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Transformation Towards Advanced Technology-Driven Supply Chain Sustainability

A special issue of Sustainability (ISSN 2071-1050).

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 30 September 2025 | Viewed by 29

Special Issue Editors


E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Newcastle Business School, Faculty of Business and Law, Northumbria University, Newcastle upon Tyne NE1 8ST, UK
Interests: sustainable supply chain; lean and agile production; Kaizen; supply chain risk management

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Newcastle Business School, Faculty of Business and Law, Northumbria University, Newcastle upon Tyne NE1 8ST, UK
Interests: sustainable supply chain management; sustainable operations excellence; digital supply chain and operations excellence; lean management

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Supply chain productivity and efficiency have been enhanced by recent technology-driven improvements. For instance, automation, robotics, and AI streamline operations by reducing manual errors, speeding up processes, and optimising resource use, resulting in lower costs and faster deliveries. These innovations also support supply chain sustainability through energy-efficient systems, waste reduction technologies, and circular economy models that promote recycling and resource recovery. They help companies meet growing demands for transparency and ethical practices while ensuring compliance with stricter environmental regulations. 

However, not all companies have equal access to the financial and knowledge resources needed for technological advancements that drive higher productivity, efficiency, and sustainability. Smaller organisations, in particular, face challenges in adopting new technologies and realising their full benefits in supply chain operations. Therefore, overcoming these challenges and justifying resource investments for technological improvements are crucial for maintaining productivity and competitiveness in the industry. 

This Special Issue seeks specific case studies and empirical evidence to support innovative transformations in supply chains (particular for SMEs) and better understand the incentives behind these technology-driven improvements, which can lead to long-term gains in productivity, efficiency, and sustainability. We also invite papers addressing challenges related to management competencies and support, resource access, and leadership styles in investing in and facilitating process reconfiguration or redesign resulting from technology-driven improvements. 

In this Special Issue, original research articles and reviews are welcome. Research themes may include (but not limited to) the following:  

  1. The environmental sustainability impact of supply chain digitalisation;
  2. The social sustainability impact of supply chain digitalisation;
  3. Technology-driven supply chain management;
  4. Green and global digital supply chain management;
  5. Social responsibility in technology-driven supply chain management;
  6. The human–machine interface in sustainable supply chain management;
  7. The productivity and efficiency of sustainable digital supply chain management;
  8. Challenges and opportunities of the green digital transformation of supply chains;
  9. Green technology for sustainable supply chain management;
  10. Sector agnostic digitalisation in sustainable supply chain management;
  11. Sustainable digital supply chain management for SMEs;
  12. Lean, green and global supply chain trade-offs and the role of digitalisation;
  13. Sustainable digitalisation towards supply chain digitisation;
  14. Digital transformation for supply chain productivity and sustainability;
  15. Digitalisation for green logistics;
  16. Technology-driven last-mile delivery for sustainable supply chain management;
  17. AI-driven green supply chain management;
  18. AI-driven green logistics.

We look forward to receiving your contributions.

Dr. Jie Ma
Dr. Alireza Shokri
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Sustainability is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2400 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • digital supply chain management
  • supply chain sustainability
  • digital transformation
  • green technology
  • human–machine interface
  • green logistics
  • supply chain productivity
  • lean and green supply chain management

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Published Papers

This special issue is now open for submission.
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