Leveraging the Internet of Things and Blockchain Technology in Supply Chain Management

Abderahman Rejeb, John G. Keogh and Horst Treiblmaier
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Abderahman Rejeb: Department of Logistics and Forwarding, Széchenyi István University‚ 9026 Győr, Hungary
John G. Keogh: Henley Business School, University of Reading‚ Greenlands, Henley-on-Thames, RG9 3AU, UK
Horst Treiblmaier: Department of International Management, Modul University Vienna, 1190 Vienna, Austria

Future Internet, 2019, vol. 11, issue 7, 1-22

Abstract: Modern supply chains have evolved into highly complex value networks and turned into a vital source of competitive advantage. However, it has become increasingly challenging to verify the source of raw materials and maintain visibility of products and merchandise while they are moving through the value chain network. The application of the Internet of Things (IoT) can help companies to observe, track, and monitor products, activities, and processes within their respective value chain networks. Other applications of IoT include product monitoring to optimize operations in warehousing‚ manufacturing, and transportation. In combination with IoT, Blockchain technology can enable a broad range of different application scenarios to enhance value chain transparency and to increase B2B trust. When combined, IoT and Blockchain technology have the potential to increase the effectiveness and efficiency of modern supply chains. The contribution of this paper is twofold. First, we illustrate how the deployment of Blockchain technology in combination with IoT infrastructure can streamline and benefit modern supply chains and enhance value chain networks. Second, we derive six research propositions outlining how Blockchain technology can impact key features of the IoT (i.e., scalability, security, immutability and auditing, information flows, traceability and interoperability, quality) and thus lay the foundation for future research projects.

Keywords: Blockchain; Internet of Things; supply chain; transparency; value chain (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O3 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2019
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (44)

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