scholarly journals Shifting trust in construction supply chains through blockchain technology

2020 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Xiaoning (Alice) Qian ◽  
Eleni Papadonikolaki

PurposeBlockchain technology is booming in many industries. Its application in supply chain management is also gradually increasing. Supply chain management (SCM) has long been committed to reducing costs and increasing efficiency and is trying to optimise resources and reduce the sector's fragmentation. Trust has always been an important factor in managing supply chain relationships, and it also affects the efficiency of supply chain operations. To this end, this study aims to examine how trust is affected by the introduction of blockchain technology in construction supply chain management.Design/methodology/approachThis study is based on semi-structured interviews and publicly available information from experts in blockchain and construction supply chain management. Through content analysis, the data are analysed thematically to explore how various types of trust, such as system-based, cognition-based and relation-based, are affected by blockchain technology.FindingsBlockchain technology provides solutions for data tracking, contracting and transferring resources in supply chain management. These applications help enhance the various sources of trust in SCM and provide supply chain partners with protection mechanisms to avoid the risks and costs of opportunistic behaviour in collaboration, shifting trust from relational to system-based and cognition-based.Research limitations/implicationsThis study focuses only on inter-organisational rather than interpersonal trust and empirical data from experts whose knowledge and cognition could be subjective.Practical implicationsLeveraging the potential of digitalisation to manage trust requires that leaders and managers actively try to improve contractual arrangements, information sharing and being open to new innovative technologies like blockchain.Social implicationsFrom a relational view of supply chain management, the extent to which blockchain technology can develop and spread depends on the readiness of the social capital to accept decentralised governance structures.Originality/valueThis study builds upon an original data set and discusses features and applications of blockchain technology, explores the sources and dimensions of trust in supply chain management and explains the impact of blockchain technology on trust.

2019 ◽  
Vol 36 (7) ◽  
pp. 1053-1077 ◽  
Author(s):  
Binh An Thi Duong ◽  
Huy Quang Truong ◽  
Maria Sameiro ◽  
Paulo Sampaio ◽  
Ana Cristina Fernandes ◽  
...  

Purpose A single supply chain management (SCM) practice will have a certain impact on organizational performance (OP). However, since it is placed in a system that many other practices are conducted simultaneously, the practice itself will interact with other ones (i.e. affect/be affected). As a consequence, the efficiency of the affected practice is increased and it is expected to maximize the impact of SCM practices on OP. This mechanism is named the “resonant” influence that is a new approach in the SCM literature. The purpose of this paper is to test the above mechanism toward an insight into the relationship between SCM and OP. Design/methodology/approach Two models were compared: the competitive models only exist in direct effects; and the other contains relationships between practices that are able to show the mechanism of the resonant influence, i.e. the hypothetical model. A data set gained from Vietnamese garment enterprises was used to validate the mechanism of the resonant influence. Findings Empirical evidence from Vietnamese garment sector showed that the competitive models could explain 42.8, 26.3 and 34 percent variance of operational performance, customer satisfaction and financial performance, respectively. In the meantime, the hypothetical model containing the resonant influence is capable to explain 69.5, 33.1 and 57.3 percent. For the impact of each SCM practice on OP, all relationships in the hypothetical model are also greater than those in competitive ones. These results supported the mechanism of the resonant influence. Research limitations/implications This research provides an insight into the relationship between SCM practices and OP. By the resonant influence, the effectiveness of each affected SCM practice itself is magnified and OP is also increased remarkably. Practical implications Understanding the resonant influence, companies can apply this mechanism to enhance effectiveness of SCM practices at the lowest cost. To this end, the SCM practices should be implemented simultaneously as an integrated system rather than independent ones and the structural model proposed in this study is able to be used as “a guide map” for applying this mechanism. Originality/value This is one of pioneer empirical studies in the SCM literature that proposed and validated the concept of “resonant influence.”


2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Elodie de Boissieu ◽  
Galina Kondrateva ◽  
Patricia Baudier ◽  
Chantal Ammi

PurposeMost businesses strive to control the efficiency of their supply chains; however, luxury firms face additional challenges from counterfeit, gray market and copycat products. Blockchain technology can address these issues and enhance firms' supply chain management, guaranteeing the traceability and origin of luxury products. Therefore, this study aims to investigate the utility and contexts influencing the implementation of blockchain technology to optimize supply chain management and prevent fraud in the luxury industry.Design/methodology/approachThe research uses a qualitative approach based on the grounded theory method. Data are collected by semi-structured interviews with 12 stakeholders working on blockchain applications in the luxury business sector.FindingsHighlighting the problems faced by luxury brands' supply chains, this study presents blockchain technology as a solution for disintermediation, traceability and transparency in the luxury goods sector. The constraints faced by luxury brands incorporating this technology into their ecosystem include the knowledge gap, the multiplicity of third parties involved in the production process and bias toward short-term returns on investment.Originality/valueBlockchains promote greater transparency and efficiency within supply chains, which builds consumer trust and improves brand revenue. Considering luxury brands' reluctance to adopt blockchains, this study suggests that luxury firms adopt a staggered implementation of private blockchain networks starting with a small number of third-party suppliers.


2020 ◽  
Vol 13 (1) ◽  
pp. 56
Author(s):  
Tino Herden

Purpose: Analytics research is increasingly divided by the domains Analytics is applied to. Literature offers little understanding whether aspects such as success factors, barriers and management of Analytics must be investigated domain-specific, while the execution of Analytics initiatives is similar across domains and similar issues occur. This article investigates characteristics of the execution of Analytics initiatives that are distinct in domains and can guide future research collaboration and focus. The research was conducted on the example of Logistics and Supply Chain Management and the respective domain-specific Analytics subfield of Supply Chain Analytics. The field of Logistics and Supply Chain Management has been recognized as early adopter of Analytics but has retracted to a midfield position comparing different domains.Design/methodology/approach: This research uses Grounded Theory based on 12 semi-structured Interviews creating a map of domain characteristics based of the paradigm scheme of Strauss and Corbin.Findings: A total of 34 characteristics of Analytics initiatives that distinguish domains in the execution of initiatives were identified, which are mapped and explained. As a blueprint for further research, the domain-specifics of Logistics and Supply Chain Management are presented and discussed.Originality/value: The results of this research stimulates cross domain research on Analytics issues and prompt research on the identified characteristics with broader understanding of the impact on Analytics initiatives. The also describe the status-quo of Analytics. Further, results help managers control the environment of initiatives and design more successful initiatives.


Logistics ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 3 (1) ◽  
pp. 5 ◽  
Author(s):  
Antonios Litke ◽  
Dimosthenis Anagnostopoulos ◽  
Theodora Varvarigou

Blockchains are attracting the attention of stakeholders in many industrial domains, including the logistics and supply chain industries. Blockchain technology can effectively contribute in recording every single asset throughout its flow on the supply chain, contribute in tracking orders, receipts, and payments, while track digital assets such as warranties and licenses in a unified and transparent way. The paper provides, through its methodology, a detailed analysis of the blockchain fit in the supply chain industry. It defines the specific elements of blockchain that affect supply chain such as scalability, performance, consensus mechanism, privacy considerations, location proof and cost, and details on the impact that blockchains will have in disrupting the supply chain industry. Discussing the tradeoff between consensus cost, throughput and validation time it proceeds with a suggested high-level architectural approach, and concludes as a result with a discussion on changes needed and challenges faced for an in-vivo deployment of blockchains in the supply chain industry. While the technological features of modern blockchains can effectively facilitate supply chain uses cases, the various challenges that still remain, bring in front of us a wide set of needed changes and further research efforts for achieving a global, production level blockchain for the supply chain industry.


2020 ◽  
Vol 9 (2) ◽  
pp. 189-201
Author(s):  
Anil Kumar Vishnubhotla ◽  
Rupesh Kumar Pati ◽  
Sidhartha S. Padhi

Increase in competition and the strategic move of enhanced outsourcing has made supply chain more complex. Various applications and software solutions are available to better manage this complexity. It has been observed that often such initiatives may not provide the excepted benefits. It has also been reported that an unclear understanding of business needs (including perceived risks) is the main reason of supply chain failure. The present study attempts to capture enterprise level supply chain risk in an oil company (case company) in India and explore if perception of a decision maker favours use of blockchain technology project to reduce the supply chain risk. The study adopts the following methodology: in-depth semi-structured interviews and structured survey was carried out with the top management of the case company to identify various enterprise level risks for supply chain management (SCM) projects which were subsequently clustered under Operations, Finance, Human Resources, and Strategic Business Risk categories. Inputs on the probability of occurrence and impacts of the identified risks on the enterprise-wide supply chain was mapped on the risk severity matrix (heat map) to prioritize the risks. Subsequently, the second round of questionnaire was developed and a similar survey carried out again with the same sample show the change in risk perception due to potential application of blockchain technology. Interesting insights could be gained from the practitioner’s perspective on the value contribution of using blockchain for improving management of SCM risks. It could be observed that a number of the high priority risk (in the initial scenario) could now be eliminated or managed due to specific characteristics of blockchain.. One of the major limitations of the present study is the lack of generalizability of the insights as it is based exclusively on the perspective of the case company towards the blockchain.


2020 ◽  
Vol 11 (4) ◽  
pp. 38-53
Author(s):  
Robin Singh Bhadoria ◽  
Neha Sharma ◽  
Manish Kumar Pandey

Modern supply chain management systems have evolved into a complex and critical system. Thus, it has grown more interesting to verify the source of products and its visibility as it is moving through the supply chain network. The application of blockchain technology and Internet of Things (IoT) are likely to affect the supply chain management objectives such as cost, quality, speed, dependability, risk reduction, sustainability, and flexibility. This paper presented the concept of how blockchain technology and IoT can help to achieve supply chain objectives. This research focuses on the impact of blockchain on current and future supply chain management systems.


2020 ◽  
Vol 25 (4) ◽  
pp. 443-456 ◽  
Author(s):  
Neil Towers ◽  
Ismail Abushaikha ◽  
James Ritchie ◽  
Andreas Holter

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to demonstrate the non-academic impact in supply chain management (SCM) research through the application of three distinctive approaches to phenomenological methodology in different contexts. Design/methodology/approach Evidence-based examples from three case studies using interpretivist, social constructivist and critical realist methodologies are presented. They reflect non-positivist approaches commonly used in phenomenological methodology and adopted in SCM investigative research. Findings Different types of non-academic reach and significance from each research methodology are discussed to illustrate the non-academic impact benefits from each case. The three distinctive phenomenological approaches have been shown to contribute to innovative research methodology development on their own philosophical merit and produced novel contributions to SCM research in particular. Research limitations/implications The non-academic impact examples have been shown to have wider influence and implication to business, the economy and society at large. Originality/value The paper highlights the relevance of phenomenological research methodology for SCM. It also contributes to the development of the SCM subject area and is hoped to encourage further reporting of non-academic impact of supply chain research.


2020 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Saurav Negi ◽  
Gaurav Negi

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to identify the issues and challenges in humanitarian logistics and to develop a framework for effectively managing the humanitarian logistics in disaster relief supply chain operations in India.Design/methodology/approachThis paper presents a framework to manage humanitarian logistics effectively in disaster management through qualitative analysis. First, the author examines the challenges facing the humanitarian logistics and supply chain through the reviews of the literature on various disasters. Then, the author presented a framework based on the best practices and initiatives taken worldwide in the preparedness and response stage of the humanitarian supply chain to manage and reduce the aftermath of any disaster in context to India.FindingsA framework has been developed to manage humanitarian logistics in the disaster relief operation, which would improve the humanitarian supply chain in India and help to effectively manage natural disasters in the preparedness and response stage at the state and district levels.Research limitations/implicationsThe paper mainly emphasises on the preparedness and response stage of disaster supply chain management in Indian context.Practical implicationsNone of the disaster incidents can be stopped from taking place, but the impact can be minimised by proper preparedness and effective response during the operations of humanitarian logistics. With this hope, the framework has been developed, which if implemented would help to plan and manage any disaster incident in an effective manner, which ultimately would save millions of lives and cost in terms of infrastructure, property, assets etc.Originality/valueAs natural disaster incidents are occurring frequently in Indian states, there is an urgent need for a framework to manage the logistics operations effectively and efficiently during any disaster relief operations. Limited literature is found on developing and presenting a framework focusing on the preparedness and response phase of disaster supply chain management in context to India. Hence, this paper is believed to be the first to fulfil this gap with main emphasis on the preparedness and response stage of disaster supply chain management in Indian scenario.


Kybernetes ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 48 (10) ◽  
pp. 2217-2236 ◽  
Author(s):  
Roya Dehgani ◽  
Nima Jafari Navimipour

PurposeThe impact of information technology (IT) on the agility of supply chain management (SCM) systems is very noticeable in the business world nowadays. Competition and constant changes, including product/technological innovations, decreasing product lifestyles and product proliferation, create pressure that affects the business environment. Organizations are required for answering the changes in the market to gain a competitive advantage and business success. The organizations are able to answer to unexpected market changes through supply chain market, and these changes are converted to business opportunities. Using IT to achieve the agility of SCM is one of the important factors to help the organizations. Therefore, the adoption of IT and its efficient implementation can improve the cooperation between supply chain agility through the rapid transfer, the distribution of accurate information and the use of information. This paper aims to investigate the impact of IT on the agility of SCM.Design/methodology/approachA total of 120 employees of the Golasal firm are involved in collecting data using a questionnaire. Measurements were performed in all questionnaires using a five-point Likert scale. The causal model is evaluated by structural equationmodeling technique, which is used to examine the reliability and validity of the model.FindingsThe results have shown that IT has positive influences on the agility of SCM systems. In addition, the obtained results have shown that four variables, namely, IT skills and knowledge, IT-based systems integration, IT infrastructure and design of global position system and geographic information systems, affect the agility of SCM systems.Originality/valueIn this paper, the agility of SCM systems is pointed out and the approach to resolve the problem is applied into a practical example. The presented model provides a complete framework to examine the impact of IT on the agility of SCM systems.


2017 ◽  
Vol 22 (6) ◽  
pp. 473-485 ◽  
Author(s):  
Giuliano Almeida Marodin ◽  
Guilherme Luz Tortorella ◽  
Alejandro Germán Frank ◽  
Moacir Godinho Filho

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to understand the relationship between the implementation of Lean shop floor (LSF) practices and Lean supply chain management, and their effect on quality and inventory turnover. Design/methodology/approach A survey-based research method was conducted and data were collected from 110 plants located in Brazil. The research constructs were validated through rigorous procedures (unidimensionality and discriminant validity and reliability) through confirmatory factor analysis and two hypotheses were tested using ordinary least square regression. Findings The results indicate that: Lean supplier relationship positively moderates the effect of LSF practices on inventory turnover; Lean customer relationship negatively moderates the effect of LSF practices on inventory turnover; and Lean supplier relationship positively moderates the effect of LSF practices on quality. Originality/value From a theoretical perspective, the results of this study provide evidences supporting the importance of understanding the systemic relationships between Lean implementation at the shop floor and the firm’s relationships with supply chain partners, that was not tested before. As managerial implications, the results suggest that managers should take a decision to foster a Lean supply chain management depending on which performance metrics they need to improve: quality or inventory turnover.


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