Internet of Things research in supply chain management and logistics: A bibliometric analysis

Abstract

This study reviews Internet of Things (IoT) research in supply chain management (SCM) and logistics. A thorough review and bibliometric analysis were conducted to analytically and objectively unearth the knowledge development in IoT research within the context of SCM and logistics. The analysis started with the selection of 807 journal articles published over a two-decade period. Then, the articles were analyzed according to bibliometric parameters such as year of publication, sources, authors, and institutions. A keyword co-occurrence network was used to cluster the pertinent literature. Results of the review and bibliometric analysis reveal that IoT research has attracted significant attention from the SCM and logistics community. Three leading journals published widely on IoT and the fifteen most productive authors are identified. Based on the keyword co-occurrence clustering, the IoT literature in SCM and logistics is focalized on RFID technology, Industry 4.0 technologies, reverse logistics, and additionally covers various industries, such as the food, retailing, construction, and the pharmaceutical sector. The study provides researchers with a better understanding of IoT research in SCM and logistics and existing knowledge gaps for further research. Practitioners may benefit from the review to keep abreast of the current discussions and applications of IoT in diverse industrial sectors. To the best of the authors’ knowledge, the current review is one of the few attempts to investigate IoT research in SCM and logistics using a comprehensive set of articles published during the past two decades.