Potential of blockchain technology in supply chain management: a literature reviewGurtu, Amulya; Johny, Jestin
2019 International Journal of Physical Distribution & Logistics Management
doi: 10.1108/ijpdlm-11-2018-0371
The purpose of this paper is to review the existing literature on blockchain technology, present some trends and consider its potential value in supply chain management (SCM).Design/methodology/approachPapers that contained the word “blockchain” in their titles, keywords or abstracts were selected for conducting trend analyses.FindingsThe blockchain technology is rapidly making inroads in many industries and there is tremendous potential to eliminate intermediaries and to make SCM more efficient.Research limitations/implicationsThis analysis is limited to 299 papers from the EBSCO database through December 2018.Practical implicationsThis paper highlights the imperative role of blockchain technology that has created a discourse in the world of innovation and technology. This work will help academics to further the understanding of blockchain technology.Social implicationsBlockchain technology will provide transparency to consumers.Originality/valueThis paper presents the first review of blockchain technology and delves into its value in SCM. This work will help researchers in identifying the areas where blockchain is the most desirable and can be implemented.
Innovative solutions to increase last-mile delivery efficiency in B2C e-commerce: a literature reviewMangiaracina, Riccardo; Perego, Alessandro; Seghezzi, Arianna; Tumino, Angela
2019 International Journal of Physical Distribution & Logistics Management
doi: 10.1108/ijpdlm-02-2019-0048
The purpose of this paper is twofold: first, to review and classify scientific publications dealing with those innovative solutions aimed at increasing the efficiency of last-mile delivery in business to consumer (B2C) e-commerce; and, second, to outline directions for future research in this field.Design/methodology/approachThe review is based on 75 papers published between 2001 and 2019 in international peer-reviewed journals or proceedings of conferences, retrieved from bibliographic databases and science search engines.FindingsDue to its importance in affecting the overall logistics costs and, as a consequence, the economic sustainability of a B2C e-commerce initiative, last-mile delivery process deserves particular attention in order to be optimised. The review highlights that, among the main factors affecting its cost, there are the probability to have failed deliveries, the customer density in the delivery areas and the degree of automation of the process. Innovative and viable last-mile delivery solutions – which may impact the mentioned drivers – include parcel lockers, crowdsourcing logistics, mapping the consumer presence at home and dynamic pricing policies. Eventually, some gaps and areas for further research activities have been identified (e.g. mapping customer behaviour, crowdsourcing logistics).Originality/valueThis review offers interesting insights to both academics and practitioners. On the academic side, it analyses and classifies relevant literature about innovative and efficiency-oriented last-mile delivery solutions, proposing directions for future research efforts. On the managerial side, it presents a holistic framework of the main factors affecting last-mile delivery cost and of viable innovative solutions that may be implemented to increase efficiency.
How do suppliers address stringent environmental requirements from buyers? An exploratory study in the Bangladesh ready-made garment industryShumon, Rezaul; Halim, Zaheed; Rahman, Shams; Ahsan, Kamrul
2019 International Journal of Physical Distribution & Logistics Management
doi: 10.1108/ijpdlm-08-2018-0305
Stakeholders such as customers, governments and environmental organisations are more concerned than ever about the impact of supply chain practices on the environment, leading firms to introduce environmental requirements into their supply contracts. While the extant literature on supply chains acknowledges this trend, it fails to inform comprehensively on the concept of “stringent environmental requirement” and its consequences. The purpose of this paper is to investigate this concept and explore how such requirements may translate into supplier environmental performance.Design/methodology/approachQualitative methodology was adopted by the study and data were collected through conducting eight case studies in the Bangladesh ready-made garment (RMG) industry.FindingsA number of factors were found to be influencing suppliers’ perception of stringency, such as uncertainty relating to the newness and deadline of buyers’ environmental requirements, the complexity of implementing the requirements, and the use of buyer-specific frameworks. The research also shows that suppliers’ efforts in building environmental capability play a vital role in dealing with stringent environmental requirements.Research limitations/implicationsThe case studies are limited to the Bangladesh RMG industry. Given that environmental regulations vary across different countries and industries, the data may not reflect all the possible variations in stringent environmental requirements.Practical implicationsThe new insight proposed by this research can guide firms to further understand how supplier environmental performance and the sustainability of their supply chain can be achieved. The research provides broad insight into how suppliers can address stringent environmental requirements and improve their environmental performance.Originality/valueThis research establishes evidence for the relatively new phenomenon of “stringent environmental requirements”, and develops a theoretical framework to demonstrate the relationships among the critical determinants relevant to this phenomenon.