Mapping the Landscape of Blockchain for Transparent and Sustainable Supply Chains: A Bibliometric and Thematic Analysis

Félix Díaz (), Rafael Liza and Nhell Cerna
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Félix Díaz: Facultad de Ingeniería y Arquitectura, Universidad Autónoma del Perú, Lima 150142, Peru
Rafael Liza: Facultad de Ingeniería, Universidad Tecnológica del Perú, Lima 150101, Peru
Nhell Cerna: Facultad de Ingeniería, Universidad Privada del Norte, Lima 150183, Peru

Logistics, 2025, vol. 9, issue 3, 1-30

Abstract: Background: The increasing complexity of global supply chains has intensified the demand for transparency, traceability, security, and sustainability in logistics and operations. Blockchain technology enables decentralized, immutable frameworks that improve data integrity, automate transactions via smart contracts, and integrate seamlessly with the IoT and AI. Methods: This bibliometric review analyzes 559 peer-reviewed publications retrieved from Scopus and Web of Science using a PRISMA-guided protocol. Data were processed with Bibliometrix and Biblioshiny to examine scientific production, contributing institutions, author countries, collaboration patterns, thematic clusters, and keyword evolution. Results: The analysis reveals a 400% increase in publications after 2020, with China, India, and the USA leading in output but with limited international collaboration. Keyword co-occurrence and thematic mapping reveal dominant topics, including smart contracts, food supply chain traceability, and sustainability, as well as emerging themes such as decentralization, privacy, and the circular economy. Conclusions: The field is marked by interdisciplinary growth, yet it remains thematically and geographically fragmented. This review maps the intellectual structure of blockchain-enabled sustainable supply chains, offering insights for policymakers, developers, and industry leaders and outlining future research avenues centered on global cooperation, platform efficiency, and ethical and regulatory dimensions.

Keywords: blockchain; supply chain; smart contracts; transparency; traceability; sustainability (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: L8 L80 L81 L86 L87 L9 L90 L91 L92 L93 L98 L99 M1 M10 M11 M16 M19 R4 R40 R41 R49 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2025
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