Understanding blockchain technology for future supply chains: a systematic literature review and research agenda

Abstract

Purpose This paper aims to investigate the way in which blockchain technology is likely to influence future supply chain practices and policies. Design/methodology/approach A systematic review of both academic and practitioner literature was conducted. Multiple accounts of blockchain adoption within industry were also consulted to gain further insight. Findings While blockchain technologies remain in their infancy, they are gaining momentum within supply chains, trust being the predominant factor driving their adoption. The value of such technologies for supply chain management lies in four areas: extended visibility and traceability, supply chain digitalisation and disintermediation, improved data security and smart contracts. Several challenges and gaps in understanding and opportunities for further research are identified by this research. How a blockchain-enabled supply chain should be configured has also been explored from a design perspective. Research limitations/implications This systematic review focuses on the diffusion of blockchain technology within supply chains, and great care was taken in selecting search terms. However, the authors acknowledge that their choice of terms may have excluded certain blockchain articles from this review. Practical implications This paper offers valuable insight for supply chain practitioners into how blockchain technology has the potential to disrupt existing supply chain provisions as well as a number of challenges to its successful diffusion. Social implications The paper debates the poential social and economic impact brought by blockchain. Originality/value This paper is one of the first studies to examine the current state of blockchain diffusion within supply chains. It lays a firm foundation for future research.

The Role of Digital Connectivity in Supply Chain and Logistics Systems: A Proposed SIMPLE Framework

“…This dimension refers to smart applications that are used not only in internal logistics systems but also in supply chains. An example of smart applications could be explained by the use of blockchain technologies [27] to support the organization's transactions efficiently, which in turn improves the collaboration and cooperation between the members of the SCM by a tamper-proof system [28]. The "Smart" dimension has the following main sub-dimensions:…”

Blockchain Technology, Challenges and Opportunities

“…SECTOR [8] Blockchain technology is also a source of new funding opportunities, which are also more democratic, in particular thanks to the disintermediation through which the institutions which traditionally govern and dominate the financial system, such as states and banks, lose their power in favor of modes of more horizontal funding. Funding is one of the biggest barriers for social economy organizations, which face significant start-up costs, but cannot attract investment in the same way as traditional businesses.…”

Enhanced Blockchain Transaction: A Case of Food Supply Chain Management

“…The FSCM is a pressing issue which warrant research (Wang et al, 2019). In October 2016, big retail industries, i.e., Walmart and IBM have collaborated with Tsinghua University to explore the opportunities of blockchain in food products authentication and supply chain operation (Sternberg and Baruffaldi, 2018).…”

“…Walmart is one of the crucial IBM clients for testing the distributed ledger technology for FSCM. In another research work (Wang et al, 2019), Provenance Ltd. explores the value of blockchain in our society. The outcome of the work has identified a substantial reduction of food material waste during production and blockchain is able to keep good relationship between consumer and organization.…”

“…Since, 2015, there is a growing interest of blockchain to be used in supply chain, on the account that the technology may still have significant challenges. To improve the efficiency of blockchain transaction, many research works exists to mitigate some of the issue (Wang et al, 2019). Firstly, blockchain performance is inferior as compared to the traditional system counterpart.…”