Supply Chain Theory Research Articles

Research on Construction and Optimization Paths for Quality Concept Model of Green Supply Chain of Livestock Products

The quality of the supply chain for livestock products is related to the sustainable development of the livestock industry and national food security. Based on supply chain theory, green supply chain theory, and quality management theory, combined with the characteristics of livestock products and field research in China and Mongolia, a conceptual model of green supply chain quality for livestock products was constructed around two dimensions: livestock product quality and green supply chain service quality. Among them, the factors affecting the quality of livestock products are composed of 10 factors pertaining to breeding, slaughtering and processing, circulation, and sales; the factors affecting the service quality of the green supply chain of livestock products are composed of 16 factors in five links of supply chain services, such as logistics, information flow, capital flow, personnel quality, and public services. The quality of livestock products and the quality of green supply chain services of livestock products are not independent from each other, but show a relationship of mutual influence and mutual restriction. Focusing on the two dimensions of livestock product quality and livestock product green supply chain service quality, an optimization path of livestock product green supply chain quality is proposed. The research findings have certain guiding significance for promoting the high-quality development of green supply chains for cross-border livestock products in China and Mongolia.

Enhancing Economic, Resilient, and Sustainable Outcomes Through Supplier Selection and Order Allocation in the Food Manufacturing Industry: A Hybrid Delphi-FAHP-FMOP Method

In the food manufacturing industry, which is critical to national economies, there is a growing imperative to meet heightened safety, quality, and environmental standards, particularly in the face of supply chain disruptions. This study addresses the gap in literature by integrating sustainable and resilient supply chain theories with risk management and low-carbon principles into a supplier selection framework. Utilizing the Delphi method, fuzzy analytic hierarchy process (FAHP), and fuzzy multi-objective programming (FMOP), we develop a decision-making model specifically calibrated for the food sector. Initially, the study establishes a comprehensive criteria system encompassing quality, cost, delivery, low-carbon, and risk management through a literature review and expert consultation. Subsequently, FAHP is employed to determine the relative importance of each criterion in supplier selection. Furthermore, FMOP is utilized to develop a decision-making model for optimizing supplier selection and order allocation. Validated through a numerical study based on a Chinese food manufacturer, the framework presents a practical tool for food manufacturers, ensuring supply chain stability while aligning with sustainability objectives. This research refines decision making and strengthens the competitive stance of food manufacturers, significantly propelling the industry’s green transformation.

Blockchain Technology for Secure and Transparent Supply Chain Management

Purpose: The general objective of the study was to explore blockchain technology for secure and transparent supply chain management. Methodology: The study adopted a desktop research methodology. Desk research refers to secondary data or that which can be collected without fieldwork. Desk research is basically involved in collecting data from existing resources hence it is often considered a low cost technique as compared to field research, as the main cost is involved in executive’s time, telephone charges and directories. Thus, the study relied on already published studies, reports and statistics. This secondary data was easily accessed through the online journals and library. Findings: The findings reveal that there exists a contextual and methodological gap relating to blockchain technology for secure and transparent supply chain management. Preliminary empirical review revealed that blockchain technology had the potential to transform supply chain management by enhancing security and transparency. It emphasized the benefits of decentralization, immutability, and real-time visibility, which could reduce fraud and improve traceability. However, the study also highlighted challenges such as scalability, interoperability, and regulatory hurdles, which needed to be addressed for widespread adoption. Ultimately, the study suggested that companies investing in blockchain could gain a competitive advantage through increased efficiency and consumer trust, positioning blockchain as a crucial future component in supply chain management. Unique Contribution to Theory, Practice and Policy: Transaction Cost Theory, Social Exchange Theory and Resource-Based View (RBV) Theory may be used to anchor future studies on blockchain technology. The study made significant contributions to theory, practice, and policy. It integrated blockchain into existing supply chain theories, highlighting its role in reducing transaction costs and fostering trust. Practically, it recommended businesses invest in blockchain for enhanced transparency and efficiency, and leverage smart contracts to automate processes. It emphasized the need for supportive regulatory frameworks and addressed legal and ethical implications. The study advised a phased implementation approach and stakeholder collaboration, and suggested future research explore blockchain's long-term impacts and integration with IoT and AI. It underscored the broader implications for global trade and economic development.

Theories of digital platforms for supply chain management: a systematic literature review

PurposeDigital platforms transform supply chains. However, no unified theoretical understanding of digital platforms exists. Thus, the underlying research aims at investigating platform theories for supply chain management tasks.Design/methodology/approachThe authors conduct a systematic literature review to identify relevant theories in the context of digital platforms and synthesize the respective findings for supply chain management tasks.FindingsIn total, 43 papers and 41 different relevant theories are identified. The most prominent theories are the resource-based view, transaction cost economics, internalization theory and the dynamic capabilities approach. Digital platforms alter and change the boundary decisions of firms. Therefore, they have various implications for supply chain management tasks such as make-or-buy decisions or the orchestration of resources to sustain a competitive advantage.Practical implicationsThe identified supply chain theories as well as platform theories and their overlap provide a meaningful starting point for discussing and developing new and platform-based supply chain management approaches in the B2B domain.Originality/valueThe conducted systematic literature review provides a first starting point for building a holistic theoretical approach to digital platforms in supply chains. Thus, the paper contributes a missing link for discussing digital platforms and their theoretical foundations for supply chain management tasks.

Food supply chain resilience in the digital era: a bibliometric analysis and development of conceptual framework

PurposeFood supply chain resilience is a critical aspect in ensuring the continuous and reliable flow of food, particularly in the face of disruptions. This study aims to address specific gaps in the existing literature by conducting a bibliometric analysis. The primary objective is to identify key areas of concern and lacunae related to disruptions and resilience within the food supply chain. The study also strives to contribute to the field by developing a comprehensive framework that evaluates the factors influencing resilience. Furthermore, the research intends to propose effective strategies for mitigating and recovering from disruptions, emphasizing the urgency of these measures in light of identified gaps in the current body of literature.Design/methodology/approachTo achieve these objectives, the authors extracted the most relevant papers from Scopus and Web of Science (WoS) databases. The analysis parameters included a comprehensive review of current food supply chain practices and an exploration of trending research topics, such as sustainability, adaptability, circular economy and agility. Notably, the study recognized the pervasive impact of COVID-19 on food supply chain disruptions, with a high occurrence in the literature. Using advanced analytics tools like VOSviewer and Biblioshiny, the research delved into the role of modern technologies, including Industry 4.0, the Internet of Things (IoT), artificial intelligence (AI), machine learning (ML) and blockchain in addressing disruptions and enhancing resilience.FindingsThe research reveals a significant impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on food supply chain disruptions, underscoring the critical need for strategies to bolster resilience. Notably, the study identifies the pivotal role of modern technologies (Industry 4.0, IoT, AI, ML and blockchain) in mitigating disruptions and enhancing resilience in the food supply chain. The bibliometric analysis conducted through VOSviewer and Biblioshiny provides valuable insights into research trends and focal areas within the literature.Practical implicationsThe observed importance of Industry 4.0, IoT, AI, ML and blockchain implies a practical need for integrating these technologies into food supply chain operations. Moreover, the paper discusses strategies for reducing the impact caused by disruptions, providing practical guidance for resilience planning in food supply chains. Researchers can leverage the findings to direct future efforts toward areas with identified gaps and opportunities, fostering advancements in the field and offering practical insights for real-world applications.Originality/valueBy amalgamating insights from bibliometric analysis and the developed framework, this study contributes to a holistic understanding of the challenges and opportunities in fortifying the resilience of the food supply chain. The identified factors and strategies offer valuable insights for researchers and practitioners seeking to address disruptions in food supply chains. The study’s unique contribution lies in bridging theoretical perspectives with practical applications, enhancing the relevance of business-to-business/industrial supply chain theories.

Construction of water resource allocation model based on green supply chain theory

Construction of water resource allocation model based on green supply chain theory

ЦИРКУЛЯРНА СТІЙКІСТЬ ПІДПРИЄМСТВА ЯК ІНДИКАТОР ОЦІНКИ ЕФЕКТИВНОСТІ ТЕХНОЛОГІЙ РЕЦИКЛІНГУ

The concepts of circular economy and sustainable development are recognized as the biggest challenges of today. Under such conditions, the issue of expanding the focus of the circular economy to the micro level, encouraging enterprises to transition from a linear model of the economy to circular (circular) one in conditions of economic uncertainty, is becoming actualized. Thus, the development of the theoretical basis of the concept of the circular economy of the enterprise and the formation of the definition «circular sustainability of the enterprise» as an indicator of the evaluation of the efficiency of recycling technologies. To solve the set goal, the main criteria of the circular economy were revealed in the course of the study, the differences between the circular sustainability of the enterprise, the circularity of the enterprise and the circular economy of the enterprise were characterized, the concept of the circular sustainability of the enterprise was developed, and the relationship of economic theories underlying the concept of circular sustainability was characterized enterprises. For greater thoroughness, the author investigated the following close categories: «circular economy of the enterprise», «circularity of the enterprise» and proposed a new category «circular sustainability of the enterprise». It is justified that these concepts are closely related, but not identical. The similarity between the categories is that they all aim to optimize the use of resources, reduce waste and increase efficiency in terms of environmental sustainability. The differences between the studied categories are determined by the level of application and concentration on specific aspects of management and strategy. It is substantiated that the «circular economy of the enterprise» focuses more on internal processes, the «circularity of the enterprise» covers interaction with the external environment, and the «circular sustainability of the enterprise» focuses on the long-term perspective and the inclusion of circular practices in the overall sustainability strategy. The theoretical basis of the circular sustainability of the enterprise as a symbiosis of economic theories was studied: systems theory, supply chain theory, product life cycle concepts, sustainability theory, closed loop economy theory, social responsibility theory, and innovation theory. Based on the results of the research, the author's concept of «circular sustainability of the enterprise» was developed

Research on the Prefabricated Building Supply Chain and Blockchain's Resiliency Theory

Research on the Prefabricated Building Supply Chain and Blockchain's Resiliency Theory

The Effect of Green Supply Chain Strategies on the Performance of food and Beverage Manufacturing Firms in Nairobi City County, Kenya

The literature on Green Supply Chain Management (GSCM) has extensively explored its potential for improving environmental performance, yet there remains a significant gap in understanding its direct impact on the economic performance of manufacturing firms, particularly in developing economies like Kenya. Previous studies have often focused on environmental and operational benefits, with limited attention to profitability, market share, and sales growth, especially within the context of Kenya’s food and beverage manufacturing sector. Additionally, much of the research on GSCM strategies has been conducted in developed economies, making the applicability of findings in developing regions uncertain. This study addresses these gaps by examining the economic implications of GSCM strategies in a sector that contributes approximately 7.8% to Kenya’s GDP but faces declining output due to economic challenges, competition, and rising operational costs. A descriptive cross-sectional design was employed to provide a snapshot of the current state of GSCM practices and their immediate effects on firm performance. This design was chosen for its ability to capture data from a diverse set of firms simultaneously, allowing for generalizable conclusions across the sector. Grounded in Closed Loop Supply Chain theory, the study surveyed a sample of 164 respondents from 138 food and beverage manufacturing firms in Nairobi City County, achieving a response rate of 90.9%. The data was analyzed using simple and multiple regressions, Pearson’s product-moment correlation, and Spearman’s Rank Correlation, with SPSS version 28. The results show that GSCM strategies have a moderate positive correlation with overall firm performance (correlation coefficient = 0.285, p-value = 0.000) and profitability (correlation coefficient = 0.243, p-value = 0.003). However, the strategies’ impact on sales growth was not statistically significant (correlation coefficient = 0.135, p-value = 0.101), while their influence on market share was both positive and significant (correlation coefficient = 0.314, p-value = 0.000). These findings suggest that while GSCM strategies can enhance firm performance in terms of profitability and market share, their effect on sales growth remains limited. The study provides actionable insights for firms aiming to integrate GSCM practices to boost competitiveness and sustainability, with broader implications for policy formulation and industry standards in Kenya.

Critical Factors Influencing New Product Development Success in Sierra Leone Brewery Limited

This research investigates the crucial factors that affect new product development (NPD) in the beverage industry, concentrating on Sierra Leone Brewery Limited (SLBL). Acknowledging the inherent risks and uncertainties in NPD, the study seeks to recognize and assess both internal and external factors that influence the success of new product initiatives at SLBL. The analysis examines key elements (timing, pricing, packaging, testing, competition, market selection, promotional strategies, and brand development) to enhance our understanding of factors shaping new product introductions within the company. The study uses a case study approach, analyzing primary and secondary data to understand SLBL's new product development. It employs a phenomenological research approach involving stakeholders like managers, product developers, marketing personnel, and consumers. The study utilizes the supply chain and distribution theory as a theoretical framework to understand the factors influencing new product development in the beverage industry. SLBL adopts a meticulous NPD approach, using feasibility studies for decision-making. The concept development phase outlines a trajectory and collaboration, serving as a blueprint. Crafting business cases ensures strategic alignment, and the asset and recipe development phase emphasizes innovation. In material ordering, production, and sampling, SLBL prioritizes strategic procurement and stringent quality control. The success of the product launch depends on factors like market timing and effective promotional strategies. Diverse research methods contribute to a comprehensive analysis, and strategic recommendations include innovation, rebranding, extensive promotion, repositioning, and careful financial allocation. SLBL's NPD approach reflects strategic foresight and commitment to excellence for sustained success in a competitive market.

Understanding the role of demand and supply integration in achieving retail supply chain agility: An information technology capability perspective

AbstractWith the popularity of e‐commerce business, the evolution of information technology (IT) has played an important role in the evolution of global retail industry over the past two decades. Although the existing supply chain theories have discussed the effects of demand management on supply chain; however, there is a lack of in‐depth theoretical discussions among demand and supply integration (DSI) and supply chain agility from an IT capability view. The purpose of this study is to explore the role of DSI in achieving retail supply chain agility. Based on the information processing theory, this study takes JD.com and Alibaba, China's largest retailers, as business cases to conduct empirical investigations. We offer semi‐structured interviews with senior executives from IT, operations, and marketing department, and depict the coding process of survey data through a multi‐disciplinary literature review, grounded theory, and case study method. For retail firms, this study opens the black box of the antecedent research of supply chain agility by information processing theory, and puts forward some practical inspirations about retail IT capability under the COVID‐19 epidemic era.

Price strategy of community fresh food e-commerce considering the heterogeneous needs of consumers and fresh quality transparency

High online operating costs and low consumer utility still need to be addressed in the sales of community fresh e-commerce. Herein, we develop a new community fresh marketing model composed of retailers for online operating costs and consumers for low consumer utility by dividing community consumers into essential type and expectant type in this study. Then, the profit functions of community fresh retailers are developed in this study according to utility theory. Finally, a revised model of the fresh quality transparency (FQT) factor is conducted and discussed in this study. The results suggest that the profits obtained from essential consumers and expectant consumers by the community fresh e-commerce retailers are higher within a certain range of freshness costs compared to the basic model’s projection; meanwhile, the profits from expectant consumers contribute more than those from essential consumers. However, if the freshness cost exceeds a certain critical value, the abovementioned profits predicted from the new model will be lower. This study enriches the supply chain theory of community fresh food and provides retailers with theoretical guidance on differentiated services and pricing to better match the needs of community consumers.

A Bayes Estimate Density Fuzzy Modular function for improving supply chain sustainability through blockchain entropy prediction

This study triangulates three interrelated and interdependent goals. First, we provide a framework to establish the supply chain (SC) theory within the linchpins of the nine waves of sustainability theory. Second, we provide a real-world example of how blockchain operates to support the premise that hacking a blockchain requires very large capacities of computing power. We also demonstrate a method of detecting the possibility of hacking individual nodes that supply information to the blockchain. Third, we utilize the blockchain and gather thousands of data points and prove statistically that the tokenization of the oil and gas industry will increase market liquidity, market volume, profitability, and sustainability while reducing transaction time. The robotic blockchain is investigated as a mechanism for improving the efficiency of natural gas SC resource use through fuzzy modular function hashing and salting algorithms and entropy density.

Research on the Impact of New Parts Price Increase on the Stability of Closed-Loop Supply Chain

In the closed-loop supply chain system of component remanufacturing, new parts suppliers are likely to be affected by certain factors that lead to sudden increases in supply prices, and this sudden increase in new parts prices may trigger the chain collapse of the closed-loop supply chain system and impact the stability of the closed-loop supply chain. Therefore, this paper combines closed-loop supply chain theory, evolutionary game theory, and system dynamics theory, which are internalized to construct a complex system model. Furthermore, the impact of different price increases of new parts on the stability of the closed-loop supply chain is analyzed through scenario simulation. The results show that a 25% increase in the price of new parts will delay the time for remanufacturers and retailers to reach a stable state of product flow, reduce the profitability of remanufacturers and retailers, and inhibit the willingness of remanufacturers to carry out high-green production in the early stage. A 50% increase in the price of new parts can break the closed-loop supply chain from the remanufacturer, severely undermining the stability of the closed-loop supply. According to the simulation results, this paper presents a timely government dynamic reward and punishment optimization scheme for remanufacturers to improve the tolerance level of the closed-loop supply chain for the price increase of new parts and to provide a reference for enhancing the stability of the closed-loop supply chain and optimizing the government supervision strategy.

Influence Mechanism of Green Supply Chain Interest Linkage of Grassland Livestock Products: A Study from the Perspective of Pastoral Modernization

Building a reasonable and stable interest linkage mechanism is key to ensuring the efficient operation of the green supply chain of grassland livestock products, and it is also an inherent requirement to promote the income of herders. Firstly, according to the stakeholder theory and the green supply chain theory, a conceptual model of interest linkage-influencing factors of the green supply chain of grassland livestock products was constructed on the basis of public policy effect, green business status, willingness to cooperate, characteristics of decision-making behavior, and circulation characteristics. Secondly, on the basis of 358 research data samples from participants in the green supply chain of grassland livestock products in the Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, the structural equation model was used to empirically study the action law of each influencing factor and the mechanism of influence on the interest linkage. The results showed that willingness to cooperate had a significant positive influence on interest linkage; circulation characteristics did not have a significant direct influence on interest linkage but had an indirect positive influence on it through willingness to cooperate; characteristics of decision-making behavior not only had a direct positive influence on interest linkage but also enhanced the willingness to cooperate through the circulation characteristics of livestock products, which had an indirect positive influence on interest linkage; and green business status did not directly influence interest linkage. The public policy effect did not directly influence interest linkage but indirectly influenced the interest linkage through green business status, willingness to cooperate, characteristics of decision-making behavior, and circulation characteristics. Finally, managerial implications for constructing a reasonable interest linkage mechanism were proposed, including enhancing the willingness of subjects to cooperate, stabilizing the distribution channels of livestock products, cultivating market awareness of the interested subjects, strengthening the main body’s awareness of green development and expanding the scale of green operation, increasing government input and policy publicity to highlight the public policy effect, and improving relevant laws and regulations to effectively safeguard the interest of market entities.

Retracted: Cross-Border E-Commerce Logistics Collaboration Model Based on Supply Chain Theory

Retracted: Cross-Border E-Commerce Logistics Collaboration Model Based on Supply Chain Theory

Conceptual wanderlust: How to develop creative supply chain theory with analogies

AbstractThis article guides the development of creative insights in supply chain management. The authors begin by describing analogies' role in advancing organization theory with a focus on image transfers between knowledge domains. While much has been said about the merits of conceptual transfers between domains, much equally remains unknown, particularly about how to deliberately develop creative insights that have the potential to challenge or enhance existing supply chain management theory. To address this issue, this research builds on prior work on analogies, creativity, and design thinking to develop a heuristic‐analytic model. This model is designed to assist researchers in theorizing by analogy through a controlled dual cognitive process of divergence before convergence combined with a distant boundary‐spanning knowledge search. An illustration of the model shows how creative output can provide a fresh perspective that helps render supply chains potentially more resilient.

A new fuzzy DEA network based on possibility and necessity measures for agile supply chain performance evaluation: A case study

With respect to the necessity (Nec) measure, suggesting by Dubois and Prade, there is a dearth of any procedure or formula to deal with equality chance constraints. Therefore, this study attempted to introduce (Nec) and possibility (Pos) equality constraints in a real-case network non-oriented slack based model problem via agile supply chain (ASC) theory. The efficiency of different levels of agility of a dairy supply chain (SC), using a new fuzzy network Date Envelopment Analysis slack based model (FNDEA-SBM) on the basis of (Pos)/(Nec) measures, has been measured in this paper. The measurement took place in a multi-stage process. Since the agility features were rather qualitative in nature, the measures were likely to be delineated subjectively using linguistic expressions and fuzzy data. The application of (Pos)/(Nec) measures and different confidence levels made decision makers capable of getting information of all efficiency and sub efficiency scores through optimistic-pessimistic lenses and taking appropriate decisions on the basis of different optimistic-pessimistic points of view and confidence levels. The validity of the suggested approach was demonstrated through a real-life case study related to Iranian top twenty dairy firms. The results indicated the success of the suggested approach and computations were straightforward.

Impact of Cost Reduction Strategies on Purchasing and Procurement in Mozambique

Purpose: The study sought to analyze the impact of cost reduction strategies on purchasing and procurement in Mozambique.
 Methodology: The research was conducted entirely on computers. Secondary data, or data that doesn't require actual observation in the field, are the focus of desk research. Because it requires little more than an executive's time, telephone rates, and directories, desk research is generally seen as a low-cost strategy in comparison to field research. As a result, the research used data that had already been collected and reported. This secondary data was readily available via the internet's digital library and scholarly articles.
 Findings: The results show that cost reduction strategies are effective ways of reducing costs associated with purchasing and procurement. Cost reduction strategies enables companies to reduce costs associated with materials, services, and labor, as well as reduce overhead costs. Additionally, strategic partnerships and the use of technology also help companies reduce costs and optimize their purchasing and procurement process. Overall, cost reduction strategies can be an effective way of reducing costs and improving efficiency.
 Unique Contribution to Theory, Practice and Policy: Future research in the field of purchasing and procurement may be grounded in the competitive advantage theory and the supply chain theory. Policymakers, researchers and academics from all across the world will all stand to gain from this study's findings. Executives in charge of national purchasing and procurement initiatives will also use the study's findings to boost the cost reduction strategies performance across the board. The research suggests that the purchasing and procurement sector should implement cost reduction policies to boost the effectiveness of their primary operations and activities.

Dynamic evolution of the relationship quality among participants in integrated project delivery: based on supply chain theory

PurposeThe core of the successful implementation of the integrated project delivery (IPD) mode is to establish a high-quality relationship of cooperation, trust and sharing among participants. This paper proposes recommendations to improve the relationship quality of participants from the owner's perspective. The results provide the theoretical basis and practical guidance for the popularization and application of the IPD mode.Design/methodology/approachThis paper analyzes the dynamic relationship among participants in IPD mode based on supply chain theory and similarity theory. A tripartite game model of the owner, designer and the contractor is constructed to obtain the evolutionary equilibrium strategies under different parameter constraints. Then, numerical simulations under various scenarios are conducted to explore the dynamic evolution and the influencing factors of the relationship quality among the participant in the IPD mode.FindingsThe results show that (1) the relationship quality under certain conditions gradually improves as the project progresses until stable and high-quality cooperation is formed and (2) the owner's positive supervision cost, the distribution coefficient of incentive and punishment of participants and the scale of incentive pool are important factors influencing the relationship quality.Originality/valueThis study incorporates the following three innovations. First, analyzing the relationship quality among the participants of IPD mode based on supply chain theory. Second, the evolutionary game theory is applied to the relationship quality analysis. Third, conclusion innovation. The authors conclude that the relationship quality may progress, decrease or cycle with the progress of the project and targeted recommendations are presented based on the results.