled supply chain is compared, the blockchain-enabled supply chain significantly surpasses the conventional supply chain in terms of increasing sustainable development in today’s supply networks. Originality/value This study takes into account the AHP methodology applying it on blockchain. This has not been done before in the academic world, at least as far as the authors may be aware of. The originality of combining such process with a recent technology such as blockchain highlights the value of this research.
Distributed ledger technology (DLT) like blockchain technology (BCT) is expected to have the power to improve sustainability in supply chains. To summarize and organize the insights of research in information systems (IS) on how BCT relates to transparency and, ultimately, sustainability of supply chains, this paper conducts a structured literature review. In total 46 articles have been identified and analyzed. The analysis shows that the potential of BCT to facilitate transparency in supply chains and thus enable sustainability measures stems from its decentralized and distributed nature. Further, BCT does not unfold this potential on its own; rather it is a technology that complements existing IS used to manage inter-organizational transactions. Overall, the paper contributes to the literature by providing a deeper insight into the possibilities, features, and merits of BCT in the SCM context, mainly focusing on transparency and sustainability matters. Summarizing and organizing the advantages of BCT and the shortcomings of existing IS used in SCM as discussed in prior research, this paper emphasizes that BCT needs to be considered as a complementary technology. Viewing BCT as such and implementing at such, BCT has great potential to support sustainability efforts significantly.
Karthik Bajar, Aditya Kamat, Saket Shanker, Akhilesh Barve
Purpose In recent times, reverse logistics (RL) is gaining significant traction in various automobile industries to recapture returned vehicles’ value. A good RL program can lower manufacturing costs, establish a green supply chain, enhance customer satisfaction and provide a competitive advantage. However, reducing disruptions and increasing operational efficiency in the automobile RL requires implementing innovative technology to improve information flow and security. Thus, this manuscript aims to examine the hurdles in automobile RL activities and how they can be effectively tackled by blockchain technology (BCT). Merging BCT and RL provides the entire automobile industry a chance to generate value for its consumers through effective vehicle return policies, manufacturing cost reduction, maintenance records tracking, administration of vehicle information and a clear payment record of insurance contracts. Design/methodology/approach This research is presented in three stages to accomplish the task. First, previous literature and experts' opinions are examined to highlight certain factors that are an aggravation to BCT implementation. Next, this study proposed an interval-valued intuitionistic fuzzy set (IVIFS) – decision-making trial and evaluation laboratory (DEMATEL) with Choquet integral framework for computing and analyzing the comparative results of factor interrelationships. Finally, the causal outline diagrams are plotted to determine the influence of factors on one another for BCT implementation in automobile RL. Findings This study has categorized the barriers to BCT implementation into five major factors – operational and strategical, technical, knowledge and behavioral, financial and infrastructural, and government rules and regulations. The results revealed that disreputable technology, low-bearing capacity of IT systems and operational inefficiency are the most significant factors to be dealt with by automobile industry professionals for finer and enhanced RL processes utilizing BCT. The most noticeable advantage of BCT is its enormous amount of data, permitting automobile RL to develop client experience through real-time data insights. Practical implications This study reveals several factors that are hindering the implementation of BCT in RL activities of the automobile industry. The results can assist experts and policymakers improve their existing decision-making systems while making an effort to implement BCT into the automobile industry's RL activities. Originality/value Although there are several studies on the benefits of BCT in RL and the adoption of BCT in the automobile industry, individually, none have explicated the use of BCT in automobile RL. This is also the first kind of study that has used IVIFS-DEMATEL with the Choquet integral framework for computing and analyzing the comparative results of factor interrelationships hindering BCT implementation in automobile RL activities.
The textile sector accounts for the fourth-highest usage of primary raw materials and water (after food, housing, and transport), the second-highest usage of land, and the fifth highest Green House Gases (GHG) emissions (EEA, 2017). While Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) has been widely used to assess the environmental impact of fashion, most studies are constrained by the lack of reliable data. Blockchain technology may enable better traceability by making origin and journey more transparent. The potential to integrate LCA and blockchain has been discussed in other sectors, but specific protocols in the fashion sector are largely missing. This study aims to address this by a) exploring the use of LCA to measure the impact reduction potential of circular strategies and b) proposing a protocol for the integration of LCA and BC to accurately assess circular practices. Using leather handbags as a case study, an LCA study is conducted comparing two circular scenarios against a baseline to quantify potential benefits from circular strategies. Subsequently, it builds a blockchain-based LCA framework to unleash circularity opportunities through enhanced traceability and data sharing. Results point to substantial environmental benefits from the circular strategies, for example, circular scenario 2 (reuse markets/second-hand leather bag) was estimated to cause between 34.8% and 53.8% lower impacts while circular scenario 1 (leather alternative) contributed to impact reduction of more than 35% of the impacts in most impact categories (10 out of 18). The results also highlight the contribution of blockchain technology to enable traceability and reliable data for identification of environmental hotspots and accurate quantification of circular potential.
Sagar Dua, Mohita Gangwar Sharma, Vinaytosh Mishra, Sourabh D. Kulkarni
Purpose Blockchain has been considered a disrupting technology that can add value in various supply chains differently. The provenance framework matches the four blockchain capabilities of traceability, certifiability, trackability and verifiability to the five generic risks, namely, the financial risk, psychological risk, social risk, physical risk and performance risk. This will help in uncording which specific risk gets mitigated by the use of blockchain in a specific supply chain. Design/methodology/approach This study illustrates four supply chains, namely, pharmaceutical industry, fast moving consumer goods industry, precious metal and automotive industry, and maps the risks associated with them to the provenance framework wherein the applicability of blockchain is mapped. Fuzzy analytical hierarchical processing (F-AHP) is used to rank the risks in the supply chain. Findings Blockchain capabilities can elevate the provenance knowledge leading to assurance in terms of origin, authenticity, custody and integrity to mitigate the supply chain risks. Present work highlights the thrust areas across various supply chains and identifies the risk priority tasks aligning the contextual supply chain risks. This study has covered five major risk perceptions. This study contributes to the literature on blockchain, customer perceived risk, provenance and supply chain. Practical implications This methodology can be adopted to understand and market the application of blockchain in a supply chain. It brings the marketers and marketing perspective to the supply chain. Exhaustive risk perception can be included to get more comprehensive data on mapping the risks along different supply chains. Vertical extensions of this work can be consideration of other supply chains including dairy, fruits and vegetables, electronics and component assemblies to derive the comprehensive framework for mapping risk perceptions and thereby supply chain risk mitigation through blockchain technology. Originality/value This linkage between blockchain, perceived risk, applications in the supply chain and a tool to convince the customers about the blockchain applicability has not been discussed in the literature. Adopting the multi-criteria decision-making F-AHP approach, this study attempt to rank the risks and stimulate conversations around a common framework for multiple sectors.
Adopting a circular economy (CE) has rapidly emerged among policymakers and business community stakeholders to promote material circularization and ensure sustainable development. While the inclination for a paradigm shift away from the linear economy is evident, many challenges have been quoted in the literature regarding its implementation. Lately, it has become common to propose Information and Communication Technologies (ICT)-based approaches to address these challenges. However, they do not question the practicality of the solutions in the context of CE. This paper aims to find an appropriate digital solution for CE implementation, which is not possible without a complete understanding of the existing challenges. A thorough literature review broadly classified the challenges under five barrier categories: Technological, Financial, Infrastructural, Institutional, and Societal, which was followed up with an investigation into the failure of ICT solutions to address CE challenges. Among the various technologies, blockchain and smart contract technologies show some promise as data-driven decision-making tools; however, they are not without their limitations when applied in the context of CE. This perspective explores the role of blockchain smart contract technology-scape in overcoming CE challenges and presents a circular economy blockchain (CEB) architecture development. The findings suggest that CEB may enable CE business models that improve trust and transparency in supply-chain networks, shared and performance economy platforms, stakeholder participation, and governance and management of organizations. Ultimately, this study highlights critical areas for research and development for the blockchainification of CE.
Liezl Steynberg, Louwrence Erasmus, Leon Pretorius
There are opportunities for disruptive applications of blockchain technology in outbound logistics management, especially with peer-to-peer networking support to keep records of verified transactions in distributed ledgers without control by an intermediate party. The impact of implementing a blockchain solution in logistics processes and the effect on process parameters is not well understood or quantified in the literature. The objective of this study is to investigate whether there are opportunities in outbound logistics operations to benefit from the application of blockchain technology and to evaluate the impact of implementing a blockchain technology solution in a specific industry use case. A design science research process, which combines qualitative and quantitative research methods, guided this study. A stochastic discrete event simulation model was developed to evaluate the impact of a blockchain solution for an industry use case in an outbound logistics process. The time to reach visibility is quantified for a Hyperledger Fabric implementation. The results indicated that it would have a significant effect on the time it takes to gain insight into the process and transparency. This study provides evidence that a blockchain solution can have a notable impact on information availability and transparency in an outbound logistics process.
We have several issues in most current supply chain management systems. Consumers want to spend money on environmentally friendly products, but they are seldomly informed of the environmental contributions of the suppliers. Meanwhile, each supplier seeks to recover the costs for the environmental contributions to re-invest them into further contributions. Instead, in most current supply chains, the reward for each supplier is not clearly defined and fairly distributed. To address these issues, we propose a supply-chain contribution management platform for fair reward distribution called ‘Advanced Ledger.’ This platform records suppliers' environ-mental contribution trails, receives rewards from consumers in exchange for trail-backed fungible tokens, and fairly distributes the rewards to each supplier based on the contribution trails. In this paper, we overview the architecture of Advanced Ledger and 11 technical features, including decentralized autonomous organization (DAO) based contribution verification, contribution concealment, negative-valued tokens, fair reward distribution, atomic rewarding, and layer-2 rewarding. We then study the requirements and candidates of the smart contract platforms for implementing Advanced Ledger. Finally, we introduce a use case called ‘ESG token’ built on the Advanced Ledger architecture.
Syed Wasiul Hasan Rizvi, Saurabh Agrawal, Qasim Murtaza
The integration of circular economy and Industry 4.0 components like blockchain technology results in a faster induction of ‘circularity’ and leads to new strategies on resource utilization, making the world more sustainable. It is a ‘key-enabler’ in meeting tomorrow’s circularity challenges. Literature revealed research gaps in a yet unexplored area of how ‘circularity’ building gets impacted by blockchain, especially in the Indian auto sector. Moreover, the nonavailability of its evaluation tool also necessitated present research. The main objective was to explore, from the auto stakeholders’ perception viewpoints, the potential of the application of blockchain technology with special reference to the issue of ‘sustainability and circularity’ in the Indian context. The study involved a literature search, building a new circular economy-based blockchain model for the auto industry, and, finally, a case study in which the hypotheses about circularity and blockchain technology nexus impacts on the Indian auto industry were structured and tested through a research instrument, designed and sent to 45 auto stakeholders for evaluation of the said nexus. The data analyzed through the Best-Worst method revealed the ‘potential’ (weight: 0.393) and ‘application’ (weight: 0.262) impacts on CE are the most important yardsticks. The proposed model appears to be more reliable and secure and might help the managers of auto firms in forging new circularity-based strategies to exploit I4.0 efficiently.
Algan Tezel, Dimosthenis Kifokeris, Carlos Torres Formoso, Lauri Koskela · 5 authors
Blockchain is a distributed ledger technology referring to decentralized databases existing across multiple locations and participants, in which the need for intermediaries to process, validate or authenticate transactions is reduced or eliminated. Such transactions are synchronously held by computer nodes in distributed copies, with cryptographic signatures validated through consensus protocols and transparency achieved through peer-to-peer transactional access among the nodes. Blockchain-based applications can be preferred over centralized databases on the basis of high levels of trust, data security, immutability, transparency, and multi-user consensus protocols. There is growing interest in blockchain in the built environment, with a focus on procurement, the management of supply chain project-life cycle, smart cities, intelligent systems, sustainability, and decentralized organizations. However, there is little discussion on whether and how blockchain will affect the advances in lean construction (LC) and vice versa. This paper therefore proposes a framework that establishes interactions between blockchain and lean construction, which can potentially facilitate the implementation of both. It is based on a synthetic literature review. The results indicate that blockchain can facilitate the implementation of LC (e.g., recording and retrieving of Last Planner data), and vice versa (e.g., value stream mapping guiding the integration of blockchain with processes).
Currently, the emerging countries like Morocco seeks to benefit from the potential of blockchain technology to meet its various growing demands, especially in sustainable supply chain management (SSCM). This explains the need for more effort to understand blockchain implementation and identify the barriers influencing the blockchain adoption decision in SSCM, especially, from Moroccan industry and service sectors perspective. In this context, this research paper proposes a group decision-making approach to identify the barriers from a comprehensive literature search, then evaluate them based on intuitionistic fuzzy analytic hierarchy process (IFAHP). Due to the varied importance of the selected barriers, IFAHP is utilized to allocate priority weights for each barrier according to its importance level. The evaluation results reveal that “Government policy and support” and “Challenges in integrating sustainable practices and blockchain technology through sustainable supply chain management (SCM)” are the best ranked barriers that impact the implementation of blockchain technology in Moroccan context. The main objective is to inquire the barriers preventing the blockchain implementation, and assist industry decision-makers in developing supple short- and long-term decision-making strategies for better sustainable supply chain management.