Digitalization of Supply Chains and Its Effect on Sustainability
A special issue of Sustainability (ISSN 2071-1050). This special issue belongs to the section "Sustainable Management".
Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (30 January 2023) | Viewed by 12670
Special Issue Editors
Interests: sustainable supply chain management; purchasing; smart cities; urban logistics
Special Issue Information
Dear Colleagues,
Recent developments in the digitalization of supply chains have created both challenges and opportunities for companies – digitalization being defined here as “the use of digital technologies to innovate a business model and provide new revenues streams and value-producing opportunities in industrial ecosystems” (Parida et al, 2019). Trends such as blockchain, additive manufacturing, industrial internet of things (IoT), 5G networks, and big data analytics are pushing firms to rethink their supply chains and, eventually, their whole business model.
Several researchers claim that this revolution will have an enormous impact in every aspect of the economy. Sustainability is no exception to that, especially when we consider its triple bottom line (i.e., economic, social, and environmental). In particular, experts agree that digitalization will increase the importance of the external industrial ecosystem and supply chain collaboration. Potential changes encompass all supply chain areas, from supplier management to distribution, warehousing, and transportation. Firms are using sensors to capture all kinds of data in supply chains with low human intervention, efficiently sharing information through wireless communication networks and cloud computing and analyzing it using big data and artificial intelligence algorithms. Simulation techniques, such as digital twins and augmented reality, are being used to develop new products and produce customized products using 3D printers and cyberphysical production systems.
Although the literature in this area is increasing exponentially, there are several unsolved issues. For example, it is not yet clear the net impact of digitalization on sustainability, or how companies should redesign their supply chains and business models to better leverage such opportunities and avoid threats. On the one side, firms can reap immense sustainability benefits from digitalization, such as through reduced waste and consumption of resources by streamlining supply chain processes and decentralizing production, improved worker safety through greater process autonomy, or acquiring better control of suppliers. However, there are also potential threats, for example, transparency and data security concerns, increased supply chain costs, rapid product obsolescence, the entrance of new types of industry competitors, or the complete redefinition of the typical roles and power in supply chains (e.g., how supply chain incentives should be revised to improve sustainability?).
This Special Issue aims at advancing knowledge on this area. More specifically, we welcome high-quality studies that address how the digitalization of supply chains is affecting sustainability. The focus is not on the technology per se, but how that technology can transform how companies think about and manage sustainability issues.
Topics will include, but are not limited to, the following:
- Industrial internet of things (IoT)
- Additive manufacturing
- Augmented/virtual reality
- Big data analytics
- Blockchain
- Cloud data and computing
- Cyberphysical production systems
- Automation and industrial robotics
- Artificial intelligence
- Simulation and modeling (digital twins)
- Smart warehouses
- Smart (connected) consumers
- Manufacturing as a service (MaaS)
- Remote monitoring
- Smart contracts
Dr. Elcio Mendonça Tachizawa
Dr. María José Montes-Sancho
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
- industry 4.0
- smart manufacturing
- digitization
- industrial internet of things
- digital supply network
- environmental management
- supply chain management
- circular economy
- logistics
