Will the blockchain solve the supply chain resilience challenges? Insights from a systematic literature review

Abstract

Frequency and severity of supply chain disruptions are increasing, and new solutions for improving supply chain resilience (SCRES) are demanded. Operations managers and scholars place great hopes on recent technological innovations, particularly blockchain technology. However, the current literature lacks a comprehensive review at the intersection of SCRES and blockchain, making it difficult to understand the relations between both fields holistically. This research gap was addressed by systematically analyzing 72 peer-reviewed papers. More specifically, the link between specific blockchain characteristics, SCRES antecedents, and supply chain risk types was explored. The results reveal that visibility and validation are the most relevant blockchain characteristics for improving SCRES. The SCRES antecedents agility, collaboration, and supply chain (re-)engineering can all benefit from blockchain implementation, whereas the effect on risk management culture is widely unexplored. While there is consensus on blockchain’s usability for mitigating security, operational, and supply risks, the effect on demand risks requires further attention. To facilitate the practical implementation of this paper’s results, the findings served as a foundation for discussing SCRES opportunities from well-known blockchain applications such as smart contracts and tracking solutions. Moreover, seven future research avenues and managerial implications are presented.