Md. Ramjan Ali, Sharfuddin Ahmed Khan, Yaşanur Kayıkçı, Muhammad Shujaat Mubarik
Purpose Blockchain technology is one of the major contributors to supply chain sustainability because of its inherent features. However, its adoption rate is relatively low due to reasons such as the diverse barriers impeding blockchain adoption. The purpose of this study is to identify blockchain adoption barriers in sustainable supply chain and uncovers their interrelationships. Design/methodology/approach A three-phase framework that combines machine learning (ML) classifiers, BORUTA feature selection algorithm, and Grey-DEMATEL method. From the literature review, 26 potential barriers were identified and evaluated through the performance of ML models with accuracy and f-score. Findings The findings reveal that feature selection algorithm detected 15 prominent barriers, and random forest (RF) classifier performed with the highest accuracy and f-score. Moreover, the performance of the RF increased by 2.38% accuracy and 2.19% f-score after removing irrelevant barriers, confirming the validity of feature selection algorithm. An RF classifier ranked the prominent barriers and according to ranking, financial constraints, immaturity, security, knowledge and expertise, and cultural differences resided at the top of the list. Furthermore, a Grey-DEMATEL method is employed to expose interrelationships between prominent barriers and to provide an overview of the cause-and-effect group. Practical implications The outcome of this study can help industry practitioners develop new strategies and plans for blockchain adoption in sustainable supply chains. Originality/value The research on the adoption of blockchain technology in sustainable supply chains is still evolving. This study contributes to the ongoing debate by exploring how practitioners and decision-makers adopt blockchain technology, developing strategies and plans in the process.
This paper presents a systematic review of the role of blockchain technology in fostering sustainable supply chains, with a particular emphasis on its implementation for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). The objective is to explore how blockchain can address critical challenges such as transparency, traceability, and accountability, thereby contributing to more sustainable and ethical supply chain practices. Through an extensive literature review, this study examines various blockchain applications and their potential to enhance sustainability by reducing inefficiencies, ensuring compliance with environmental standards, and mitigating risks related to unethical practices. The research methodology involved a comprehensive analysis of peer-reviewed articles, case studies, and industry reports to identify the benefits and barriers of blockchain adoption in supply chains. Key findings suggest that while blockchain can significantly enhance transparency and sustainability, SMEs face unique challenges in terms of technological adoption, cost implications, and scalability. Additionally, the paper proposes a framework tailored to SME needs, outlining practical steps for blockchain implementation, including initial investment strategies, stakeholder collaboration, and integration with existing technologies. The study concludes that blockchain holds great potential for advancing sustainable supply chains, but its adoption by SMEs requires a strategic approach that addresses financial, technical, and operational barriers. This framework provides a roadmap for SMEs aiming to leverage blockchain technology to achieve sustainability goals, thus contributing to long-term business competitiveness and compliance with global sustainability standards.
Purpose There is little empirical evidence on how blockchain affordances may encourage consumers to make sustainable choices. Thus, this paper examines how blockchain affordances affect consumers’ sustainable consumption. Design/methodology/approach We focus on three blockchain affordances: transparency, traceability, and immutability in this paper. By integrating the affordance lens and theory of consumption values (TCV), we develop a research model wherein we posit that blockchain affordances influence several consumption values, which then affect consumers’ intention to purchase sustainable products. In the study, we designed a scenario and user interface for a novel blockchain-based app for sustainable consumption in the context of the fashion industry and surveyed 295 European consumers to examine the study’s research model. We then analyzed the collected data using the partial least squares technique. Findings The results show that blockchain affordances positively affect consumption values, including efficiency, social impression, trust, and sustainability information clarity. In turn, these values influence the consumers’ purchase intention of sustainable products. Additionally, our post hoc analysis shows that these consumption values fully mediate the effect of blockchain affordances on consumers’ purchase intention, where trust and sustainability information clarity is found to have a higher impact. Originality/value Empirical research studies focusing on understanding blockchain’s effect on sustainable consumption values have been limited in prior literature. This study, drawing on the affordance lens, proposes distinct blockchain affordances and empirically validates their impact on consumers’ sustainable purchase intention. By integrating TCV, it highlights the mediating mechanism that drives blockchain’s impact on consumers’ purchase intention. We empirically identify the values that mediate the effects of blockchain affordances on consumers’ purchase intention; further, we discuss implications for research and practice based on the study findings.
Purpose This paper aims to investigate the emergence of blockchain-enabled traceability in complex multi-tiered supply chains, focusing on the perspective of upstream suppliers. Blockchain technology receives attention for its potential to enable better traceability and thus sustainability risk management, yet there is limited empirical evidence on how actual implementation unfolds. We aim to understand how blockchain adoption unfolds in practice, particularly in critical mineral supply chains that are critical to the sustainability transition yet linked to severe environmental and human rights risks and to explore the role of traditionally non-focal firms in this process. Design/methodology/approach Adopting a process-based case study design, our research is grounded in data collected through participant observation (>12 months) within an upstream mining company, supplemented by interviews and document review. Our study employs the complex adaptive systems (CAS) lens and uses an abductive approach for data analysis. Findings In our case, blockchain-based traceability in the cobalt supply chain was co-constructed over time, fundamentally driven by a large upstream supplier but enabled through supply-chain-spanning collaboration with like-minded downstream actors and successive expansion into the opaque midstream, enabled through a stakeholder alliance forum and formalized in the blockchain. We find, however, that visibility, standards, trust and follow-up capacities need to exist in their own right, ideally prior to blockchain implementation. Originality/value Our paper provides empirical insights from an upstream (vs downstream) perspective and investigates blockchain’s implementation (vs potential) to complement and ground existing research. Further, we extend the CAS framework by emphasizing agency and visible horizon of traditionally non-focal firms.
Christos Roumeliotis, Minas Dasygenis, Vasilis Lazaridis, Michael Dossis
The Fourth Industrial Revolution has transformed industries and supply chains by integrating advanced operations, tools, and logistics services. Despite these advancements, challenges persist, particularly in ensuring data dependability, security, and operational efficiency. Digital twins (DTs), which replicate real-world components and processes, have emerged as essential tools for enhancing predictive analytics, simulation, and product lifecycle management in Industry 4.0. However, traditional DT development relies on centralized systems, which are vulnerable to data tampering and security breaches, especially in the management of transaction logs and historical data. To address these challenges, this review provides a comprehensive analysis of the current state of integrating blockchain with DTs. Using a qualitative research methodology, including desk research, case studies, and interviews with industry experts, we analyze various blockchain-based DT applications across industries and specifically in supply chain management. The findings reveal that blockchain-enhanced DTs can significantly improve data integrity, traceability, and security, thus boosting operational efficiency and quality control in supply chains. Additionally, this study identifies key integration techniques and the role of blockchain in automating processes through smart contracts. This review provides insights into the practical implications of blockchain-based DTs, highlighting their potential to enhance the reliability and scalability of Industry 4.0 operations.
This review examines how blockchain technology can be leveraged to enhance data privacy and security in sustainable supply chain management (SSCM). As global supply chains become increasingly complex and the demand for sustainability grows, ensuring data privacy and security has become a critical concern. Traditional supply chain systems often face challenges such as data breaches, lack of transparency, and difficulty in tracing products and materials. Blockchain technology, with its decentralized, immutable, and transparent architecture, offers a promising solution to these challenges. Blockchain can enhance data security by ensuring that data is tamper-proof, traceable, and encrypted, thus protecting sensitive information across the supply chain. It provides transparency while allowing permissioned access, ensuring that stakeholders can verify data without exposing confidential information. Furthermore, privacy-preserving technologies such as zero-knowledge proofs and homomorphic encryption allow verification of data without compromising its security. Smart contracts enable automated compliance with regulatory frameworks like GDPR, reducing the risk of human error and improving operational efficiency. The integration of blockchain in SSCM can improve traceability, transparency, and accountability, thereby promoting environmental and social sustainability. By tracking the origin and journey of goods, blockchain helps verify ethical sourcing practices and reduce carbon footprints. However, the technology also presents challenges, including scalability, integration with legacy systems, and cost considerations. Through case studies in industries such as food, textiles, and renewable energy, this review highlights the practical applications and benefits of blockchain for SSCM. It concludes that blockchain has the potential to revolutionize supply chain operations, but careful consideration must be given to overcoming its technical and financial barriers to widespread adoption.
This review proposes a comprehensive framework that integrates data fusion with Distributed Ledger Technologies (DLT) to enhance sustainability in supply chain management. In today’s global supply chains, ensuring transparency, efficiency, and environmental responsibility is critical, yet the lack of real-time visibility and data fragmentation presents significant challenges. The framework addresses these issues by merging data from multiple sources, including IoT devices, operational databases, and external environmental factors, using advanced data fusion algorithms. DLT, with its decentralized, immutable, and transparent nature, ensures the integrity and security of the data, allowing all stakeholders to access accurate and tamper-proof information. The fusion of data within a DLT infrastructure not only improves traceability and accountability but also enables the automation of sustainability checks via smart contracts. These contracts can trigger actions based on predefined sustainability metrics such as carbon emissions, energy consumption, and resource efficiency. Furthermore, predictive analytics and machine learning algorithms integrated into the system provide real-time monitoring and optimization of sustainability performance throughout the supply chain. The proposed review offers numerous benefits, including enhanced transparency, reduced operational costs, improved sustainability outcomes, and risk mitigation. It also addresses challenges such as scalability, data privacy, and regulatory compliance, offering solutions to overcome these hurdles. By exploring case studies of successful implementations, this review demonstrates the practical applications and future potential of combining DLT and data fusion for sustainable supply chain management, positioning it as a critical tool for organizations aiming to meet environmental and regulatory demands in an increasingly digital and eco-conscious world.
In the evolving landscape of technological discourse, non-fungible tokens (NFTs) have risen as pivotal instruments, notably within gaming and digital art. However, their implications are broader, touching upon real-world applications such as land titles and supply chain management. As the Web 3.0 architecture evolves, the role of NFTs in domain nomenclature and email addresses is increasingly significant. Yet, with the existence of alternate methods for these operations, a pertinent question emerges: Why opt for NFTs or blockchain-based solutions? Despite uncertainties surrounding adoption, many early adopters are zealously securing addresses on these avant-garde networks. This chapter delves into the conditions and reasons for considering this nascent technology.
Rizwan Matloob Ellahi, Lincoln C. Wood, Alaa Ei-Din A. Bekhit
This systematic review critically examines the diverse applications of Blockchain technology in the food supply chain and identifies areas where its potential remains underutilized. By analysing 60 Blockchain-based frameworks, the study highlights the most frequently employed drivers such as transparency, traceability, and security within food supply chains. Additionally, underexplored applications such as food donation and redistribution, supply chain financing, animal welfare, food waste management, and data analysis are identified, revealing opportunities for further innovation. The research employed NVivo 14 to analyze the extent of Blockchain’s implementation in various food supply chain drivers, and the findings informed the development of a more diverse framework for Blockchain integration. Key insights demonstrate Blockchain’s transformative potential, particularly in enhancing data integrity, trust, and operational efficiency through its immutable ledger and smart contracts, which streamline transactions, cut administrative costs, and reduce fraud. In terms of sustainability and safety, Blockchain improves traceability, accelerates safety responses, promotes environmental sustainability by tracking resource usage, and enhances humanitarian efforts with transparent, efficient resource distribution. Additionally, Blockchain facilitates food waste reduction by optimizing inventory and distribution, while ensuring surplus food reaches those in need. The study concludes by offering a roadmap for future research, pointing toward untapped dimensions of Blockchain’s application in food traceability, sustainable supply chain management, and environmental & social impact. While the review provides a comprehensive understanding of Blockchain’s current usage in food supply chains, the scope is limited by the systematic review process and specific inclusion criteria. This study serves as a foundation for exploring Blockchain’s broader potential in shaping the future of food supply chains.
Javed Aslam, Kee‐hung Lai, Yun Bae Kim, Horst Treiblmaier
Empirical studies based on detailed, theory-based analyses are essential for a deep understanding of technology adoption. This study provides an overview of blockchain applications in logistics management, employing a comprehensive theoretical framework. Blockchain is considered a critical digital infrastructure for logistics operations due to its distinctive characteristics, including decentralization, transparency, immutability, real-time information sharing, reliability, and end-to-end visibility. These characteristics address many contemporary logistics challenges. The study introduces a research model that integrates the fit-viability model (FVM) and task technology fit theory (TTF), demonstrating blockchain's suitability for enhancing logistics operational functions and sustainability performance. To validate the model, data were collected from logistics managers of 576 companies and analyzed using partial least squares (PLS) regression. This research offers valuable insights for managers, policymakers, and decision-makers on practical challenges and potential solutions in logistics through the application of blockchain. Furthermore, the study demonstrates that the implementation of blockchain can improve the alignment, resilience, transparency, integration, and sustainability of logistics tasks.
This study explores the determinants of the intention to adopt blockchain technology for sustainable supply chain management in Indian micro, small, and medium enterprises. Different from existing studies that advocate the use of socio-technical theory for blockchain technologies, we develop a new theoretical framework, called “SOS,” based on a review of the existing literature. This is an adaptation of the technology–organization–environment framework that examines the measures and scales from socio-technical, organizational, and sustainability contexts. We use ADANCO 2.3.2 for variance-based structural equation modeling. The results show that two of the nine hypotheses are negatively significant, while the rest are positive. In our context, social sustainability and computer self-efficacy are strongly negatively significant for the adoption intention of blockchain technology in our context. Software quality and environmental sustainability are strongly positively significant. Meanwhile, collaboration, economic sustainability, and relative advantage mediated by experience are positively significant. Our study contributes to the literature by offering a new theoretical framework, fresh insights from the Indian industry, and several recommendations to practitioners.
Building services systems are essential for creating a comfortable and safe living environment in buildings. These are complex systems with high stakeholder involvement, a lengthy lifecycle, and high financial costs. This leads to building services systems having complex procurement and management (P&M) requirements which create a multitude of challenges. Blockchain technology has emerged as a revolutionary digital technology under “Procurement 4.0”. The purpose of this paper is to investigate the applicability of blockchain technology for systematic procurement and management of building services. The science mapping method was used to systematically and quantitatively analyse 102 publications related to bibliographic records retrieved from Scopus and the Web of Science databases. This includes content analysis of the existing issues, current trends of technologies, and applicability of blockchain in the P&M of building services. The results of the bibliometric analysis indicate that publications had grown significantly faster in 2021 related to the P&M of building services with new technologies while there is a minimal collaboration of countries, organisations and authors in publishing research in this area. Further, it is observed that Building Information Modelling (BIM) is the main technology utilised in general P&M. As a result of content analysis, a total of 28 issues that affect the performance of procurement and management of building services are identified. The paper critically evaluates blockchain technology in terms of peer-to-peer networks, hashing algorithms, public key cryptography, consensus mechanisms, smart contracts, and distributed ledger. It indicates that blockchain provides a perfect match for resolving these issues. The findings of the research will open a path to apply blockchain technology in building services. The study offers a readily available point of reference for practitioners, policymakers and research and development bodies.
Purpose Trust-commitment theory has been fundamental in understanding interorganizational relationships in sustainable supply chain management. Trust-commitment dynamics can provide insights into sustainable sourcing outcomes. Despite recent extensions to trust-commitment theory, trust and commitment correlation and the mediation role of trust between antecedents (i.e. opportunism) and commitment remains fundamental. We revisit trust-commitment theoretical relationships within the context of blockchain technology—and specifically blockchain smart contracts. Design/methodology/approach We conducted the scenario-based experiment with 100 business professionals from operations, supply chain and related fields to test the proposed hypotheses on how different governance mechanisms impact various managerial perceptions in a buyer–seller setting. Findings Findings reveal that compared with the formal written contract, blockchain smart contract enhances affect-based trust—as the only significant trust dimension, secures buyer commitment and interestingly, encourages opportunistic behavior. The impact of blockchain smart contract on cognition-based and institution-based trust is not significant. The findings advance trust-commitment theory with valuable managerial insights within the blockchain and sustainable sourcing context. Originality/value This study serves as a foundation for future studies to further clarify blockchain technology on sustainable buyer–seller relationships using fundamental relationships of trust-commitment and other social exchange theories.
Focusing on the dual-channel supply chain system consisting of capital-constrained manufacturers, banks, retailers and third-party platforms, considering the dual roles of retailers and third-party platforms as channel participants and loan providers, the optimal financing strategies of capital-constrained manufacturers under centralized decision-making and decentralized decision-making are studied respectively, and the influence of different initial capital levels on their financing strategy selection is explored. The results show that under centralized decision-making, the third-party platform financing strategy is always better than the bank financing strategy; under the condition of equal financing interest rates, if the initial capital level allows both financing strategies to be selected, the third-party platform financing strategy can more effectively solve the capital constraint problem than the bank financing strategy. Under decentralized decision-making, with the intensification of channel competition, the reduction of revenue sharing rate or production cost, or the increase of initial capital, manufacturers will tend to choose the retailer financing strategy; under the condition of equal financing interest rates, if the initial capital level allows all three financing strategies to be selected, the retailer financing strategy can more effectively solve the manufacturer's capital constraint problem than the other two financing strategies.
Muhammad Lukman Baihaqi Alfakihuddin, Feby Theresia, Aurelia Adyarini Kacaya, Innaya Putri Munandar
As the globe faces difficulties in 2019, NFT grew popular in making, buying, selling, and trading more efficient while lowering the possibility of fraud. [1] This study aims to examine the claims made in academic literature regarding the sustainability of non-fungible tokens for the environment. Despite the growth of NFTs in 2019, the environmental impact of this technology has received little attention. Using a qualitative exploratory approach, this research analyzes relevant academic journals to understand the theoretical sustainability of NFTs and how that aligns, or fails to align, with the reality. The goal is to raise awareness about the environmental implications of NFTs and provide a critical assessment of the existing claims surrounding their sustainability.
Rosangela de Araújo Santos, Eduardo Oliveira Teles, Francisco Gaudêncio Mendonça Freires
Agriculture is one of the most economically important practices in the world; it is essential for food security and socioeconomic development in several countries. However, the use of pesticides, which are essential for fighting pests and weeds and guaranteeing agricultural yields, has brought about an environmental issue pertaining to the management of empty pesticide packaging. The improper disposal of pesticide packaging can put both environmental and human health at risk. Therefore, the implementation of reverse logistics systems will be essential if we are to ensure that packages are collected, recycled, and disposed of safely. Blockchain technology is an innovative solution that offers transparent and immutable recording of data, thereby facilitating traceability. In this study, we present the application of a circular economy-based framework to agricultural production via blockchain (and involving all actors within production and consumption) to enable the more responsible disposal of empty pesticide packaging for eventual reuse, recovery, or recycling. Bibliographical research was carried out through Scopus and Web of Science from 2018 to 2023; we principally aimed to provide an overview of this pertinent area of research using the following keywords: “blockchain”, “circular economy”, “pesticide packaging”, and “reverse logistics”. Bibliometrics using graphs and tables made it possible to refine the information collected from the databases. We analyzed how blockchain can be integrated alongside reverse logistics, highlighting how it can promote the principles of the circular economy through various methods of sustainable and responsible agriculture.
Halida Achmad Bagraff, Nur Kholis, Mugiyati, Fatikhah Ghofi Nabila
Supply chain efficiency, transparency, and sustainability can be enhanced using blockchain technology. Blockchain enables a company to accurately track raw material origin to finished products, which ensures standard quality and sustainability. Furthermore, blockchain improves partnerships between supply chain stakeholders by providing a confident, common platform for sharing data. The influence of implementing blockchain technology on supply chain sustainability includes reduced wastage, increased resource transparency, monitoring of social standards, and reduced operational costs. The challenges of blockchain implementation include scalability, incorporation with present systems, lack of expertise, safety and confidentiality, and regulatory uncertainty. Companies can tackle these challenges through collaborative approaches and technical improvements. In general, blockchain technology significantly enhances supply chain sustainability and efficiency, which provides opportunities for creative business solutions.
Blockchain technology holds the potential to revolutionise the logistics industry by sharing tamper-proof information in a decentralised manner, building trust among parties. However, adoption in the Australian logistics industry lags behind other sectors. This study uses fuzzy DEMATEL to investigate barriers to blockchain adoption, identifying thirteen key barriers within the technology-organisation-environment (TOE) framework. Cost of investment and integration difficulties among partners are the most prominent barriers, particularly within organisational contexts. The findings offer a theoretical foundation and practical insights for overcoming barriers and successfully implementing blockchain in logistics.
Abstract The purpose of this study is to design, develop and evaluate a blockchain platform in the field of circular economy (CE). To achieve this aim, the research demonstrates the feasibility of designing a decentralised architecture and prototyping a distributed system to increase customer engagement in the transition toward CE. Building on previous research and leveraging on the design science research approach, the paper identifies the technical and managerial issues that must be addressed to adopt blockchain as an enabling technology in the CE domain. More in details, starting with the identification of circular sharing economy (CSE) processes, a conceptual framework was designed to evaluate how blockchain implementation has the potential to enhance the role of customers involved in CSE processes. As for the practical implications, the suggested conceptual framework reduces the knowledge gap between blockchain developers and corporate social responsibility specialists. To bridge the gap, it identifies future directions and practical guidelines for designing and implementing blockchain to support the digital and sustainable innovation of more circular firms and supply chains.