Industry 4.0 and digital supply chain capabilities

The future of industry 4.0 and supply chain resilience after the COVID-19 pandemic: Empirical evidence from a Delphi study

The COVID-19 pandemic has caused major supply chain disruptions and unveiled the pressing need to improve supply chain resilience (SCRES). Industry 4.0 (I4.0) is a promising lever; however, its future in supply chain risk management (SCRM) is highly uncertain and largely unexplored. This paper aims to evaluate I4.0's potential to improve SCRES in a post-COVID-19 world. Based on current literature and multiple workshops, 13 future projections on potential I4.0 application areas in SCRM were developed. A two-round Delphi study among 64 SCRM experts with digital expertise was conducted to evaluate and discuss the projections regarding their probability of occurrence until 2030, their impact on SCRES, and their desirability. A fuzzy c-means algorithm was applied to cluster the projections based on the expert assessments. The expert evaluations led to three clusters on I4.0 application in SCRM: Four projections on generating data, increasing visibility, and building digital capabilities received considerable approval and are reliable to improve SCRES in 2030. Four projections enabling data sharing and processing were predominantly supported and demonstrated realization potential for 2030. Finally, five projections that require major supply network adaptations were deemed unlikely to improve SCRES in 2030. This paper answers several research calls by presenting empirical evidence on the pathway of I4.0 implementation in SCRM following the COVID-19 pandemic. Moreover, it evaluates a holistic set of technologies and indicates prioritization potentials to achieve SCRES improvements.

Modeling enablers of supply chain decarbonisation to achieve zero carbon emissions: an environment, social and governance (ESG) perspective

Climate change is the greatest threat to our planet and way of life. There is an immediate need of decarbonisation and a push for a smooth transition to a world with no net carbon emissions. To achieve sustainability, fast-moving consumer goods (FMCG) firms are increasing their efforts to reduce their carbon footprint across their supply chains. The firms and government undertake several initiatives towards achieving the zero carbon mission. Hence, there is a need to identify the prominent enablers that may enhance the decarbonisation in the FMCG sector and contribute towards a net-zero carbon economy. The current study has identified and assessed the enablers (6 main criteria, 19 sub-criteria), including green innovation, green supply chain, sustainable decision-making, organisation decisions and government control from environment, social and governance (ESG) perspective. Eco-friendly manufacturing techniques and eco-friendly goods may give businesses a competitive edge and sustainability. The six primary factors that can help to reduce decarbonisation are evaluated using the stepwise weight assessment ratio analysis (SWARA) technique. The criteria and sub-criteria are assessed by SWARA method. A total of 32 experts from the FMCG industry are undertaken to validate and assess the enablers. This study identified and evaluated the ESG-based decarbonisation enablers in FMCG. The study shows that green innovations are ranked first, followed by organisational decisions and government control. This is likely the first study to examine how the FMCG industry's enablers for decreasing carbon footprints connect. The study is helpful to the supply chain managers and the other decision makers to implement well-designed processes for creating new products and a supply chain from the point of purchase to the place of supply, all backed by advanced technology and the appropriate regulatory adjustments.

Creating and Sharing Interorganizational Knowledge Through a Supply Chain 4.0 Project

Digitalization in the supply chain involves important transformations in the relationships between supply chain partners. Studies investigating these transformations underline the need to create and share new knowledge processes in order to achieve successful digital projects that improve integration and collaboration in the supply chain. This article proposes to make a parallel between the stages of the SECI model concerning knowledge conversion and the different phases of a Supply Chain 4.0 project. By using a longitudinal case study, the authors fill the gap on the dynamics of knowledge transformation in supply chain digital projects. Based on a supplier portal project, the case study presented helps to understand how to ensure that the different partners will get fully involved in the digital project. It provides five managerial recommendations for companies that wish to commit to supplier development and knowledge sharing through digital projects.

Efficiency of the use of information and communication technologies as a determinant of the digital business transformation process

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is an analysis of the process of digital transformation of enterprises, by measuring the efficiency of the use of information and communication technologies (ICTs) in business in 29 European countries in the period from 2012 to 2020.

Design/methodology/approach

A Charnes, Cooper and Rhodes data envelopment analysis (CCR DEA, 1978) window model has been developed to measure the ICT efficiency of European countries. Several indicators of the use of information and communication technologies in enterprises are selected as the variables of the proposed models, which are available as such in the Eurostat database for European countries. Due to the sensitivity of the results obtained by applying the DEA method to measurement errors and output values, the robustness analysis of the obtained values of average efficiency is also performed, using the bootstrap method.

Findings

The obtained results show that the highest average technical efficiency of the use of ICT in companies by windows, in the observed period, is recorded in Belgium, while Denmark is in the second place. Bulgaria, Romania, Greece and Latvia have the lowest average technical ICT efficiency per window. The analysis of the obtained results by years in the same period brings identical conclusions. Only Belgium has been ICT efficient many times. In general, for all observed countries, the movement of average ICT efficiency in the observed period shows a slightly growing trend, with the exception of a significantly decline in 2013. However, the fact is that the ICT efficiency of the observed countries in the past period is relatively low and for all countries it is 46.36%, with no country being 100% efficient and with eight countries whose average efficiency is below 50% of best practice.

Research limitations/implications

To measure and evaluate the efficiency of ICT use in enterprises, four variables for efficiency assessment are identified, given the fact that only these data are available continuously for the observed period from 2012 to 2020 in the Eurostat database.

Practical implications

Low efficiency of using digital potential in business of the observed countries indicates the need for better understanding of the nature and goals of the digital business transformation process by employees and management, to create conditions for effective implementation and optimization of business digitalization.

Originality/value

Measurement of digital transformation is the subject of a very small number of studies and research, which mainly focus on measuring and assessing the impact of digital transformation on individual countries and perform a comparative analysis of technological development in those countries. Also, analyses are mainly based on identifying similarities and differences between countries or ranking countries according to adopted evaluation criteria using different digitization indices. A step forward in this research is the application of the DEA window method for measuring the relative efficiency of the use of ICT in enterprises, and the development of a model that can be extended if necessary with indicators for which data are available.

Lean and agile supply chain strategies: the role of mature and emerging information technologies

Purpose

The significant changes that supply chains (SCs) are undergoing and the emergence of disruptive technologies have led to a growing effort to integrate novel and mature technologies into existing SC strategies. Thus, this study investigates the relationships between mature information technologies (ITs), emerging IT and the lean supply chain (LSC) and agile supply chain (ASC) strategies.

Design/methodology/approach

An empirical study based on structural equation modeling of survey data from 256 Spanish focal companies has been conducted to test six hypotheses.

Findings

Drawing on resource orchestration, our results point to mature IT use being an enabler of both LSC and ASC strategy implementation. The results also show an LSC mediating effect on the relationship between mature IT and ASC when SCs follow both strategies. Also, the implementation of emerging IT requires a process of consolidation over time to be genuinely useful as a facilitating mechanism for developing both the lean and agile strategies along the SC. In this sense, a suitable mix needs to be orchestrated between emerging and mature IT.

Originality/value

This study sheds light on the relevance of the mature IT and emerging IT in the context of two SC strategies (lean/agile) and provides practical and theoretical implications.

Adoption of Industry 4.0 technologies by organizations: a maturity levels perspective

This study employs a structured literature analysis considering Industry 4.0 technologies and their adoption stages (intention, adoption, implementation, routinization, continuance, and diffusion). We identify the technology adoption stage for each technology type, which in turn supports a maturity level categorization, as well as future research suggestions and challenging open research questions. By considering an integrated view of all the adoption stages of Industry 4.0 key technologies, we reveal the key technologies and their development stages, as well as a novel maturity level categorization perspective. The proposed categorization brings valuable research insights in the form of guidelines for practitioners and decision-makers interested in gaining a deeper understanding of the maturity level of key Industry 4.0 technologies.

Global Changes and Disruptions in Supply Chains—Preliminary Research to Sustainable Resilience of Supply Chains

The contemporary world becomes more and more volatile and unpredictable every year (dynamic development of technology—Industry 4.0 and Industry 5.0, dynamic global changes related to the COVID-19 pandemic, great changes in consumer behavior, climate crisis, geopolitical disruptions). Individuals, companies, and supply chains face challenges emerging from economic, sociological, and political phenomena. These phenomena disrupt regular performance and limit the efficient functioning of companies and economies. Due to numerous relations and connections in the economy, disruptions in one area affect the others and spread, growing in range and severity. Hence, disruptions should be dealt with to provide continuity of supply chains and to ensure their efficient and effective performance. The study aims to identify crucial characteristics of disruptions to facilitate disruption minimization strategies. The characteristics of disruptions in supply chains are identified based on a literature review, synthesized and validated by the experts. A study is implemented to validate identified characteristics and to confront theoretical findings with the practical experience and observations of the experts. The results of the study are discussed and commented on. The conclusions from the study refer to the nature and characteristics of disruptions in the contemporary economy, equipping managers with useful knowledge when dealing with disruptions, and academics with observations that can stimulate further discussion on stability, flexibility, and resilience of companies and supply chains.

Peace engineering and compassionate operations: a framework for leveraging social good

Purpose

Peace engineering and compassionate operations can unlock the potential of emerging technologies for social good. This work aims to investigate the integration of peace engineering and compassionate operations by proposing an integrative framework and identifying the main drivers regarding social good, considering the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) landscape.

Design/methodology/approach

The authors used a two-stage methodology by employing a narrative literature review in the first stage to identify the relationships and drivers and propose an original framework. In the second stage, the authors utilized an expert panel to validate the framework’s drivers.

Findings

The authors identified five main categories related to peace engineering and compassionate operations, which were then used to support the categorization of the drivers. In the second stage, the authors validated the drivers with a panel of academicians and experienced industry practitioners.

Practical implications

The proposed framework can provide insightful directions for practitioners and governments to develop strategies and projects in different contexts, including humanitarian logistics, climate change crises, supply chain disruptions, etc.

Originality/value

This work makes unique contributions by reinvigorating an amalgamation of the peace engineering and compassionate operations arenas and their integration with the SDGs to enable enhanced social good, supported by cutting-edge technologies. Thus, this framework’s contributions encompass essential theoretical, managerial, and social implications.

Digitalization of the supply chain: transformation factors

Purpose

There is an increasing interest in the supply chain’s digitalization, yet the topic is still in the preliminary stages of academic research. The academic literature has no consensus and is still limited to research assessing the supply chain’s digitalization of organizations. This study aims to explore the supply chain digitalization drivers to understand the emerging phenomena. More specifically, the authors devised from the literature the most common factors in assessing the readiness in scaling supply chain digitalization.

Design/methodology/approach

This study followed a five-phased systematic literature review (SLR) methodology in this research: designing, analyzing, conducting, writing and assessing the quality of the review. The SLR is beneficial for justifying future research regardless of the complex process that requires dealing with high-level databases, information filtering and relevancies of the content. Through analysis of 347 titles and abstracts and 40 full papers, the authors showed and discussed the supply chain digitalization: transformation factors.

Findings

The results generated three main themes: technology, people and processes. The study also generated ten subthemes/primary drivers for assessing the readiness for supply chain digitalization in organizations: IT infrastructure, cybersecurity systems, digitalization reskilling and upskilling, digitalization culture, top management support, digitalization and innovation strategy, integrated supply chain, digital innovation management, big data management and data analytics and government regulations. The importance of each factor was discussed, and future research agenda was presented.

Research limitations/implications

While the key drivers of the supply chain digitalization were identified, there is still a need to study the statistical correlation to confirm the interrelationships among factors. This study is also limited by the articles available in the databases and content extraction.

Practical implications

This study supports decision-makers in understanding the critical drivers in digitalizing the supply chain. Once these factors are studied and comprehended, managers and decision-makers could better anticipate and allocate the proper resources to embark on the digitalization journey and make informed decisions.

Originality/value

The digitalization of the supply chain is more critical nowadays due to the global disruptions caused by the Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic and the surge of organizations moving toward the digital economy. There is a gap between the digital transformation pilot studies and implementation. The themes and factors unearthed in this study will serve as a foundation and guidelines for further theoretical research and practical implications.

A Review of Digital Transformation on Supply Chain Process Management Using Text Mining

Industry 4.0 technologies are causing a paradigm shift in supply chain process management. The digital transformation of the supply chains provides enormous benefits to organizations by empowering collaboration among multiple internal and external organizations and systems. This study presents a narrative review explaining the existing knowledge on digital transformation in supply chain process management using text mining. It summarizes the existing literature to explain the current state of the art in supply chain digitalization. This comprehensive review identifies the most important topics and technologies and determines the future trends in this emerging field. We investigate the articles published in Web of Science and Scopus databases and use text mining techniques (clustering and topic modeling) on the article contents. Using VOS viewer, a bibliometric analysis of 395 articles with 12,700 references is analyzed. The contents of the articles are explored using text mining approaches. The synthesized results reveal that the most important topics in digital transformation are “sustainable supply chain management” and “circular economy and industry 4.0 technologies”. The study further discovers big data, data analytics, blockchain, artificial intelligence, machine learning, and the Internet of Things as the most critical technologies for facilitating supply chain digital transformation. Finally, an overlay heatmap analysis of the research articles found that digital transformation, supply chain management, industry 4.0, decision-making, and sustainability are emerging trends in supply chain digitalization.

The implications of Industry 4.0 on supply chains amid the COVID-19 pandemic: a systematic review

Background: COVID-19 has caused significant disruptions in supply chains. It has increased the demand for products and decreased the supply of raw materials. This has interrupted many production processes. The emerging technologies of Industry 4.0 have the potential to streamline supply chains by improving time-sensitive customized solutions during this emergency.

Purpose: The study identifies the core technologies of Industry 4.0 and the role and impact of these technologies in managing the disruption caused by the COVID-19 outbreak in strengthening the supply chain resilience.

Design/methodology/approach: An extensive literature review using the “Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis” method was carried out on the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on supply chains and Industry 4.0 technologies. The study was undertaken by selecting keywords validated by experts, and a search was conducted in the Scopus, ProQuest, and Google Scholar databases. Publications from the leading journals on these topics were selected. The bibliographical search resulted in 1484 articles, followed by multiple layers of filtering. Finally, the most pertinent articles were selected for review, and a total of 42 articles were analyzed.

Findings: The findings of the study showed that the majority of the articles emphasized the digitalization of supply chain management, acknowledging the fundamentals, applications, and prospects, revealing the drivers and challenges of Industry 4.0 technologies to manage disruptions. Most of the authors identified IoT, big data, cloud computing, additive manufacturing, and blockchain to maintain the supply chain resilience.

Originality/value: Existing literature on epidemics lacks the basics and practices of utilizing Industry 4.0 technologies in the supply chain recovery process. To fill this research gap, the study summarizes the potential of Industry 4.0 technologies to lessen supply chain disruptions caused by COVID-19. The study findings are valuable for policymakers and practitioners and contribute to supply chain management studies.

Investigating the Integration of Industry 4.0 and Lean Principles on Supply Chain: A Multi-Perspective Systematic Literature Review

The development of digital technologies in all aspects of human life leads to increasing the necessity for investigating them in the Supply Chain (SC) as the main channel to provide products. Moreover, Lean principles, with the aim of reducing wastes, could be one of the main research streams in SC in recent years. Therefore, it is valuable to figure out the mutual effects of Lean principles and digital technologies as two growing areas in SC. Previous works did not pay attention to investigating this relationship at the SC level and were more focused on the production level. However, the present work addresses this issue by conducting a multi-perspective Systematic Literature Review (SLR). Additionally, in the present SLR, the impact of individual Industry 4.0 technologies in relation to Lean principles was investigated from various SC perspectives. The results reveal the necessity of studying single SC processes in Lean Digital SC. Moreover, the applicability of each technology should be illustrated to alleviate SC operational and organizational issues. The results provide useful insights about applying single digital technologies as well as a combination of them to each SC process to solve specific issues.

Viable supply chain model: integrating agility, resilience and sustainability perspectives-lessons from and thinking beyond the COVID-19 pandemic

Viability is the ability of a supply chain (SC) to maintain itself and survive in a changing environment through a redesign of structures and replanning of performance with long-term impacts. In this paper, we theorize a new notion-the viable supply chain (VSC). In our approach, viability is considered as an underlying SC property spanning three perspectives, i.e., agility, resilience, and sustainability. The principal ideas of the VSC model are adaptable structural SC designs for supply-demand allocations and, most importantly, establishment and control of adaptive mechanisms for transitions between the structural designs. Further, we demonstrate how the VSC components can be categorized across organizational, informational, process-functional, technological, and financial structures. Moreover, our study offers a VSC framework within an SC ecosystem. We discuss the relations between resilience and viability. Through the lens and guidance of dynamic systems theory, we illustrate the VSC model at the technical level. The VSC model can be of value for decision-makers to design SCs that can react adaptively to both positive changes (i.e., the agility angle) and be able to absorb negative disturbances, recover and survive during short-term disruptions and long-term, global shocks with societal and economical transformations (i.e., the resilience and sustainability angles). The VSC model can help firms in guiding their decisions on recovery and re-building of their SCs after global, long-term crises such as the COVID-19 pandemic. We emphasize that resilience is the central perspective in the VSC guaranteeing viability of the SCs of the future. Emerging directions in VSC research are discussed.

Impacts of epidemic outbreaks on supply chains: mapping a research agenda amid the COVID-19 pandemic through a structured literature review

The coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak shows that pandemics and epidemics can seriously wreak havoc on supply chains (SC) around the globe. Humanitarian logistics literature has extensively studied epidemic impacts; however, there exists a research gap in understanding of pandemic impacts in commercial SCs. To progress in this direction, we present a systematic analysis of the impacts of epidemic outbreaks on SCs guided by a structured literature review that collated a unique set of publications. The literature review findings suggest that influenza was the most visible epidemic outbreak reported, and that optimization of resource allocation and distribution emerged as the most popular topic. The streamlining of the literature helps us to reveal several new research tensions and novel categorizations/classifications. Most centrally, we propose a framework for operations and supply chain management at the times of COVID-19 pandemic spanning six perspectives, i.e., adaptation, digitalization, preparedness, recovery, ripple effect, and sustainability. Utilizing the outcomes of our analysis, we tease out a series of open research questions that would not be observed otherwise. Our study also emphasizes the need and offers directions to advance the literature on the impacts of the epidemic outbreaks on SCs framing a research agenda for scholars and practitioners working on this emerging research stream.

Smart Master Production Schedule for the Supply Chain: A Conceptual Framework

Risks arising from the effect of disruptions and unsustainable practices constantly push the supply chain to uncompetitive positions. A smart production planning and control process must successfully address both risks by reducing them, thereby strengthening supply chain (SC) resilience and its ability to survive in the long term. On the one hand, the antidisruptive potential and the inherent sustainability implications of the zero-defect manufacturing (ZDM) management model should be highlighted. On the other hand, the digitization and virtualization of processes by Industry 4.0 (I4.0) digital technologies, namely digital twin (DT) technology, enable new simulation and optimization methods, especially in combination with machine learning (ML) procedures. This paper reviews the state of the art and proposes a ZDM strategy-based conceptual framework that models, optimizes and simulates the master production schedule (MPS) problem to maximize service levels in SCs. This conceptual framework will serve as a starting point for developing new MPS optimization models and algorithms in supply chain 4.0 (SC4.0) environments.

International mobile marketing: a satisfactory concept for companies and users in times of pandemic

Purpose

This study’s purpose is to analyze the international mobile marketing (IMK) in order to stage the importance of this tool in the internationalization of companies. Our understanding of mobile marketing is constantly evolving, due to its high business penetration in a world globalized by technologies.

Design/methodology/approach

A review of the relevant literature on IMK, companies and customers is undertaken to understand the link between them. The paper begins by explaining the coronavirus disease 2019 is accelerating the change of the rules of the game in traditional and online commerce around the world. Furthermore, this study uses secondary data from organisation for economic co-operation and development (OECD), Sensor Tower, mobile marketing association (MMA), App Annie, among others, to support research results.

Findings

The results have shown that IMK has opened a melting pot of opportunities for companies and consumers in this period of pandemic; the potential of this tool is being redefined, in order to identify, anticipate and satisfy customers requirement profitably and efficiently. This study aims to provide an assessment of new concept of IMK and how this tool has to be integrated into the firm’s digital marketing strategies.

Originality/value

The study contributes to make better future decisions in the international digital expansion of companies by company executives and marketing experts. This paper provides a comprehensive framework intended to guide research efforts focusing on digital marketing as well as to aid practitioners in their quest to achieve IMK success.

Supply chain resilience during the COVID-19: empirical evidence from an emerging economy

Purpose

Although the advances in the supply chain resilience (SCR) literature, there is a critical gap concerning this understanding in a high disruption context, such as in the case of the COVID-19. This paper aims to investigate some dimensions (agility, robustness, disruption orientation and resource reconfiguration) of the SCR during this unprecedented disruption in the Brazilian supply chain context.

Design/methodology/approach

Supported by the resource-based view, dynamic capabilities and the SCR literature, we developed a model, which in turn was analyzed and validated by partial least squares structural equation modelling.

Findings

The results revealed that while resource reconfiguration and supply chain disruption orientation positively affect SCR, we found a non-significant effect of supply chain robustness and agility.

Practical implications

The findings suggest that in a considerable disruption scenario, managers with their supply chain operations in emerging economies should prioritize the development of resources to support the disruption orientation and manage the scarce resources adequately by reconfiguring them.

Originality/value

Our study is one of the first that reported the dynamics of the SCR dimensions in an emerging economy during the COVID-19.

A Cause and Effect Model for Digital Sustainable Supply Chain Competitiveness under Uncertainties: Enhancing Digital Platform

This study provides insights into digitalization in sustainable supply chain management by establishing a structural set of attributes with causal interrelationships among them, as well as by reporting empirical findings on successful criteria for footwear supply chain practices in Indonesia. Sustainable supply chain management and digitalization are mutual benefits. However, there are unclear cause and effect interrelationships. This study aims to critically pinpoint digitalization to approach sustainability and is designed to help firms achieve supply chain competitiveness. The fuzzy Delphi method and fuzzy decision-making trial and evaluation laboratory are utilized, due to the fuzziness associated with human decision making and the complexity and uncertainty in the supply chain. Five aspects and seventeen criteria are validated. The findings indicate that four aspects, including digital platform effectiveness, digital communication belonging to the supply chain digitalization perspective, labour conditions, and manufacturing processes, are important to sustainable supply chain management. The top causal criteria, including logistics integration, logistics optimization, delivery speed, proactive action, and real-time inventory, are considered to assist firms in implementing better practices.

Supply chain resilience in mindful humanitarian aid organizations: the role of big data analytics

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to understand the nomological network of associations between collective mindfulness and big data analytics in fostering resilient humanitarian relief supply chains.

Design/methodology/approach

The authors conceptualize a research model grounded in literature and test the hypotheses using survey data collected from informants at humanitarian aid organizations in Africa and Europe.

Findings

The findings demonstrate that organizational mindfulness is key to enabling resilient humanitarian relief supply chains, as opposed to just big data analytics.

Originality/value

This is the first study to examine organizational mindfulness and big data analytics in the context of humanitarian relief supply chains.

Improving supply chain resilience through industry 4.0: A systematic literature review under the impressions of the COVID-19 pandemic

The COVID-19 pandemic is one of the most severe supply chain disruptions in history and has challenged practitioners and scholars to improve the resilience of supply chains. Recent technological progress, especially industry 4.0, indicates promising possibilities to mitigate supply chain risks such as the COVID-19 pandemic. However, the literature lacks a comprehensive analysis of the link between industry 4.0 and supply chain resilience. To close this research gap, we present evidence from a systematic literature review, including 62 papers from high-quality journals. Based on a categorization of industry 4.0 enabler technologies and supply chain resilience antecedents, we introduce a holistic framework depicting the relationship between both areas while exploring the current state-of-the-art. To verify industry 4.0's resilience opportunities in a severe supply chain disruption, we apply our framework to a use case, the COVID-19-affected automotive industry. Overall, our results reveal that big data analytics is particularly suitable for improving supply chain resilience, while other industry 4.0 enabler technologies, including additive manufacturing and cyber-physical systems, still lack proof of effectiveness. Moreover, we demonstrate that visibility and velocity are the resilience antecedents that benefit most from industry 4.0 implementation. We also establish that industry 4.0 holistically supports pre-disruption resilience measures, enabling more effective proactive risk management. Both research and practice can benefit from this study. While scholars may analyze resilience potentials of under-explored enabler technologies, practitioners can use our findings to guide industry 4.0 investment decisions.

Strategic supplier relationships and supply chain resilience: Is digital transformation that precludes trust beneficial?

Purpose

The purpose of this study is to investigate the role that communication, trust and digital transformation can play in the relationship between joint problem-solving and supply chain resilience. More specifically, the authors try to examine the possibility of digital transformation as a replacement for trust within a joint problem-solving context.

Design/methodology/approach

A survey instrument was developed and administrated to manufacturing firms within the United Kingdom and the United States. Based on data collected from 291 senior managers, multiple linear regressions were conducted through a customized process model to test the proposed hypotheses.

Findings

The results point to the actual impact of digital transformation being far more complicated than the initial benefits that it appears to bring within a supply chain. Thus, technology is only effective when applied within the right context. The authors showcase that the trio of digital transformation, trust and joint problem-solving can be highly valuable to establish supply chain resilience and that further investigation on the interrelationships between these concepts is warranted.

Practical implications

Manufacturing firms that aim to adopt new technologies should not consider advanced digital technologies as an alternative to trust. While digital transformation can improve resource sharing and integration, governance mechanisms–such as trust–will remain the cornerstones of strategic supplier relationships. Therefore, supply chain partners must strive to achieve a balance between trust and the right type of digital technology.

Originality/value

This study contributes to the growing literature focusing on the role that digital transformation can play in developing supply chain capabilities. It adds an early empirical insight on the role of technology and governance in joint problem-solving and supply chain resilience.

Theoretical Exploration of Supply Chain Viability Utilizing Blockchain Technology

As a disruptive and innovative technology, blockchain will significantly revolutionize how organizations produce and operate as global rivalry intensifies. The global COVID-19 outbreak, combined with the growing complexity of supply chain networks, has exposed supply chains’ vulnerability to disruption. Therefore, improving the supply chain viability is the primary way to deal with the risk of supply chain disruption. Using the method of literature research, this conceptual paper systematically reviewed and sorted out relevant literature, extracted corresponding capabilities, and put forward relevant research propositions. From the perspective of the resource-based view and resource-dependent theory, this study investigates specific dimensions of the blockchain-enabled supply chain capability: connectivity, network capability, and supply chain reconfiguration and the impact of external resource-dependent capability on the viability of the supply chain. The propositions show that the blockchain-enabled supply chain capability, and external resource-dependent capability will positively impact supply chain viability. It is expected to assist supply chain firms in implementing blockchain technology to increase supply chain viability and improve their capacity to achieve sustainable supply chain development during the crisis.

Sustainable Supply Chain Management, Digital-Based Supply Chain Integration, and Firm Performance: A Cross-Country Empirical Comparison between South Korea and Vietnam

Sustainability and digitization issues have coevolved in supply chain management (SCM), receiving attention from the academic and business circles. However, few studies have addressed this topic in an integrated way. In this regard, this study examined the relationships between sustainable SCM, digital-based supply chain integration, and supplying firms’ performance in two different country settings: South Korea and Vietnam. This comparative study provides evidence that sustainable SCM facilitates the adoption and implementation of supply chain integration using digital technologies, leading to suppliers’ operational competitiveness. This study also indicates the differences and similarities of sustainable SCM and its effects in the two different economies. These findings provide scholars, managers, and policymakers with theoretical and practical implications to encourage firms in Asian countries to enhance corporate competitiveness by adequately responding to environmental and social issues and digitalization along the global value chain.

Opportunities and challenges for contactless healthcare services in the post-COVID-19 Era

This study examines the opportunities and challenges involved with contactless healthcare services in the post-COVID-19 pandemic era. First, we reviewed the literature to analyze contactless or contact-free healthcare services that have been utilized in pre-and during the COVID-19 pandemic periods. Then, we interviewed medical experts and hospital administrators to gain knowledge about how healthcare providers are currently working to mitigate the spread of COVID and preparing for the post-pandemic period. Thus, we analyzed the evolution and utilization of contactless services during the three different time periods: pre-, during-, and post-COVID-19. The results indicated that in the post-COVID-19 era, a new normal of hybrid healthcare services would emerge. While some of the contactless services that have been practiced during the pandemic may revert to the traditional face-to-face services, those innovative contactless healthcare services that have been proven effective during the pandemic would be practiced or even advanced in the post-pandemic period due to the accelerating technological developments. This study suggests many potential opportunities and daunting challenges for healthcare institutions, policymakers, and consumers regarding the implementation of contactless services in the post-COVID-19 era.

Transformation of management culture in context of supply chain digitalization

BACKGROUND: Digitalization has transformed the modes of work, communication and collaboration in the workplace, which is a challenge for all organizations, requiring the adaptation of structures, strategies, leadership and management culture. In the study, it is proposed to consider management culture as a potential factor that determines the competitive management of the network structure of supply chains. Despite numerous studies dedicated to supply chains digitalization, there’s lack of researches dedicated to deep investigation of management culture transformation in context of the digitalization of supply chains requires. OBJECTIVE: The purpose of the study is to identify the determinants contributing to the transformation of management culture in context of supply chain digitalization. METHODS: The study is conceptual research that links management culture and the supply chain. Based on the evolutionary dynamism of the theory and practice of management culture, two aspects of culture have been identified: national psychology (subjective beliefs) and company potential (values and behaviour of personnel). RESULTS: It is assumed that the most effective culture in context of supply chain digitalization is digital culture as it is focused on the external environment. It has been found that the key determinants of the change are the values and behaviour of the personnel, and as a result, they create an effective approach to the management culture transformation. CONCLUSIONS: The results of the study allow managers to assess the established organizational culture that facilitates or hinders the activities of the business in order to successfully implement and achieve the goals set. The results of this study can be applied by top managers of companies facing digitalization of supply chains in developing HR and managerial policies and programs.

Diagnosis of the Maturity Level of Implementing Industry 4.0 Solutions in Selected Functional Areas of Management of Automotive Companies in Poland

The automotive sector is one of the key branches of the global economy. The automotive industry is also a very important sector of the Polish economy, as it generates over 8% of GDP and accounts for over 20% of the annual export value. Industry 4.0 and the effective use of modern technologies give a chance for its further dynamic development. The implementation of Industry 4.0 solutions in the business processes of automotive companies should not only take place in the area of production or logistics, as it is usually indicated, but also in their other functional areas, such as quality management, human resources management, and innovation management. The purpose of the article is to diagnose the level of maturity in the implementation of Industry 4.0 solutions in selected management areas of automotive companies operating in Poland. Using a maturity assessment tool, the authors assessed the level of maturity in six selected functional areas of an enterprise, such as production and logistics management, quality management, human resources management, social and environmental responsibility, and product innovation management. The authors also formulated conclusions and recommendations concerning actions that should be taken by automotive companies in order to achieve higher maturity levels in the implementation of Industry 4.0 solutions.

Blockchain connectivity inhibitors: weaknesses affecting supply chain interaction and resilience

Purpose

The paper aims to further understanding of connectivity from the perspective of blockchain technology (BT) in the supply chain (SC). It presents the weaknesses (inhibitors) of connectivity during technology implementation, focusing on supply chain interaction and resilience.

Design/methodology/approach

Restricting the focus to digital connectivity, interaction and supply chain resilience, this paper uses a systematic literature review (SLR) to examine how the literature has addressed, related or flagged connectivity weaknesses affecting supply chain interaction and resilience.

Findings

This study highlights the influence of connectivity for blockchain-technology projects. Technical and organisational influencers that affect the adoption of technology in the SC are presented. These influencers support the factors proposed in this study regarding the weaknesses that negatively affect the interaction between the agents involved and the SC's resilience. The research suggests that the weaknesses are related to technical needs and the relationships between companies arising from functionalities.

Research limitations/implications

This paper is restricted to a review of the theory and the researched material. Although the author was careful to choose the best search terms related to the research objective, some potentially relevant articles may have been excluded.

Practical implications

The study summarises research on blockchain connectivity influencers in the SC, helping managers to anticipate and mitigate some of doubts and concerns in projects of this nature.

Originality/value

This is one of the first articles in the area of operations and SCs that addresses the topic of connectivity, focusing on its restrictive factors (connectivity inhibitors), in the context of blockchain implementation in the SC.

The impact of Logistics 4.0 on corporate sustainability: a performance assessment of automated warehouse operations

Purpose

The purpose of this study is to gain a better understanding of the impacts of Logistics 4.0 initiatives (focusing on automated warehousing systems) on the economic, environmental and social dimensions of firms' sustainability performance. To achieve this objective, a new framework for the assessment of sustainable warehousing in the 4.0 era is developed.

Design/methodology/approach

The framework, developed via the item-objective congruence index, Q-sort method and interviews with experts, is employed to assess performance changes through management interviews in two warehousing companies after the implementation of automation technologies.

Findings

Most aspects of both companies' sustainability performance are considerably improved (e.g. productivity, accuracy, air emission, worker safety and supply chain visibility); however, the outcome for some criteria might be worsened or improved depending on each company's solutions and strategies (e.g. increasing electricity bills, maintenance costs and job losses).

Practical implications

The findings provide insight into the effective implementation of warehousing technologies. The proposed framework is also a valid and reliable instrument for sustainability assessment for warehousing operators, which companies can utilise for self-assessment.

Originality/value

This paper contributes to establishing a body of literature that explores the previously unclarified effects of Logistics 4.0 on firms' sustainability performance. The proposed framework, which captures critical concerns of corporate sustainability and technological adaptation, is also the first of its kind for warehouse performance assessment.

Potentials of blockchain technologies for supply chain collaboration: a conceptual framework

Purpose

The purpose of this study is to investigate the potentials of blockchain technologies (BC) for supply chain collaboration (SCC).

Design/methodology/approach

Building on a narrative literature review and analysis of seminal SCC research, BC characteristics are integrated into a conceptual framework consisting of seven key dimensions: information sharing, resource sharing, decision synchronization, goal congruence, incentive alignment, collaborative communication and joint knowledge creation. The relevance of each category is briefly assessed.

Findings

BC technologies can impact collaboration between transaction partners in modern supply chains (SCs) by streamlining information sharing processes, by supporting decision and reward models and by strengthening communicative relationships with SC partners. BC promises important future capabilities in SCs by facilitating auditability, improving accountability, enhancing data and information transparency and improving trust in B2B relationships. The technology also promises to strengthen collaboration and to overcome vulnerabilities related to moral hazard and shortcomings found in legacy technologies.

Research limitations/implications

The paper is mainly focused on the potentials of BC technologies on SCC as envisioned in the current academic literature. Hence, there is a need to validate the theoretical inferences with other approaches such as expert interviews and empirical tests. This study is of use to practitioners and decision-makers seeking to engage in BC-collaborative SC models.

Originality/value

The value of this paper lies in its call for an increased focus on the possibilities of BC technologies to support SCC. This study also contributes to the literature by filling the knowledge gap of how BC potentially impacts SC management.

Applying Industry 4.0 technologies in the COVID–19 sustainable chains

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is 1) to investigate the effects on the crucial Industry 4.0 technological innovations that interact between the real and virtual worlds and that are applied in the sustainable supply chain process; 2) to contribute to the identification of the opportunities, the challenges and the gaps that will support the new research study developments and 3) to analyze the impact of the Industry 4.0 technologies as facilitators of the sustainable supply chain performance in the midst of the Coronavirus (COVID-19).

Design/methodology/approach

This research is performed through a bibliographic review in the electronic databases of the Emerald Insight, the Scopus and the Web of Science, considering the main scientific publications on the subject.

Findings

The bibliographic search results in 526 articles, followed by two sequential filters for deleting the duplicate articles (resulting in 487 articles) and for selecting the most relevant articles (resulting in 150 articles).

Practical implications

This article identifies the opportunities and the challenges focused on the emerging Industry 4.0 theme. The opportunities can contribute to the sustainable performance of the supply chains and their territories. The Industry 4.0 can also generate challenges like the social inequalities related to the position of the man in the labor market by replacing the human workforce with the machines. Therefore, the man-machine relationship in the Industry 4.0 era is analyzed as a gap in the literature. Therefore, as a way to fill this gap, the authors of this article suggest the exploration of the research focused on the Society 5.0. Also known as “super-smart society,” this recent theme appeared in Japan in April 2016. According to Fukuda (2020), in addition to the focus on the technological development, the Society 5.0 also aims at the quality of life and the social challenge resolutions.

Originality/value

This article contributes to the analysis of the Industry 4.0 technologies as facilitators in the sustainable supply chain performance. It addresses the impacts of the Industry 4.0 technologies applied to the supply chains in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic, and it analyzes the research gaps and limitations found in the literature. The result of this study can add value and stimulate new research studies related to the application of the Industry 4.0 technologies as facilitators in the supply chain sustainable performance. It can encourage the studies related to the COVID-19 impacts on the sustainable supply chains, and it can promote the research development on the relationship among the man, the machine and the labor in the Fourth Industrial Revolution.

An integrated ANP–QFD approach for prioritization of customer and design requirements for digitalization in an electronic supply chain

Purpose

Supply chain efficiency can be enhanced by integrating the activities in supply chain through digitalization. Advancements in digital technologies has facilitated in designing robust and dynamic supply chain by bringing in efficiency, transparency and reduction in lead times. This research tries to identify and prioritize the customer requirements and design requirements for effective integration of supply chain through digitalization.

Design/methodology/approach

The key nine customer requirements and 16 design requirements applicable for an electronics company were shortlisted in consultation with the experts from the company and academia. An integrated analytic network process (ANP) and quality function deployment (QFD) methodology has been applied for prioritizing the customer and design requirements. The relative importance and interdependence of these requirements were identified and a House of Quality (HOQ) is constructed.

Findings

The HOQ constructed has prioritized and identified interrelationships among customer requirements and design requirements for effective supply chain digitalization. These findings could be effectively used by managers for planning the objectives on long-term, medium-term and short-term basis.

Originality/value

This study tries to bridge the gap of identifying and prioritizing the design and customer requirements for effective supply chain integration through digitalization. The results could aid practicing managers and academicians in decision-making on supply chain digitalization process.

Digital supplier selection reinforcing supply chain quality management systems to enhance firm's performance

Purpose

The geographical scattering of physical facilities in conventional supply chains enforces firms to shift toward digital supply chains (DSCs). While switching to DSCs, the decision-making becomes more complex with an upsurge in the size of the manufacturing firms. The manufacturing firms need to develop supply chain quality management (SCQM) systems to improvise their processes for delivering advance products and services. For developing SCQM, the role of the digital supplier is significant, as they may recuperate the quality management systems (QMS) for enhancing the firm's performance. The purpose of this paper is to explore the factors that affect the selection of digital suppliers. The other purpose is to evaluate the alternatives for identifying the best supplier that enhances the QMS for DSCs.

Design/methodology/approach

The decision-making is complex for digital supplier selection (DSS) and thus, the study has utilized integrated SWARA-WASPAS methods for their critical evaluation. The stepwise weight assessment ratio analysis (SWARA) method has been utilized for identifying the weightage of factors and weighted aggregated sum product assessment (WASPAS) for assessing the digital suppliers to explore the best alternative. The integrated SWARA-WASPAS method is the most advance approach in multi-criteria decision-making (MCDM) for the evaluation of the factors.

Findings

The study reveals that supplier competency is the most significant factor in selecting digital supplier in DSC that may improve the product and service quality. The study also explores that manufacturing firms needs an efficient system for developing value for the internal and external partners that help them to cope up with the dynamic world. On the basis of the WASPAS results, supplier S8 has been ranked as the best supplier who has highest competency in the form of responsiveness, resilience, sustainable practices and digital innovation.

Research limitations/implications

The factors are assessed on the decision team of experts that may be biased and thus, the research may further be validated through empirical studies. The research has to be extended in other nations for exploring how organizations and customers are responding to the DSCs.

Practical implications

The study has given insights to the manufacturing firms to consider the crucial factors for DSS, as it affects the overall performance of the organizations. The decision makers of manufacturing organizations should consider the factors such as supplier competency, digital innovation and information sharing for value creation that may provide them better opportunities for developing their DSCs along with their digital suppliers to connect with stakeholders appropriately.

Social implications

The improved SCQM aligned with DSS will offer quality products that are sustainable and provide social and economic benefits to the society. The DSS will be able to provide improvisation of the existing products and services for developing a sustainable value chains for the manufacturing organizations. This process will bring more transparency, viability and sustainability in the product and services. As a result, the DSC partners will be more transparent, viable and resilient.

Originality/value

The research on DSS and its importance in enhancing QMS is limited. This research is the novel approach to understand the criteria behind the selection of the digital suppliers’ role and their presence in enhancing the quality of products and services.

Adoption of artificial intelligence (AI) for talent acquisition in IT/ITeS organizations

Purpose

Human resource managers are adopting AI technology for conducting various tasks of human resource management, starting from manpower planning till employee exit. AI technology is prominently used for talent acquisition in organizations. This research investigates the adoption of AI technology for talent acquisition.

Design/methodology/approach

This study employs Technology-Organization-Environment (TOE) and Task-Technology-Fit (TTF) framework and proposes a model to explore the adoption of AI technology for talent acquisition. The survey was conducted among the 562 human resource managers and talent acquisition managers with a structured questionnaire. The analysis of data was completed using PLS-SEM.

Findings

This research reveals that cost-effectiveness, relative advantage, top management support, HR readiness, competitive pressure and support from AI vendors positively affect AI technology adoption for talent acquisition. Security and privacy issues negatively influence the adoption of AI technology. It is found that task and technology characteristics influence the task technology fit of AI technology for talent acquisition. Adoption and task technology fit of AI technology influence the actual usage of AI technology for talent acquisition. It is revealed that stickiness to traditional talent acquisition methods negatively moderates the association between adoption and actual usage of AI technology for talent acquisition. The proposed model was empirically validated and revealed the predictors of adoption and actual usage of AI technology for talent acquisition.

Practical implications

This paper provides the predictors of the adoption of AI technology for talent acquisition, which is emerging extensively in the human resource domain. It provides vital insights to the human resource managers to benchmark AI technology required for talent acquisition. Marketers can develop their marketing plan considering the factors of adoption. It would help designers to understand the factors of adoption and design the AI technology algorithms and applications for talent acquisition. It contributes to advance the literature of technology adoption by interweaving it with the human resource domain literature on talent acquisition.

Originality/value

This research uniquely validates the model for the adoption of AI technology for talent acquisition using the TOE and TTF framework. It reveals the factors influencing the adoption and actual usage of AI technology for talent acquisition.

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

Industry 4.0 and its related-cutting edge technologies are generating unprecedented changes and bringing complex challenges in practically all types of business. In this context, new concepts such as digital connectivity, interconnection, and interoperability emerged as highly disruptive approaches for logistics systems and supply chain management (SCM). To shed more light on these complexities and see how companies organized in a SCM model can adopt, implement and operate in a digital connectivity model, this study proposes a framework, namely SIMPLE. To develop the framework, we employed a literature review approach, focusing on recent studies published in journals. After the literature analysis, six dimensions related to digital connectivity in supply chains and logistics emerged, namely Smart, Innovative, Measurable, Profitable, Lean, and Excellence (SIMPLE). This framework brings opportunities for future studies, while providing important insights into the dynamics of digital connectivity in logistics and supply chains. Therefore, these SIMPLE framework dimensions should enable the actors involved in organizations’ operations to interact adequately and harmoniously so as to maximize the value generated in the network.