Abderahman Rejeb
57210259359
Publications - 70
A review of hydrogen energy in renewable energy supply chain finance
Publication Name: Discover Sustainability
Publication Date: 2025-12-01
Volume: 6
Issue: 1
Page Range: Unknown
Description:
Energy supply chain participants recognise the benefits of hydrogen energy in accelerating the energy transition and meeting the global energy demand. However, concerns remain regarding the financial viability of hydrogen energy supply chain operations. The construct of supply chain finance (SCF) in renewable energy networks has received significant attention as stakeholders perceive its benefits in improving liquidity, financial performance, and competitiveness. Despite the increasing volume of SCF-related studies on renewable energy networks, there is a dearth of articles that extensively review extant literature to identify SCF capabilities suitable for hydrogen energy networks, propose a comprehensive framework of hydrogen energy-SCF, and provide actionable insights into future research directions. This study addresses this limitation by conducting a state-of-the-art systematic literature review (SLR) of 75 candidate articles, which were analysed using template analysis to uncover the existing research trends and distil key hydrogen energy-SCF themes. The study uniquely develops a holistic framework of hydrogen energy-SCF, addressing key drivers including environmental sustainability, financial considerations, policies, technologies, and SCF initiatives. Moreover, this study offers fresh perspectives on SCF initiatives specific to hydrogen energy networks, emphasizing their importance for energy security and sustainability. Importantly, gaps in the literature are identified, upon which future research opportunities are proposed. The findings position hydrogen energy-SCF not only as a game-changer for the transition of global energy systems but also provide both practical and theoretical insights for academics and industry stakeholders.
Open Access: Yes
Assessing food insecurity strategies across twelve countries from different income levels: a sustainability and food systems perspective
Publication Name: Discover Sustainability
Publication Date: 2025-12-01
Volume: 6
Issue: 1
Page Range: Unknown
Description:
Achieving Sustainable Development Goal 2 (Zero Hunger) by 2030 remains a persistent global challenge, especially under current overlapping crises such as climate change, economic instability, and geopolitical conflicts. This study critically analyzes the food security strategies of twelve countries across four income groups, as classified by the World Bank: Low-Income (Malawi, Afghanistan, Ethiopia), Lower-Middle-Income (Nigeria, India, Lebanon), Upper-Middle-Income (Maldives, Brazil, China) and High-Income (Canada, Germany, United Arab Emirates). Using a structured narrative review of national policies and programs (2016–2024) sourced from academic databases, government publications, and international reports, we assess the alignment of strategies with the sustainability pillars (economic, social, environmental) and six key agri-food system interventions. Findings show that lower-income countries emphasize social protection and foundational agriculture (e.g., Ethiopia’s safety net improved food security by 30%), while higher-income nations focus on technological and environmental innovations (e.g., Germany aims to reduce nutrient losses by 50% by 2030). However, 10 of the 12 countries are off track, progressing at less than 50% of the rate needed. China (80% SDG2 score), Canada (70%), and Afghanistan (35%) demonstrate the widespread nature of this trend across varying income groups. The study underscores the urgency for integrated, context-specific strategies, enhanced international cooperation, and financing to accelerate progress toward Zero Hunger.
Open Access: Yes
Industry 5.0 as seen through its academic literature: an investigation using co-word analysis
Publication Name: Discover Sustainability
Publication Date: 2025-12-01
Volume: 6
Issue: 1
Page Range: Unknown
Description:
Industry 5.0 marks a pivotal advancement in manufacturing and bridges cutting-edge technology with human creativity to enhance efficiency, sustainability, and workplace dynamics. Despite its growing relevance, there remains a significant knowledge gap due to the lack of comprehensive reviews that synthesize the breadth of research and practice in this rapidly evolving field. This paper presents a comprehensive bibliometric analysis of Industry 5.0 and examines a corpus of 915 journal articles from the Scopus database, spanning from January 2016 to May 2024. The study aims to map the evolving landscape and thematic trajectories of Industry 5.0, highlighting its integration with advanced technologies such as AI, IoT, and human-centric systems. The findings indicate significant trends in the field, including a shift from theoretical underpinnings to practical applications and the growing emphasis on sustainability and human–machine collaboration. These thematic areas highlight the transformative potential of Industry 5.0 to enhance operational efficiency, workplace dynamics, and environmental sustainability within the industrial sector. By employing bibliometric and co-word analysis, this study addresses existing knowledge gaps and provides a nuanced understanding of the interdisciplinary interactions and future directions in Industry 5.0. The findings reveal the critical role of emerging technologies in driving the next industrial revolution, suggesting that future research should focus on integrating these technologies with socio-economic objectives to fully realize the potential of Industry 5.0. In terms of originality, this study sets a foundation for future explorations and practical implementations that can contribute to more sustainable, efficient, and human-centric industrial practices.
Open Access: Yes
Exploring the state-of-the-art of halal food research using latent Dirichlet allocation
Publication Name: Discover Food
Publication Date: 2025-12-01
Volume: 5
Issue: 1
Page Range: Unknown
Description:
The rapid growth of the halal food (HF) industry has created a pressing need for a comprehensive synthesis of the existing body of knowledge. However, there remains a significant gap in the literature regarding the key themes, patterns, and emerging areas in HF research. This study addresses this gap by systematically analyzing the HF literature to identify key themes, patterns, and emerging areas of interest in the HF field. The study employs latent Dirichlet allocation (LDA)-based topic modeling to uncover and map the underlying themes in the HF literature, analyzing 738 publications from Scopus to determine the main topics and trends in HF research. The analysis reveals six main topics in HF research: (1) HF quality, safety assessment, and production methods; (2) HF supply chain management; (3) HF detection and authentication methods; (4) HF and Islamic culture; (5) HF and consumer behavior; and (6) HF and tourism and hospitality. The study identifies an overall increasing trend in HF research over the years, with particular emphasis on HF supply chain management and consumer behavior, while HF and Islamic culture received comparatively lower levels of attention. This study offers a novel and comprehensive analysis of the HF literature using LDA-based topic modeling, highlighting the key themes and patterns in the field. The insights derived from this study hold significant theoretical and practical implications for researchers, policymakers, manufacturers, retailers, and consumers in the rapidly growing HF industry. By identifying the main areas of focus and research gaps, the study serves as a valuable foundation for further research and analysis in the field, ultimately contributing to the ongoing development and evolution of HF research.
Open Access: Yes
The impact of machine learning applications in agricultural supply chain: a topic modeling-based review
Publication Name: Discover Food
Publication Date: 2025-12-01
Volume: 5
Issue: 1
Page Range: Unknown
Description:
Machine learning (ML) has become a pivotal element in agriculture, providing groundbreaking solutions to tackle intricate issues related to productivity, sustainability, and resource management. A comprehensive examination of the current literature is crucial as the discipline evolves, allowing for the identification of significant themes, trends, and focal discussions. The current study employs latent Dirichlet allocation (LDA)-based topic modeling to examine 1114 publications regarding ML applications in agriculture, sourced from the Scopus database. The analysis indicates notable expansion in ML studies, featuring leading publications across various interdisciplinary fields. Six primary areas have been identified: precision agriculture and remote monitoring, molecular and food composition analysis, food systems and agricultural applications, quality assurance and adulteration detection, advanced financial and technological applications in ML, and predictive modeling for agricultural success and efficiency. Every topic is examined to highlight its contributions and possible avenues for further investigation. The analysis offers theoretical perspectives on the interdisciplinary aspects of ML in agriculture, along with practical applications for farmers, agribusiness experts, policymakers, and technologists. This study represents the first thorough review of ML applications in agriculture utilizing the LDA approach. It provides a current and comprehensive understanding of the field, while also uncovering emerging areas and opportunities for future exploration.
Open Access: Yes
Industry 5.0 research: an approach using co-word analysis and BERTopic modeling
Publication Name: Discover Sustainability
Publication Date: 2025-12-01
Volume: 6
Issue: 1
Page Range: Unknown
Description:
This study addresses a substantial knowledge gap by conducting a complete evaluation of the present landscape and future directions of Industry 5.0. It recognizes the need of synthesizing a wide body of relevant research in order to get a better understanding of the complex nature of Industry 5.0. Using a comprehensive and systematic approach, the current study performed a co-word analysis and BERTopic modeling on a carefully selected dataset of 933 journal articles, sourced from Scopus and originally published between 2016 and 2024. These techniques facilitated the identification and analysis of significant patterns and uncovered integration of technology progress with human-centered strategies in Industry 5.0 frameworks. The study reveals the significant impact of new technologies, such as artificial intelligence (AI), cyber-physical systems, and blockchain processes, on improving operational efficiency, security, and sustainability. The study highlights the significance of incorporating these technologies into industrial processes to promote settings that are creative, productive, and attentive to human requirements. The trend analysis uncovers dynamism within Industry 5.0 research, which is featured by a blend of technological innovation, sustainability, and ethical considerations. Combined, these shape a future where these components are deeply interconnected. The research has significant implications, as it provides theoretical advancements and practical recommendations that might impact future industrial policy and firm operations. This study addresses a significant need by offering valuable information on how to combine technical advancements with ethical and sustainable approaches. The goal is to improve productivity and promote the well-being of society. This work is groundbreaking inasmuch as it is one of the first extensive studies in this field. It establishes an important guide for future academic research and practical use in the changing landscape of Industry 5.0.
Open Access: Yes
Mapping the research landscape of blockchain and crowdfunding
Publication Name: Financial Innovation
Publication Date: 2025-12-01
Volume: 11
Issue: 1
Page Range: Unknown
Description:
Blockchain technology and crowdfunding (CF) have emerged as disruptive forces in the finance and entrepreneurship landscape, potentially transforming traditional modes of capital raising and investment. This study investigates the intersection of blockchain technology and CF to provide a comprehensive overview of the current state of research through a systematic literature review and bibliometric analysis. By examining 219 publications sourced from Scopus, this study employed descriptive statistics, article co-citations, and keyword co-occurrence to identify key bibliometric indicators, themes, and trends. The findings reveal a surge in research activity related to blockchain and CF, emphasizing initial cryptocurrency offerings, financial technology (Fintech), and the role of blockchain in improving transactional efficiency, disintermediation, and venture capital CF. Keyword co-occurrence analysis reveals diverse research themes, including smart contracts, fundraising campaigns, sustainable entrepreneurship, and Islamic Fintech. Based on the findings of this analysis, several implications and directions for further investigation are highlighted. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first attempt to analyze the intersection of blockchain technology and CF using scientometric techniques systematically.
Open Access: Yes
When Industry 5.0 Meets the Circular Economy: A Systematic Literature Review
Publication Name: Circular Economy and Sustainability
Publication Date: 2025-08-01
Volume: 5
Issue: 4
Page Range: 2621-2652
Description:
This paper examines the convergence of Industry 5.0 and the circular economy, emphasizing the role of emerging technologies in promoting sustainability via human-centric approaches. In contrast to Industry 4.0, which prioritizes automation and digitalization, Industry 5.0 stresses the synergistic integration of technology, environmental sustainability, and human collaboration to enhance resource efficiency and minimize waste. Using co-word analysis and BERTopic modeling on 283 journal articles extracted from the Scopus database, this research identifies key trends and themes linking Industry 5.0 and the circular economy. The study findings demonstrate the use of automation, machine learning, and 3D printing in sustainable manufacturing, which aligns with circular economy principles by optimizing resource efficiency and reducing waste. The topic modeling analysis further demonstrates the role of blockchain, cybersecurity, and human-centric AI in enabling closed-loop systems while assuring transparency and accountability in circular production models. The collaboration between humans and machines emerges as a crucial topic highlighting the need for adaptive manufacturing systems to balance productivity and environmental responsibility. The findings indicate that Industry 5.0 increasingly aligns with circular economy goals, paving the way to more sustainable, resilient, and human-centric industrial processes. This study offers valuable insights for academics and practitioners, indicating that the confluence of technology, sustainability, and human involvement will propel the future of industrial innovation.
Open Access: Yes
The role of industry 4.0 in global food security: A promising pathway to ending hunger
Publication Name: Smart Agricultural Technology
Publication Date: 2025-08-01
Volume: 11
Issue: Unknown
Page Range: Unknown
Description:
Ensuring global food security is a critical challenge that necessitates innovative solutions and advanced technologies. This study explores how the fourth industrial revolution (Industry 4.0) technologies can transform global food security by enhancing availability, access, utilization, stability, agency, and sustainability. Technologies such as the Internet of Things (IoT), Artificial Intelligence (AI), big data, blockchain, and robotics are detailed, highlighting their current applications in the food sector. Emphasizing Sustainable Development Goal 2: Zero Hunger, the study examines how precision agriculture, smart farming, automated machinery, real-time monitoring, data analytics, and digitalization can improve food production, distribution, and quality, ultimately fostering food security. This comprehensive analysis offers strategic insights and policy recommendations for stakeholders to leverage these transformative technologies, ensuring a sustainable and secure food future for all.
Open Access: Yes
The nexus of IoT and aquaculture: A bibliometric analysis
Publication Name: Applied Food Research
Publication Date: 2025-06-01
Volume: 5
Issue: 1
Page Range: Unknown
Description:
The Internet of Things (IoT) in aquaculture presents significant opportunities for improving the sector's productivity, sustainability, and resilience. This study aims to achieve two primary goals: to deliver an extensive overview of IoT applications in aquaculture and to pinpoint emerging trends and research gaps, thereby directing future academic endeavors in the aquaculture field. Through bibliometric analysis, which involved keyword co-occurrence and article co-citation network analyses, we investigated 428 publications from 2012 to 2024 retrieved from Scopus. The review indicates a significant rise in investigative efforts, especially in recent years, highlighting the sector's increasing focus on the role of IoT in tackling the distinct challenges aquaculture faces, including water quality monitoring, disease prevention, and resource efficiency. Prominent themes recognized encompass advanced aquaculture systems, water quality and health monitoring, and sophisticated forecasting tools. This investigation enhances the existing knowledge base by emphasizing key themes, significant studies, and essential technological advancements in IoT-enabled aquaculture, providing one of the initial bibliometric assessments in this swiftly developing field. Future research should focus on enhancing interoperability among IoT devices, improving data security and privacy, integrating artificial intelligence for predictive analytics, and expanding IoT applications to support small-scale and resource-constrained aquaculture operations.
Open Access: Yes
Knowledge flows in industry 4.0 research: a longitudinal and dynamic analysis
Publication Name: Journal of Data Information and Management
Publication Date: 2025-06-01
Volume: 7
Issue: 2
Page Range: 123-145
Description:
Industry 4.0 represents a significant shift in industrial practices, presenting unique opportunities to improve manufacturing via advanced digital technologies and sustainable processes. The rapid growth of Industry 4.0 research has uncovered a significant knowledge gap and emphasized the need for studies adopting dynamic and longitudinal perspectives to understand this field’s evolution comprehensively. This study meticulously analyzes 10,176 articles to investigate the thematic evolution and knowledge transfer mechanisms within Industry 4.0. The examination reveals four distinct sub-periods, each characterized by thematic transitions, starting with foundational themes such as simulation and cyber-physical systems, progressing to later focuses on cloud computing, convolutional neural networks, and digital twin technologies. As research progresses, themes like production facilities, monitoring, and security highlight the shift towards automation, real-time monitoring, and strong data security measures. Five primary thematic domains are identified: (1) core enablers of sustainable smart manufacturing, (2) innovation and strategic transformation, (3) smart and secure manufacturing systems, (4) advanced data-driven manufacturing technologies, and (5) AI-driven real-time monitoring and production. These domains illustrate a transition from fundamental enablers like the Internet of Things (IoT) to more intricate AI-based applications. The main path analysis indicates a shift in emphasis, moving from essential digital integration towards sustainability, digital transformation, and resource efficiency applications. The findings reveal significant implications and highlight Industry 4.0 as a driving force for sustainable and resilient industrial ecosystems.
Open Access: Yes
Determinants of ChatGPT adoption among students in higher education: the moderating effect of trust
Publication Name: Electronic Library
Publication Date: 2025-01-22
Volume: 43
Issue: 1
Page Range: 1-21
Description:
Purpose: ChatGPT is a cutting-edge chatbot powered by artificial intelligence that could revolutionise and advance the teaching and learning process. Drawing on the technology acceptance model (TAM) and information system (IS) success model, this study aims to investigate determinants of students’ intention to use ChatGPT for education purposes. Design/methodology/approach: The partial least squares technique was used to analyse 406 usable data collected from university students in Malaysia. Findings: The results confirmed the relationships between perceived usefulness (PU), perceived ease of use (PEU), attitude and intention to use proposed by TAM. PU and PEU are influenced by system quality. Surprisingly, trust in information moderates negatively the influences of PEU and PU on attitude. Practical implications: The findings provide insight for higher education institutions, unit instructors and ChatGPT developers on what may promote the use of ChatGPT in higher education. Originality/value: The study contributes to the literature by exploring the determinants of ChatGPT adoption, extending the TAM model by incorporating IS success factors and assessing the moderating effect of trust in information.
Open Access: Yes
Tracing knowledge diffusion trajectories in the research field of cyberbullying
Publication Name: Heliyon
Publication Date: 2025-01-15
Volume: 11
Issue: 1
Page Range: Unknown
Description:
In today's digital age, cyberbullying has emerged as a pervasive issue that affects individuals across various social media platforms and digital communication channels. This review explores the developmental trajectory of cyberbullying as an interdisciplinary academic field, employing a unique combination of co-word analysis and main path analysis (MPA) across a substantial body of 5183 documents. This integrated methodological approach allows for a nuanced examination of the evolution of themes and influential works within the realm of cyberbullying research. The findings highlight a complex landscape where initial focus areas, such as the behavioral and psychological triggers of cyberbullying, progressively expand towards exploring effective preventive measures and intervention strategies. Key themes identified include the impact of digital literacy, the dual role of social media as both a vector and a tool against cyberbullying, and the potential of technological advancements in detecting and mitigating cyberbullying. This comprehensive mapping and analysis deepens our understanding of cyberbullying and highlights the dynamic nature of this field, suggesting new directions for future research and practical applications to effectively address cyberbullying across various social and technological contexts. This study represents a pioneering effort in synthesizing a broad spectrum of research to offer detailed insights into the changing dynamics of cyberbullying, marking a significant contribution to both academic knowledge and practical approaches to handling cyberbullying.
Open Access: Yes
A systematic review of female entrepreneurship using co-word and main path analyses
Publication Name: Quality and Quantity
Publication Date: 2025-01-01
Volume: Unknown
Issue: Unknown
Page Range: Unknown
Description:
The objective of this paper is to provide a thorough examination of the developmental trajectory of female entrepreneurship research in order to address the lacuna in the literature. The study employs a combination of co-word analysis and main path analysis (MPA) to conduct a systematic review of the citation network of female entrepreneurship research. This methodology facilitates the identification of dominant themes and foundational works, thereby mapping the gradual diffusion of knowledge throughout the field. The results indicate that critical themes, including the role of social networks in empowering female entrepreneurs, gender biases, access to finance, and entrepreneurial motivation, are present. The MPA delineates the manner in which early works concentrated on gendered challenges, while more recent research has explored topics such as innovation, work-life balance, and microfinance in developing economies. Furthermore, the study underscores emerging trends, including the influence of digitalization and institutional barriers on entrepreneurship. This study is the first to integrate co-word analysis with MPA in the context of female entrepreneurship, thereby offering a comprehensive and innovative perspective on the field’s evolution. In doing so, it provides valuable insights into the evolving research landscape, emphasizing critical gaps and suggesting promising areas for future investigation. This method establishes a precedent for the implementation of more data-driven reviews in the field of entrepreneurship research.
Open Access: Yes
Marine Ecosystems in Peril: The Impact of the Recent War on Gaza’s Coastal and Marine Life
Publication Name: Sustainable Development Goals Series
Publication Date: 2025-01-01
Volume: Part F472
Issue: Unknown
Page Range: 189-202
Description:
This chapter explores the severe impacts of the recent war (October 2023–January 2025) on Gaza’s coastal and marine ecosystems, with a focus on threats to marine biodiversity, environmental health, and the livelihoods that rely on these ecosystems, while addressing the challenges to achieving Sustainable Development Goal 14 (SDG 14). It examines the environmental effects on coastal communities, including habitat destruction, biodiversity loss, pollution from debris, oil spills, chemical contaminants, and the degradation of water quality. The socioeconomic repercussions are equally significant, encompassing increased poverty, loss of income, soaring unemployment, and worsening food insecurity. The discussion extends to the implications for SDG 14, emphasizing the urgent need for comprehensive environmental monitoring, targeted restoration initiatives, and strengthened international support to rehabilitate Gaza’s marine ecosystems. The chapter underscores the importance of peacebuilding, sustainable management practices, and global cooperation in safeguarding these critical ecosystems and ensuring their resilience in the face of war. This analysis is grounded in both grey literature and peer-reviewed publications, offering a robust foundation for understanding the multifaceted challenges and proposing actionable solutions to support long-term recovery and sustainability.
Open Access: Yes
Shattered Foundations: How the War on Gaza Has Undermined Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure
Publication Name: Sustainable Development Goals Series
Publication Date: 2025-01-01
Volume: Part F472
Issue: Unknown
Page Range: 231-246
Description:
This chapter explores the devastating impact of repeated Israeli hostilities on Gaza, especially the recent war; October 2023–January 2025, on industry, innovation, and infrastructure in this region, focusing on the significant setbacks to achieving Sustainable Development Goal 9 (SDG 9). This brutal war has led to widespread destruction of critical infrastructure, including power plants, health facilities, and communication networks, crippling industrial activities and halting technological advancements. The destruction of manufacturing facilities and the scarcity of essential resources have severely limited production capabilities, leading to massive job losses and economic decline. Furthermore, the war has severely hindered the development of new technologies and innovations by destroying educational institutions and research centers, while restrictions on the import of technological equipment and resources have further exacerbated these challenges, limiting access to tools necessary for advancement and growth. Through detailed analysis of reports and scientific publications, this chapter highlights the urgent need for international intervention and support to rebuild industry and infrastructure in Gaza. This comprehensive examination of the impact of the war on Gaza industry, innovation, and critical infrastructure offers valuable insights into the broader challenges of achieving SDG 9 in conflict-affected regions.
Open Access: Yes
Global research trends on cyberbullying: A bibliometric study
Publication Name: Computers in Human Behavior Reports
Publication Date: 2024-12-01
Volume: 16
Issue: Unknown
Page Range: Unknown
Description:
The rapid growth of the media industry, particularly social media, has enhanced interaction and information sharing but has also led to harmful uses of cyberspace, such as cyberbullying. This phenomenon, primarily affecting adolescents, involves repeated harm through electronic devices in forms like abusive or aggressive text messages, inappropriate videos, and identity theft. The present study utilizes the Scopus database to analyze 5201 publications on cyberbullying from 1999 to 2023. Using various bibliometric network methods for analysis such as networks, citation, co-citation, collaboration, and keyword co-occurrence networks, along with intellectual structure maps, we identified key contributors and publications from this field. The study identifies significant growth in scientific output over the years, with prominent contributors like Michelle F. Wright, Heidi Vandebosch, and Rosario Ortega-Ruiz, and key journals including Computers in Human behavior, International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, and Journal of Interpersonal Violence. The United States leads research production, with substantial collaboration among American institutions, followed by Canada and the United Kingdom. This study recognizes social media, gender, and online abuse as key topics well-explored in studies on cyberbullying. However, further investigation is required in fields such as cyber dating violence and harassment, along with the associated challenges faced by sexual minorities. Our results show a growing research interest among academics in understanding the various aspects of cyberbullying in recent years.
Open Access: Yes
Precision agriculture: A bibliometric analysis and research agenda
Publication Name: Smart Agricultural Technology
Publication Date: 2024-12-01
Volume: 9
Issue: Unknown
Page Range: Unknown
Description:
The emergence of precision agriculture (PA) has brought a radical change in the agriculture sector and significantly contributed to agronomic development. In recent years, academic research on PA has increased at an unprecedented pace. However, a comprehensive picture of how PA can benefit the agriculture sector is still lacking. In addition, there is a clear scarcity of studies on PA that evaluate the impact of this paradigm on agriculture resources and inform practitioners about the importance of data-driven farming and agriculture. Therefore, we attempted to employ a bibliometric method to ascertain the current state-of-the-art and dynamics of PA. The findings of the analysis highlighted four distinct phases and the most predominant enabling technologies in PA. Additionally, we reviewed the key trends and put forth insightful recommendations for future research by researchers and practitioners. In terms of contributions, this review developed an integrative framework comprising PA-related technologies, PA application areas, and PA advantages. Furthermore, the challenges of PA were identified and categorized into four broad groups. Finally, the study's novelty resides in its systematization of the PA literature and its recommendations of several research directions for advancing PA in the agriculture sector.
Open Access: Yes
Drone Applications in Logistics and Supply Chain Management: A Systematic Review Using Latent Dirichlet Allocation
Publication Name: Arabian Journal for Science and Engineering
Publication Date: 2024-09-01
Volume: 49
Issue: 9
Page Range: 12411-12430
Description:
As an emergent technology, drones have grown increasingly integral to the logistics and supply chain management (SCM) sectors. This review paper seeks to address this gap by analyzing a carefully curated dataset of 96 journal articles, sourced from Scopus and Web of Science, concerning drone applications in logistics and SCM. Our study reveals a rising trend in drone-related logistics and SCM research and highlights the growing significance of this technology. Using latent Dirichlet allocation (LDA), we distilled the corpus into ten distinct topics and provided a comprehensive overview of the field’s thematic landscape. The most prominently studied themes were drones for humanitarian logistics and SCM and optimization of last-mile delivery using drones and trucks in urban logistics. These areas underscore the promise of drones in addressing humanitarian challenges and urban logistics optimization, respectively. Conversely, the least explored topics were drones safety and utility and drone delivery and consumer behavior in food logistics. To our knowledge, this is the first paper applying LDA to examine drone applications in logistics and SCM, offering novel insights into the current state of the literature. Moreover, based on our findings, we propose a future research agenda to encourage further exploration into under-studied areas and to sustain the momentum of this exciting field.
Open Access: Yes
A bibliometric analysis of IoT applications in logistics and supply chain management
Publication Name: Heliyon
Publication Date: 2024-08-30
Volume: 10
Issue: 16
Page Range: Unknown
Description:
The rapid integration of the Internet of Things (IoT) into logistics and supply chain management (SCM) marks a significant transformation towards enhanced efficiencies, security, and sustainability. Through a comprehensive bibliometric analysis of 2680 publications from the Scopus database, this study charts the evolution of IoT within logistics and SCM and reveals a shift from foundational explorations to mature implementations. The research unfolds a complex thematic structure, highlighting the revolutionary impacts of IoT and related technologies such as RFID, the synergy of Industry 4.0 with SCM through Artificial Intelligence (AI) and the Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT), the strategic role of blockchain for enhanced traceability and security, and the advent of novel communication and encryption technologies for secure data exchanges. Further, the analysis categorizes the scholarly discourse into critical areas including big data and IoT optimization in SCM, IoT-driven innovation in the food supply chain, applications of blockchain and smart contracts, digital transformation through Industry 4.0, security advancements with intelligent systems, and the exploration of advanced technologies for Industry 4.0 and 5.0. This review not only delineates the intellectual landscape of IoT applications in logistics and SCM but also identifies emerging research areas such as blockchain integration, 5G potential, and AI-driven optimizations, suggesting pathways for future research to broaden the understanding in this dynamically evolving field. It serves as an essential resource for academics and practitioners, providing insights into the transformative role of IoT in logistics and SCM and proposing directions for future technological and academic endeavors.
Open Access: Yes
Illness perception: A bibliometric study
Publication Name: Heliyon
Publication Date: 2024-06-15
Volume: 10
Issue: 11
Page Range: Unknown
Description:
Illness perception is a crucial area of study that has seen significant growth and development over the years. This study conducts a comprehensive bibliometric and network analysis of illness perception research, capturing its evolution from 1975 to 2023. Utilizing 1813 publications from the Scopus database, authored by 5428 researchers, we identify key scholars and influential articles in the field. Our analysis includes various bibliometric networks such as citation, co-citation, collaboration, and keyword co-occurrence networks, along with the presentation of intellectual structure maps. Major research areas include the role of illness perception in mental health conditions like depression, coping mechanisms, quality of life, and chronic illnesses like diabetes, as well as the influence of lay beliefs on health behaviors, and the impact of illness beliefs on conditions like Myocardial Infarction and stroke. The results show a growing academic interest in understanding how illness perceptions shape healthcare outcomes and behaviors.
Open Access: Yes
Analyzing Barriers to Internet of Things (IoT) Adoption in Humanitarian Logistics: An ISM–DEMATEL Approach
Publication Name: Logistics
Publication Date: 2024-06-01
Volume: 8
Issue: 2
Page Range: Unknown
Description:
Background: Effective humanitarian logistics (HL) is essential in disaster response. The “Internet of Things” (IoT) holds potential to enhance the efficiency and efficacy of HL, yet adoption is slowed by numerous barriers. Methods: This study employs interpretive structural modeling (ISM) and decision-making trial and evaluation laboratory (DEMATEL) to explore and classify barriers to IoT integration in HL. Results: A total of 12 barriers were identified, classified, and ranked according to their driving power and dependence. Key barriers include lack of standardization, organizational resistance, data quality issues, and legal challenges. Conclusions: Overcoming these barriers could significantly improve relief operations, reduce errors, and enhance decision-making processes in HL. This investigation is the first of its kind into IoT barriers in HL, laying the groundwork for further research and providing valuable insights for HL managers.
Open Access: Yes
Mapping the scholarly landscape of TikTok (Douyin): A bibliometric exploration of research topics and trends
Publication Name: Digital Business
Publication Date: 2024-06-01
Volume: 4
Issue: 1
Page Range: Unknown
Description:
The TikTok platform has become widely popular among younger generations and has influenced various industries and aspects of life. This systematic literature review, using bibliometric methods, aims to examine the evolution of TikTok research from its initial development to its current status. A total of 402 journal articles from 2019 to 2022 were systematically selected from the Web of Science Core Collection. Descriptive statistical analysis identified the most contributing academic institutions, nations, journals, scholars, and influential studies. Using CiteSpace, three visualization types were implemented: cluster views, timezone views, and timeline views. The study results indicate that several TikTok research clusters exist, which summarize important topics such as the platform's overall impact on society, politics, culture, as well as human-centric issues such as social attachment, functional tics, and their implications for public health. According to the co-word analysis, TikTok research revolves around body consciousness, social behavior, consumer behavior, and news media. The comprehensive mapping of TikTok research provides valuable insights into the current state of knowledge and identifies numerous relevant technical and social areas for future investigation. As the first bibliometric review of TikTok research, this study offers an important foundation for future scholarly inquiry in various areas.
Open Access: Yes
Harnessing Blockchain to Transform Healthcare Data Management: A Comprehensive Research Agenda
Publication Name: Blockchain in Healthcare Today
Publication Date: 2024-05-02
Volume: 7
Issue: 1
Page Range: Unknown
Description:
Properly managing healthcare data is a complex endeavor that must balance the requirements and interests of many stakeholders. In this paper, we present the findings from a panel discussion with healthcare professionals and academics, who elaborate on the current situation in healthcare data management as well as the future role that blockchain could play in this sector. Based on the findings of this panel, we structure the research field of healthcare data management and provide numerous avenues for future research. The outcome is a framework that highlights the important role of healthcare data and puts them into context. From a patient’s perspective, we specifically elaborate on trust and privacy as well as the expected benefits. Additionally, four important data aspects are identified: integrity, security, interoperability, and, finally, sharing and transfer. We also outline the importance of current problems and derive several relevant and timely research questions that build the foundation of a research agenda for blockchain-driven innovation in health-care data management. In summary, the framework will inform practitioners of blockchain’s potential in healthcare and structure the area for researchers, who are called upon to investigate the respective topics in greater detail.
Open Access: Yes
DOI: 10.30953/bhty.v7.301
Blockchain technology in the renewable energy sector: A co-word analysis of academic discourse
Publication Name: Heliyon
Publication Date: 2024-04-30
Volume: 10
Issue: 8
Page Range: Unknown
Description:
The transformative potential of blockchain technology in the renewable energy sector is increasingly gaining recognition for its capacity to enhance energy efficiency, enable decentralized trading, and ensure transaction transparency. However, despite its growing importance, there exists a significant knowledge gap in the holistic understanding of its integration and impact within this sector. Addressing this gap, the current study employs a pioneering approach, marking it as the first comprehensive bibliometric analysis in this field. We have systematically examined 390 journal articles from the Web of Science database, covering the period from 2017 through the end of February 2024, to map the current landscape and thematic trajectories of blockchain technology in renewable energy. The findings highlight several critical thematic areas, including blockchain's integration with smart grids, its role in electric vehicle integration, and its application in sustainable urban energy systems. These themes not only illustrate the diverse applications of blockchain but also its substantial potential to revolutionize energy systems. This study not only fills a crucial gap in existing literature but also sets a precedent for future interdisciplinary research in this domain, bridging theoretical insights with practical applications to fully harness the potential of blockchain in the renewable energy sector.
Open Access: Yes
Determinants of trust and purchase intention in social commerce: Perceived price fairness and trust disposition as moderators
Publication Name: Electronic Commerce Research and Applications
Publication Date: 2024-03-01
Volume: 64
Issue: Unknown
Page Range: Unknown
Description:
The study investigates the determinants of trust in sellers and products and purchase intention in the social commerce (s-commerce) context by considering the moderating effects of trust disposition and perceived price fairness. The data were collected from 416 individuals who have followed at least one seller on Instagram and analysed using the Partial Least Squares (PLS) approach. The findings revealed that review quantity, review quality, perceived symmetric product information, and responsiveness positively influence trust in seller. The direct influence of review quality on trust in products was confirmed. Trust disposition negatively moderates the impacts of review quality on trust in sellers and responsiveness on trust in products. Furthermore, perceived price fairness positively moderates the influence of trust in sellers and products on purchase intention. The findings extend the literature on s-commerce in several ways. The findings enable s-commerce sellers to formulate effective marketing strategies and boost purchase intention.
Open Access: Yes
Exploring the impact of ChatGPT on education: A web mining and machine learning approach
Publication Name: International Journal of Management Education
Publication Date: 2024-03-01
Volume: 22
Issue: 1
Page Range: Unknown
Description:
ChatGPT, an artificial intelligence model, has garnered significant interest within education. This study examined public sentiment regarding ChatGPT's influence on education by utilizing web mining and natural language processing (NLP) techniques. By adopting an empirical approach and leveraging machine learning models to process 2003 web articles, the study extracts valuable insights. The results indicate that ChatGPT has emerged as a crucial educational tool, offering advantages for both students and educators. Notably, the study emphasized ChatGPT's role in enhancing students' writing abilities and fostering dynamic, interactive learning environments. ChatGPT's capacity to address a broad spectrum of questions demonstrates its versatility and adaptability, contributing to more inclusive and personalized educational experiences. However, the study also uncovered challenges tied to academic integrity, such as plagiarism and cheating, which stem from incorporating AI-driven tools like ChatGPT into education. This raises concerns regarding ethical aspects, including responsible AI usage and data privacy, and highlights the need for institutions to develop guidelines and policies for AI tool implementation in education. This study's findings hold theoretical and practical implications for integrating ChatGPT into educational settings. It is the first to employ web mining and NLP techniques to analyze public opinions on ChatGPT's impact on education comprehensively.
Open Access: Yes
Smart Logistics for Sustainable Food Industries
Publication Name: Smart Food Industry the Blockchain for Sustainable Engineering Volume II Current Status Future Foods and Global Issues
Publication Date: 2024-01-01
Volume: Unknown
Issue: Unknown
Page Range: 292-306
Description:
Food production, processing and preservation have all advanced significantly over the years. Despite this, the safety and quality of food have been questioned in the aftermath of a long series of food frauds and food safety crises. Adding to the existing complexities related to food safety management and food fraud mitigation, calls for a stronger focus on sustainability have gradually increased in response to the negative effects of climate change and system shocks such as the COVID pandemic. These calls are exacerbated by claims of excessive water consumption for food animals and crops as well as toxic discharges. To meet the expectations of an expanding global population, there is an urgent need to leverage new technologies and embrace digital transformation in order to improve sustainability across the food industry. In this context, smart logistics emerges as an innovative paradigm for integrating novel technologies and realising the potential of cyber-physical systems to improve food logistics operations. Additionally, smart logistics has the potential to improve food chain transparency and ensure timely delivery of perishable food while increasing flexibility and improving efficiency. This chapter discusses emerging technologies that serve as a foundation for smart logistics and are critical enablers for the development of a sustainable food industry. It is primarily focused on a variety of food logistics operations, including warehousing, transportation, and distribution. Technological advancements such as the Internet of Things (IoT), Big Data Analytics (BDA), Blockchain Technology (BT), and Artificial Intelligence (AI) are discussed.
Open Access: Yes
Uncovering the themes and trends in crowdfunding research using Latent Dirichlet Allocation
Publication Name: Management Review Quarterly
Publication Date: 2025-09-01
Volume: 75
Issue: 3
Page Range: 2033-2066
Description:
Crowdfunding (CF) has become a significant force in the entrepreneurial landscape, offering an innovative alternative to traditional financing channels for startups and projects. As the field expands, it is crucial to systematically analyze the existing literature to identify key themes, patterns, and emerging areas of interest. To achieve this goal, this study investigates the CF literature using latent Dirichlet allocation (LDA)-based topic modeling based on 1,678 publications extracted from the Scopus database. The review reveals significant growth in CF research, with top journals spanning diverse disciplines. Eight main topics are identified, including CF campaign success and financing, donation-based CF, social effects of CF, entrepreneurial projects and rewards in CF, financial and fintech aspects of CF, CF project success and performance, P2P lending models and credit risk assessment, and equity CF and venture capital. Several research directions are suggested for each topic to advance the CF field. The theoretical and practical implications are also discussed. To the authors’ best knowledge, this study represents the first systematic analysis of the CF literature using the LDA approach, offering a comprehensive and up-to-date overview of this field and highlighting emerging areas of interest and potential research directions.
Open Access: Yes
The research landscape of industry 5.0: a scientific mapping based on bibliometric and topic modeling techniques
Publication Name: Flexible Services and Manufacturing Journal
Publication Date: 2024-01-01
Volume: Unknown
Issue: Unknown
Page Range: Unknown
Description:
Industry 5.0 (I5.0) marks a transformative shift toward integrating advanced technologies with human-centric design to foster innovation, resilient manufacturing, and sustainability. This study aims to examine the evolution and collaborative dynamics of I5.0 research through a bibliometric analysis of 942 journal articles from the Scopus database. Our findings reveal a significant increase in I5.0 research, particularly post-2020, yet highlight fragmented collaboration networks and a noticeable gap between institutions in developed and developing countries. Key thematic areas identified include human-robot collaboration, data management and security, AI-driven innovation, and sustainable practices. These insights suggest that a more integrated approach is essential for advancing I5.0, calling for strengthened global collaborations and a balanced emphasis on both technological and human-centric elements to fully realize its potential in driving resilient and sustainable industrial practices. This study provides the first comprehensive bibliometric analysis of I5.0, offering valuable insights for both researchers and practitioners.
Open Access: Yes
Tracing Knowledge Diffusion Trajectories in Scholarly Bitcoin Research: Co-Word and Main Path Analyses
Publication Name: Journal of Risk and Financial Management
Publication Date: 2023-08-01
Volume: 16
Issue: 8
Page Range: Unknown
Description:
In the burgeoning field of bitcoin research, a cohesive understanding of how knowledge and insights have evolved over time is lacking. This study aims to address this gap through an exploration of 4123 academic articles pertaining to bitcoin. Utilizing co-word analysis and main path analysis (MPA), it uncovers key themes and seminal works that have substantially influenced the field’s progression. The identified clusters, including safe haven, internet of things (IoT), proof of work (PoW), market efficiency, sentiment analysis, digital currency, and privacy, shed light on the multifaceted discourse surrounding bitcoin. The MPA, incorporating both forward and backward local paths, traces an evolving narrative, starting from an in-depth exploration of bitcoin’s structure, anonymity, and contrasts against traditional financial assets. It tracks the shift in focus to broader market dynamics, volatility, speculative nature, and reactions to economic policy fluctuations. The analysis underscores the transformation of bitcoin research, from its beginnings as a decentralized, privacy-oriented currency to its role in global economics and green financing, revealing a complex narrative of an innovative financial instrument to a multifaceted entity. Implications drawn from this analysis include the need for further research on the potential integration of bitcoin within emerging technologies like AI and cybersecurity, the implications of bitcoin’s interplay with traditional financial systems, and the environmental impacts of bitcoin and blockchain utilization. Overall, the current study not only enhances our understanding of the bitcoin field but also charts its dynamic evolution and stimulates further academic inquiry.
Open Access: Yes
DOI: 10.3390/jrfm16080355
Blockchain Technology and the Circular Economy: A Systematic Literature Review
Publication Name: Journal of Sustainable Development of Energy Water and Environment Systems
Publication Date: 2023-06-01
Volume: 11
Issue: 2
Page Range: Unknown
Description:
This paper aims to offer an overview of the features in the existing state of research on blockchains in the circular economy. A total of 79 articles published up to 31 May 2022 have been extracted from Scopus and Web of Science. The research design has enabled us to identify what characterises the present state of research on the use of blockchains in the circular economy. It has also allowed us to obtain a new categorisation scheme of the research that has identified five themes and the contributions in each theme and has allowed us to highlight several research gaps. The review findings indicate that the literature revolved around five research themes, namely, the relationship between blockchains and Industry 4.0, the potential of blockchains for circular economy practices, the role of blockchains in energy management, the role of blockchains in waste management and the impact of blockchains on sustainability. This review suggests several future research opportunities and provides practical implications for researchers and practitioners. To the authors' best knowledge, this study represents one of the first attempts to investigate the interplay between blockchain technology and the circular economy.
Open Access: Yes
Examining Knowledge Diffusion in the Circular Economy Domain: a Main Path Analysis
Publication Name: Circular Economy and Sustainability
Publication Date: 2023-03-01
Volume: 3
Issue: 1
Page Range: 125-166
Description:
The circular economy (CE) field has recently attracted significant interest from academics and practitioners. CE represents a departure from the linear economy, which is characterised by unsustainable resource production and consumption. The growing number of publications necessitates a comprehensive analysis of this field. This is the first systematic examination of the knowledge base and knowledge diffusion pathways in the CE domain. We analyse a Web of Science dataset containing 5431 articles published between 1970 and 2020. To create a comprehensive review of the CE domain, we conducted a keyword co-occurrence network analysis. We examined four distinct types of main paths using the main path analysis (MPA) technique: forward, backward, global, and key-route. According to the analyses, CE research focuses on six primary research themes: CE and sustainability, bioeconomy, CE practices, lifecycle assessment and industrial symbiosis, construction activities, and waste management. In addition, the MPA demonstrates that the CE literature has recently focused on Industry 4.0 technologies and their contribution to CE. This is the first attempt to depict the genealogy of CE research so that scholars can comprehend the domain’s evolutionary structure, identify hot topics, and capture the history, development status, and potential future directions of CE research.
Open Access: Yes
Exploring the role of blockchain technology in value creation: a multiple case study approach
Publication Name: Quality and Quantity
Publication Date: 2023-02-01
Volume: 57
Issue: 1
Page Range: 427-451
Description:
The value creation potentials of blockchain technology have attracted significant attention from academia and industry. To address how blockchain technology could impact value creation at the business level, this study adopted an inductive multiple case study approach. As part of this focus, fifty-five (55) cases were selected based on maximum-variation and theoretical sampling methods. Selected cases were investigated by conducting with-in case analysis, constant comparative analysis, cross-case analysis, and synthesis and thematic analysis methods. Initially, potential sources of value creation were explored and then the business model innovations were examined to exploit pre-identified value drivers. The findings revealed that blockchain has five potential sources of value creation, including access domain extension, cost reduction, reinforcement and enrichment, new business practices, and social base enrichment. Further, several business model innovations were proposed based on the data-driven exploration to help practitioners exploit identified opportunities or value drivers. This study not only applies the current body of strategic, economics and entrepreneurship knowledge in a new field, but it also adds conceptually and empirically to the current body of blockchain literature. Furthermore, business practitioners could increase their understanding of blockchain’s opportunities to address current business challenges, make operations more efficient, foster innovation, and co-create value with stakeholders.
Open Access: Yes
How augmented reality impacts retail marketing: a state-of-the-art review from a consumer perspective
Publication Name: Journal of Strategic Marketing
Publication Date: 2023-01-01
Volume: 31
Issue: 3
Page Range: 718-748
Description:
Augmented reality presents numerous opportunities and challenges for marketers to enrich the retail shopping experience. Although the technology is well established, practical marketing applications are rare, and the existing literature is unstructured. We conduct a systematic literature review with the goal of synthesizing the latest developments in the field and developing research propositions. We analyze 91 papers and identify four major enablers of AR in retail marketing: enhancement of the consumer experience, improvement of the customer-brand relationship, support of marketing activities, and promotion of marketing competitiveness. The challenges of AR adoption in marketing include technical limitations, consumer-oriented challenges, technological immaturity, and organizational challenges.
Open Access: Yes
Drones for supply chain management and logistics: a review and research agenda
Publication Name: International Journal of Logistics Research and Applications
Publication Date: 2023-01-01
Volume: 26
Issue: 6
Page Range: 708-731
Description:
This study examines the potentials and challenges of drones, or unmanned autonomous vehicles (UAVs), in supply chain management (SCM) and logistics. A systematic literature review was performed to capture the dynamics surrounding drones and to provide a timely and comprehensive overview of what has been studied so far and what needs to be investigated in the future. 55 publications were selected and thoroughly analysed. The findings of this study illustrate that the potential strengths of applying drones in SCM and logistics are: (1) support of humanitarian logistics, (2) reduced delivery time, (3) reduced cost, (4) improved flexibility, and (5) increased sustainability. In addition, the challenges posed by drones in SCM and logistics are grouped into technical, organisational, safety-related, and regulatory issues. This study also investigates real-life drone deployments in SCM and logistics and sets forth an agenda for future research.
Open Access: Yes
Blockchain technology in the smart city: a bibliometric review
Publication Name: Quality and Quantity
Publication Date: 2022-10-01
Volume: 56
Issue: 5
Page Range: 2875-2906
Description:
Blockchain can function as a foundational technology with numerous applications in smart cities. The objective of this paper is twofold. First, it provides a detailed overview of the extant literature on blockchain applications in smart cities; second, it reveals the trends and suggests future research directions for scholars who wish to contribute to this rapidly growing field. We conducted a bibliometric review using a keyword co-occurrence network and article co-citation analysis. The analysis includes the assessment of 148 articles published between 2016 and 2020 in 76 academic journals. The review results demonstrate that the number of articles devoted to the study of blockchain applications and smart cities has increased exponentially in recent years. More importantly, the research identifies some of the most influential studies in this area. The paper discusses trends and highlights the challenges related to the deployment of blockchain in smart cities. To the authors’ best knowledge, this represents the first study to review the literature from leading journals on blockchain applications in smart cities using bibliometric techniques.
Open Access: Yes
A bibliometric analysis of humanitarian logistics
Publication Name: Acta Technica Jaurinensis
Publication Date: 2022-05-25
Volume: 15
Issue: 2
Page Range: 74-90
Description:
Recent years have seen a surge in interest in humanitarian logistics (HL) research. This study conducted a bibliometric analysis of 894 HL-related studies. The publications were chosen using a combination of keywords from their titles, abstracts and author-supplied keywords from the leading database Scopus. The publications were classified according to their publication year, country of origin, type of publication, most relevant journals, and most influential authors. The review’s findings indicate that over a four-decade period, HL research progressed through three distinct stages. In terms of national contribution, the United States of America leads with the most studies published on HL. Additionally, the HL literature is advanced primarily through academic journal articles. The Journal of Humanitarian Logistics and Supply Chain Management is the leading journal in the field, with 148 articles published. The study makes a significant contribution by providing relevant analysis that may inform and guide scholars and researchers as they explore the evolution of HL research and foster networking and collaboration opportunities across multiple institutions.
Open Access: Yes
The Internet of Things and the circular economy: A systematic literature review and research agenda
Publication Name: Journal of Cleaner Production
Publication Date: 2022-05-20
Volume: 350
Issue: Unknown
Page Range: Unknown
Description:
In recent years, the concept of a circular economy (CE) has gained importance and attracted significant attention among scholars and practitioners. Research that examines the role of modern technologies in supporting the transition from a linear economy to the CE is therefore highly needed. This article analyzes and classifies existing research at the intersection of the CE and the Internet of Things (IoT), as an enabling technology. While studies on both concepts have proliferated, there is a lack of research that systematizes the literature and clarifies the relationship between the IoT and the CE. In order to achieve this, we reviewed a total of 170 academic articles published between 2007 and 2021 from the Scopus and Web of Science databases. Based on the coding of keywords, four categories can be identified: (1) IoT-related technologies in the CE context, (2) enablers of IoT in the CE, (3) barriers to IoT adoption in the CE, and (4) the impacts of the IoT on the sustainability of (circular) economies. The current study is the first attempt to use a keyword coding approach to better understand IoT research in the CE domain. The review findings identify important drivers and enablers and provide a structured framework for research in this field. Finally, this study highlights several research directions that may provide valuable insights for researchers and practitioners.
Open Access: Yes
Big data in the food supply chain: a literature review
Publication Name: Journal of Data Information and Management
Publication Date: 2022-03-01
Volume: 4
Issue: 1
Page Range: 33-47
Description:
The emergence of big data (BD) offers new opportunities for food businesses to address emerging risks and operational challenges. BD denotes the integration and analysis of multiple data sets, which are inherently complex, voluminous and are often of inadequate quality and structure. While BD is a well-established method in supply chain management, academic research on its application in the food ecosystem is still lagging. To fill this knowledge gap and capture the latest developments in this field, a systematic literature review was performed. Forty-one papers were selected and thoroughly examined and analysed to identify the enablers of BD in the food supply chain. The review primarily attempted to obtain an answer to the following research question: “What are the possibilities of leveraging big data in the food supply chain?“ Six significant benefits of applying BD in the food industry were identified, namely, the extraction of valuable knowledge and insights, decision-making support, improvement of food chain efficiencies, reliable forecasting, waste minimization, and food safety. Finally, some challenges and future research directions were outlined.
Open Access: Yes
Barriers to Blockchain Adoption in the Circular Economy: A Fuzzy Delphi and Best-Worst Approach
Publication Name: Sustainability Switzerland
Publication Date: 2022-03-01
Volume: 14
Issue: 6
Page Range: Unknown
Description:
Blockchain can help to fundamentally alter aspects of circular economy (CE) activities and overcome pressing sustainability issues. Nevertheless, limited studies have investigated the barriers to blockchain adoption in the CE. This study aims to close the knowledge gap by providing a comprehensive review of the barriers hampering the adoption and integration of blockchain technology in the CE. An integrated approach based on fuzzy Delphi and best-worst methods has been applied to analyze and rank the barriers. Sixteen barriers to blockchain adoption in the CE were identified from the academic literature and validated by a panel of experts. The findings from the fuzzy Delphi technique identified ten significant barriers for further analysis. Then, using the best-worst method, the optimal weights were determined based on the experts’ judgment to recognize the importance of each barrier. The findings from this method showed that a lack of knowledge and management support, reluctance to change and technological immaturity are the most significant barriers. In contrast, the least significant barriers are investment costs, security risks, and scalability issues. Theoretically, this study is the first to apply an integrated approach combining fuzzy Delphi and best-worst techniques to prioritze the barriers to blockchain adoption in the CE. It also provides valuable insights for managers and decision-makers that can be used to optimize blockchain implementations in the CE.
Open Access: Yes
DOI: 10.3390/su14063611
The interplay between the physical internet and logistics: A literature review and future research directions
Publication Name: Acta Technica Jaurinensis
Publication Date: 2022-02-23
Volume: 15
Issue: 1
Page Range: 22-35
Description:
In recent years, there is a need for new methods and frameworks for planning transport systems, improving their efficiency, and addressing globalisation and sustainability challenges. In addition, the use of existing capacities and infrastructure has raised significant issues in the transport sector. To achieve an economically, environmentally, and socially sustainable logistics ecosystem, Benoit Montreuil introduces the concept of “Physical Internet” (PI) to increase the efficiency and effectiveness of logistics networks. As a ground-breaking transportation philosophy, the PI aims to revolutionise freight and logistics transport. Moreover, the PI can enhance logistics productivity through the organisation of large-scale pooling. Similar to Digital Internet that conveys data, the PI strives to connect, synchronise, and ship regular modular containers from the point of origin to an exact destination, thereby creating robust and collaborative logistics networks. While the literature on the PI is relatively growing, there is still a lack of reviews that synthesise this knowledge body, identify current trends and gaps, and advance the research more broadly. Therefore, this study aims to investigate the potentials of the PI for the development of sustainable logistics networks. Overall, 59 studies are selected from leading academic databases and further analysed. The review findings reveal that most scholars focus on the optimisation of transport at the tactical and organisational stage while devoting little attention to the contribution of the PI to the social sustainability of logistics compared to the economic and environmental aspects.
Open Access: Yes
Modeling enablers for blockchain adoption in the circular economy
Publication Name: Sustainable Futures
Publication Date: 2022-01-01
Volume: 4
Issue: Unknown
Page Range: Unknown
Description:
Blockchain technology can play a crucial role to facilitate the transition from a linear to a circular economy. This article evaluates those enablers that influence technology adoption in the circular economy. A comprehensive literature review and feedback from experts revealed nineteen critical enablers. The Decision-Making Trial and Evaluation Laboratory (DEMATEL) methodology was used to determine the cause-and-effect relationships between them. The findings identified five critical causal enablers: transparency, security, smart contracts, traceability, and enhanced collaboration. Effect enablers were identified as immutability, decentralization, privacy, automation, information sharing, and enhanced regulation.
Open Access: Yes
Digitalization in food supply chains: A bibliometric review and key-route main path analysis
Publication Name: Sustainability Switzerland
Publication Date: 2022-01-01
Volume: 14
Issue: 1
Page Range: Unknown
Description:
Technological advances such as blockchain, artificial intelligence, big data, social media, and geographic information systems represent a building block of the digital transformation that supports the resilience of the food supply chain (FSC) and increases its efficiency. This paper reviews the literature surrounding digitalization in FSCs. A bibliometric and key-route main path analysis was carried out to objectively and analytically uncover the knowledge development in digitalization within the context of sustainable FSCs. The research began with the selection of 2140 articles published over nearly five decades. Then, the articles were examined according to several bibliometric metrics such as year of publication, countries, institutions, sources, authors, and keywords frequency. A keyword co-occurrence network was generated to cluster the relevant literature. Findings of the review and bibliometric analysis indicate that research at the intersection of technology and the FSC has gained substantial interest from scholars. On the basis of keyword co-occurrence network, the literature is focused on the role of information communication technology for agriculture and food security, food waste and circular economy, and the merge of the Internet of Things and blockchain in the FSC. The analysis of the key-route main path uncovers three critical periods marking the development of technology-enabled FSCs. The study offers scholars a better understanding of digitalization within the agri-food industry and the current knowledge gaps for future research. Practitioners may find the review useful to remain ahead of the latest discussions of technologyenabled FSCs. To the authors’ best knowledge, the current study is one of the few endeavors to explore technology-enabled FSCs using a comprehensive sample of journal articles published during the past five decades.
Open Access: Yes
DOI: 10.3390/su14010083
Intra- and Interorganizational Barriers to Blockchain Adoption: A General Assessment and Coping Strategies in the Agrifood Industry
Publication Name: Logistics
Publication Date: 2021-12-01
Volume: 5
Issue: 4
Page Range: Unknown
Description:
Background: Companies partaking in modern supply chains face numerous intra- and interorganizational barriers when it comes to the adoption of blockchain technology. Empirical research is missing that explores how exactly these barriers can be overcome. In this paper we first explore barriers that organizations need to overcome to successfully deploy blockchain technology. In a second step, we investigate the agrifood industry and highlight differences in coping strategies between incumbents and start-ups. Methods: We conducted a quantitative survey with 190 supply chain experts to identify barriers and an in-depth qualitative study that included 10 expert interviews to better understand the current situation in agrifood organizations. Results: The findings from the quantitative study show that the most relevant organizational barrier to blockchain adoption is the widespread lack of understanding of the technology and its potential benefits. In the qualitative study we illustrate how various intra- and interorganizational barriers can be overcome and how the resources and capabilities differ between incumbents and start-ups. Conclusions: Our results provide academics with a better understanding of the relevant barriers and bridges of blockchain adoption. Practitioners benefit from learning about the resources and capabilities they need to deploy in order to benefit from blockchain technology.
Open Access: Yes
Humanitarian Drones: A Review and Research Agenda
Publication Name: Internet of Things Netherlands
Publication Date: 2021-12-01
Volume: 16
Issue: Unknown
Page Range: Unknown
Description:
This study investigates the capabilities, performance outcomes, and barriers of drones applied to humanitarian logistics (HL). A systematic literature review was conducted to synthesize prior research on drones and cumulatively identify current knowledge gaps which require further investigation. In order to identify the relevant literature on the topic, a rigorous research protocol was applied for the retrieval and selection processes. In total, 142 publications fulfilled the selection criteria and were thoroughly analyzed. The findings of this review paper summarize the capabilities, barriers and performance outcomes of humanitarian drones applied to logistics operations, management, and governance in a comprehensive framework. More specifically, three important capabilities (i.e., transportation and delivery; surveying and monitoring; communication and integration), three performance outcomes (i.e., flexibility and responsiveness; cost reduction; sustainability) and adoption barriers in three areas (i.e., technology; organization; environment) were identified. Based on these findings, future research directions are derived for the capabilities of humanitarian drones, their performance outcomes, and their respective barriers. This study analyzes potential applications of drones in the humanitarian field and presents a comprehensive agenda that structures and guides further research on the topic.
Open Access: Yes
Blockchain Technologies in Logistics and Supply Chain Management: A Bibliometric Review
Publication Name: Logistics
Publication Date: 2021-12-01
Volume: 5
Issue: 4
Page Range: Unknown
Description:
The emergence of blockchain technology has sparked significant attention from the supply chain management (SCM) and logistics communities. In this paper, we present the results from a thorough bibliometric review that analytically and objectively identifies the intellectual structure of this field, the seminal papers, and the most influential scholars. We employ a knowledge domain visualization technique to generate insights that go beyond other review studies on blockchain research within logistics and SCM. The analysis starts with selecting a total of 628 papers from Scopus and the Web of Science that were published during 2016–2020. The bibliometric analysis output demonstrates that the number of blockchain papers has rapidly increased since 2017. The most productive researchers are from the USA, China, and India. The top academic institutions contributing to the literature are also identified. Based on network analyses, we found that the literature concentrates mainly on the conceptualization of blockchain; its potentials for supply chain sustainability; its adoption triggers and barriers; and its role in supporting supply chain agility, trust, protection of intellectual property, and food/perishable supply chains. Besides systematically mapping the literature, we identify several research gaps and propose numerous actionable research directions for the future. This study enriches the extant blockchain literature, provides a timely snapshot of the current state of research, and examines the knowledge structure of blockchain research in logistics and SCM with the help of evidence-based scientometric methods.
Open Access: Yes
Wireless sensor networks in agriculture: Insights from bibliometric analysis
Publication Name: Sustainability Switzerland
Publication Date: 2021-11-01
Volume: 13
Issue: 21
Page Range: Unknown
Description:
This study investigates how wireless sensor network (WSN) applications in agriculture are discussed in the current academic literature. On the basis of bibliometric techniques, 2444 pub-lications were extracted from the Scopus database and analyzed to identify the temporal distribution of WSN research, the most productive journals, the most cited authors, the most influential studies, and the most relevant keywords. The computer program VOSviewer was used to generate the keyword co-occurrence network and partition the pertinent literature. Findings show the remarkable growth of WSN research in recent years. The most relevant journals, cited countries, and influential studies were also identified. The main results from the keyword co-occurrence clustering and the detailed analysis illustrate that WSN is a key enabler for precision agriculture. WSN research also focuses on the role of other technologies such as the Internet of Things, cloud computing, artificial intelligence, and unmanned aerial vehicles in supporting several agriculture activities, in-cluding smart irrigation and soil management. This study illuminates researchers’ and practition-ers’ views of what has been researched and identifies possible opportunities for future studies. To the authors’ best knowledge, this bibliometric study represents the first attempt to map global WSN research using a comprehensive sample of documents published over nearly three decades.
Open Access: Yes
DOI: 10.3390/su132112011
The potentials of augmented reality in supply chain management: a state-of-the-art review
Publication Name: Management Review Quarterly
Publication Date: 2021-10-01
Volume: 71
Issue: 4
Page Range: 819-856
Description:
This paper examines the potentials of augmented reality (AR) technology in supply chain management (SCM) and logistics. Specifically, we provide an overview of the technology’s various value propositions and its ability to support companies’ business processes. Although the emergence of Industry 4.0 has renewed the interest in AR, and how it can address several issues challenging existing business models, rigorous studies investigating the potentials of AR for SCM and logistics activities are scant. To bridge this knowledge gap, we conducted a systematic literature review to compile existing literature, identify current research gaps, and systematize AR research in SCM and logistics activities. In total, forty-three (43) papers were thoroughly analyzed. The findings of this study reveal that AR can add value in five main areas, namely warehousing, manufacturing, sales and outdoor logistics, planning and design and human resource management. Moreover, we discuss organizations’ challenges when deploying AR in SCM and logistics and propose exploratory research opportunities for further investigation. In this paper, we highlight numerous practical implications of AR in SCM and recommend that organizations consider AR as a potential solution for enhancing business processes, improving operational efficiencies, and increasing overall competitiveness. This study represents one of the first attempts to synthesize AR’s literature from an SCM and logistics perspective.
Open Access: Yes
Big data for sustainable agri‐food supply chains: a review and future research perspectives
Publication Name: Journal of Data Information and Management
Publication Date: 2021-09-01
Volume: 3
Issue: 3
Page Range: 167-182
Description:
Research on agri-food supply chains (AFSCs) has attracted significant attention in recent years due to the challenges associated with sustainably feeding the global population. The purpose of this study is to review the potentials of big data for sustainable AFSCs. One hundred twenty-eight (128) journal articles were selected to identify how big data can contribute to the sustainable development of AFSCs. As part of our focus, a framework was developed based on the conceptualization of AFSCs in the extant literature to analyse big data research in the context of AFSCs and to provide insights into the potentials of the technology for agri-food businesses. The findings of the review indicate that there is a noticeable growth in the number of studies addressing the applications of big data for AFSCs. The potentials of big data for AFSC sustainability were synthesized in a summary framework, highlighting the primary resources and activities that are ready for improvement with big data. These include soil, water, crop and plant management, animal management, waste management and traceability management. The challenges of big data integration in AFSCs, the study’s implications, contributions, and the future research directions are highlighted in detail.
Open Access: Yes
Blockchain research in healthcare: a bibliometric review and current research trends
Publication Name: Journal of Data Information and Management
Publication Date: 2021-06-01
Volume: 3
Issue: 2
Page Range: 109-124
Description:
The literature on blockchain-enabled use cases has grown exponentially over recent years. Yet, studies are missing that apply bibliometrics and visualization techniques to unravel the dynamics and current discussions pertaining to the nexus of blockchain technology (BCT) and the healthcare field. To close this knowledge gap, we examine the knowledge base and research hotspots of BCT research in the field of healthcare. We carry out a series of bibliometric analyses on the extant literature, including the scholarly production, developmental pattern of the annual total number of authors, and identification of productive academic institutions, countries, and leading authors. Additionally, we conduct a keyword co-occurrence analysis and identify the major research hotspots and trends for the future. The findings of this research are valuable for scholars and practitioners who seek to better understand the development status, dynamics, and trends pertaining to BCT in healthcare.
Open Access: Yes
5G Networks in the Value Chain
Publication Name: Wireless Personal Communications
Publication Date: 2021-03-01
Volume: 117
Issue: 2
Page Range: 1577-1599
Description:
As Information and Communication Technologies are evolving rapidly and at an exponential pace‚ businesses are forced to cope with the latest trends in innovation and to respond to emerging needs and opportunities. The constant digitization and process automation (digitalization) of supply chains call for the consideration of innovative services to sustain value chain efficiency and effectiveness. Given the approaching technological developments‚ the new network upgrades embodied in 5G networks raises several high expectations along the value chain. This paper recognizes the critical role of 5G telecommunications to support several value chain activities and create value propositions that would not be possible with existing network generations. To this end‚ Porter’s value chain model is applied and comprehensively discussed to highlight the potential areas that could be facilitated by 5G telecommunications.
Open Access: Yes
Integrating the Internet of Things in the halal food supply chain: A systematic literature review and research agenda
Publication Name: Internet of Things Netherlands
Publication Date: 2021-03-01
Volume: 13
Issue: Unknown
Page Range: Unknown
Description:
To address consumers’ concerns regarding food integrity, halal food businesses need to rethink their conventional supply chains and leverage new technologies. The emergence and proliferation of the Internet of Things (IoT) - the use of interconnected devices, sensors, and technologies to orchestrate, monitor, and optimize supply chain processes - holds innovative potentials for the halal food supply chain (HFSC). Despite the growing popularity in supply chain management and logistics, the potentials and challenges of IoT in the HFSC remain – unexplored and further research is required. Therefore, the goal of this paper is to address this knowledge gap and review IoT research within the context of HFSCs. To begin, over seventy-three (73) papers were analyzed using both bibliometric techniques and in-depth content analysis. The results reveal that IoT offers five major benefits for the HFSC; namely, traceability of products, enhancement of supply chain efficiencies, facilitation of livestock management, authentication of foods’ halal status, and monitoring of halal certifications. Several challenges were identified, including the technical limitations of IoT devices, technological immaturity, lack of user acceptance, and cost and regulatory barriers. The study's findings provide deeper insight into the current state of IoT research in the halal food literature, its development, challenges and future research avenues for scholars, policy makers and the HFSC community.
Open Access: Yes
Are Halal Food Supply Chains Sustainable: A Review And Bibliometric Analysis
Publication Name: Journal of Foodservice Business Research
Publication Date: 2021-01-01
Volume: 24
Issue: 5
Page Range: 554-595
Description:
Halal food supply chains (HFSCs) are increasingly characterized by fragmentation, complexity, and uncertainty. Halal food consumers are becoming more demanding for food quality and compliance with Islamic dietary law. As sustainability is a multidimensional concept that entails several aspects and interpretations, the objectives of HFSCs significantly overlap with the sustainable dimensions of the food ecosystem. The purpose of this study is to examine the inherent sustainable aspects and characteristics of HFSCs. Therefore, a systematic literature review and a bibliometric analysis were conducted to redress the lack of academic attention being given to the relationships of HFSCs with sustainability. Selected 74 papers were coded and analyzed according to the dimensions of sustainability, namely, the economic, social, and environmental dimensions. The review primarily attempts to provide answers to the following research question: What are the sustainable aspects of HFSCs? We provide a comprehensive analysis of the three critical components of sustainability, offering a broad and comprehensive picture of many critical issues in HFSCs. Finally, the contribution of the study, the scope of future research, and the limitations are highlighted in detail.
Open Access: Yes
Enablers of Augmented Reality in the Food Supply Chain: A Systematic Literature Review
Publication Name: Journal of Foodservice Business Research
Publication Date: 2021-01-01
Volume: 24
Issue: 4
Page Range: 415-444
Description:
The food industry represents one of the most critically important sectors of the economy. Food is a basic necessity for human life and requires specialized handling, preparation, and logistics to be safe for human consumption. Moreover, food supply chains have become more globalized, fragmented, and complex. Food industry stakeholders are forced to reconsider conventional ways of managing food chains and coping with the latest technology innovation trends. As technology unlocks several opportunities in supply chains, food businesses have a vested interest in exploring Augmented Reality (AR). AR denotes the technology of overlaying virtual objects upon the real-world environment. Despite being a well-established technology, AR possibilities in the food supply chain remain an unexplored research area. Therefore, to fill this knowledge gap and capture the latest developments in this field, we conducted a systematic literature review. Fifty-one (51) publications were thoroughly analyzed to identify the enablers of AR in the food industry. Findings revealed five main areas where AR potentially offers substantial business value. These include food process efficiencies, food decision-making, food marketing, food training, and food safety. Finally, research contributions, trajectories and limitations were highlighted.
Open Access: Yes
Halal food supply chains: A literature review of sustainable measures and future research directions
Publication Name: Foods and Raw Materials
Publication Date: 2021-01-01
Volume: 9
Issue: 1
Page Range: 106-116
Description:
Introduction. Although sustainability represents a high-profile topic in supply chain management, it remains an unexplored research area for Halal food supply chains (HFSCs). Hence, to bridge this knowledge gap, we conducted a systematic literature review to identify the measures necessary for the development of sustainable HFSCs and potential research gaps at the nexus of sustainability and Halal food literature. Study objects and methods. We carefully analyzed forty (40) papers selected from leading, highly-ranked journals to answer the following research question: “What are the measures necessary for the development of sustainable Halal food supply chains?” Results and discussion. The findings revealed that the improvement of Halal processes through the implementation of quality management systems, the effectiveness of Halal labeling, and the use of technology could enhance the economic performance of HFSCs. Furthermore, HFSC’s sustainability efforts are strengthened by enhancing trust and transparency benefitting human resource skills development, promoting animal welfare issues, and increasing regulatory compliance. The implementation of environmental protection measures is a primary driving factor for environmental sustainability activities. Environmental sustainability could be fostered by a shift to the application of greening practices and the support of environmentalism in the Halal food industry. Conclusion. The findings of this study provide critical managerial implications for Halal food practitioners as they can have a summary of the previous studies and thus use it as a benchmark for introducing sustainable measures in their Halal food firms.
Open Access: Yes
Potentials of blockchain technologies for supply chain collaboration: a conceptual framework
Publication Name: International Journal of Logistics Management
Publication Date: 2021-01-01
Volume: 32
Issue: 3
Page Range: 973-994
Description:
Purpose: The purpose of this study is to investigate the potentials of blockchain technologies (BC) for supply chain collaboration (SCC). Design/methodology/approach: Building on a narrative literature review and analysis of seminal SCC research, BC characteristics are integrated into a conceptual framework consisting of seven key dimensions: information sharing, resource sharing, decision synchronization, goal congruence, incentive alignment, collaborative communication and joint knowledge creation. The relevance of each category is briefly assessed. Findings: BC technologies can impact collaboration between transaction partners in modern supply chains (SCs) by streamlining information sharing processes, by supporting decision and reward models and by strengthening communicative relationships with SC partners. BC promises important future capabilities in SCs by facilitating auditability, improving accountability, enhancing data and information transparency and improving trust in B2B relationships. The technology also promises to strengthen collaboration and to overcome vulnerabilities related to moral hazard and shortcomings found in legacy technologies. Research limitations/implications: The paper is mainly focused on the potentials of BC technologies on SCC as envisioned in the current academic literature. Hence, there is a need to validate the theoretical inferences with other approaches such as expert interviews and empirical tests. This study is of use to practitioners and decision-makers seeking to engage in BC-collaborative SC models. Originality/value: The value of this paper lies in its call for an increased focus on the possibilities of BC technologies to support SCC. This study also contributes to the literature by filling the knowledge gap of how BC potentially impacts SC management.
Open Access: Yes
Potentials and challenges of augmented reality smart glasses in logistics and supply chain management: a systematic literature review
Publication Name: International Journal of Production Research
Publication Date: 2021-01-01
Volume: 59
Issue: 12
Page Range: 3747-3776
Description:
This study investigates the potentials and challenges of applying augmented reality (AR) smart glasses in logistics and supply chain management (SCM). A systematic literature review on AR smart glasses was conducted to provide a comprehensive synthesis of what has been published in the literature to capture the dynamics surrounding this technology and identify areas deserving of further academic attention. To summarise the latest developments in this field, eighty-two (82) publications were selected and thoroughly analysed. In terms of research findings, four main clusters of potential benefits were identified: visualisation, interaction, user convenience, and navigation. In contrast, the challenges posed by smart glasses in the logistics field were clustered around technical, organisational, and ergonomic considerations. The accumulation of knowledge and actionable insights in this study will benefit both academics and practitioners interested in this emerging wearable technology segment. As the first attempt to explore the importance of smart glasses in logistics and SCM activities, this study offers significant contributions to the literature by codifying extant knowledge on AR smart glasses and setting forth an agenda for future research.
Open Access: Yes
Internet of Things research in supply chain management and logistics: A bibliometric analysis
Publication Name: Internet of Things Netherlands
Publication Date: 2020-12-01
Volume: 12
Issue: Unknown
Page Range: Unknown
Description:
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.
Open Access: Yes
Blockchain Technology in the Food Industry: A Review of Potentials, Challenges and Future Research Directions
Publication Name: Logistics
Publication Date: 2020-12-01
Volume: 4
Issue: 4
Page Range: Unknown
Description:
Blockchain technology has emerged as a promising technology with far-reaching implications for the food industry. The combination of immutability, enhanced visibility, transparency and data integrity provides numerous benefits that improve trust in extended food supply chains (FSCs). Blockchain can enhance traceability, enable more efficient recall and aids in risk reduction of counterfeits and other forms of illicit trade. Moreover, blockchain can enhance the integrity of credence claims such as sustainably sourced, organic or faith-based claims such as kosher or halal by integrating the authoritative source of the claim (e.g., the certification body or certification owner) into the blockchain to verify the claim integrity and reassure business customers and end consumers. Despite the promises and market hype, a comprehensive overview of the potential benefits and challenges of blockchain in FSCs is still missing. To bridge this knowledge gap, we present the findings from a systematic review and bibliometric analysis of sixty-one (61) journal articles and synthesize existing research. The main benefits of blockchain technology in FCSs are improved food traceability, enhanced collaboration, operational efficiencies and streamlined food trading processes. Potential challenges include technical, organizational and regulatory issues. We discuss the theoretical and practical implications of our research and present several ideas for future research.
Open Access: Yes
Blockchain as a driver for smart city development: Application fields and a comprehensive research agenda
Publication Name: Smart Cities
Publication Date: 2020-09-01
Volume: 3
Issue: 3
Page Range: 853-872
Description:
The term “Smart City” denotes a comprehensive concept to alleviate pending problems of modern urban areas which have developed into an important work field for practitioners and scholars alike. However, the question remains as to how cities can become “smart”. The application of information technology is generally considered a key driver in the “smartization” of cities. Detailed frameworks and procedures are therefore needed to guide, operationalize, and measure the implementation process as well as the impact of the respective technologies. In this paper, we discuss blockchain technology, a novel driver of technological transformation that comprises a multitude of underlying technologies and protocols, and its potential impact on smart cities. We specifically address the question of how blockchain technology may benefit the development of urban areas. Based on a comprehensive literature review, we present a framework and research propositions. We identify nine application fields of blockchain technology in the smartization of cities: (1) healthcare, (2) logistics and supply chains, (3) mobility, (4) energy, (5) administration and services, (6) e-voting, (7) factory, (8) home and (9) education. We discuss current developments in these fields, illustrate how they are affected by blockchain technology and derive propositions to guide future research endeavors.
Open Access: Yes
Blockchain and supply chain sustainability
Publication Name: Logforum
Publication Date: 2020-01-01
Volume: 16
Issue: 3
Page Range: 363-372
Description:
Background: Supply chain sustainability is a central concern of most organizations. The main objective of sustainable supply chains is to create and maintain long term economic, social, and environmental value for all stakeholders involved in delivering products and services to markets. As sustainability constitutes one of the critical drivers of innovation, the recent emergence of blockchain technology typifies the disruptive impact of digital innovation on supply chain sustainability. Blockchain is a foundational technology that poses a shift in the development of supply chain sustainability. Methods: Despite the increasing importance of blockchain in improving supply chain efficiencies and bringing societal changes, research investigating its potentialities from the lens of sustainability is scarce. Therefore, the primary goal of this paper is to fill this knowledge gap and synthesize the literature from leading journals on the topic of blockchain and its relation to supply chain sustainability. Papers were collected from different scientific databases and carefully analyzed. The possibilities of blockchains are identified and classified according to the triple bottom line framework, namely the economic, social, and environmental dimensions of sustainability. Results and conclusions: The majority of studies focused on the economic implications of blockchains on supply chains. The sustainable economic aspects of the technology identified in the reviewed literature are mostly the transformational potentials of blockchains and their capabilities to drive new disintermediated business models, higher operational efficiencies, cost advantages, and additional sources of value creation. The social empowerment of supply chains is found through the ability of blockchain to create trustful relationships among supply chain partners, increase food safety, support humanitarian logistics, and promote social equity. Moreover, firms attempting to move forward in their environmental policies and strategies can use blockchain to extend their efforts to improve their environmental practices across the supply chain, reduce the strain on energy and natural resources, and offer environmentally friendly products.
Open Access: Yes
The Impact of Blockchain on Medical Tourism
Publication Name: Lecture Notes in Business Information Processing
Publication Date: 2020-01-01
Volume: 403
Issue: Unknown
Page Range: 29-40
Description:
Medical tourism has witnessed significant growth over the last decade. This nascent sector creates a new tourist class with access to affordable healthcare services by combining healthcare services with tourism and hospitality. Information technology is an essential factor, which can enable the growth of medical tourism. Technology enables the search process for information about the available services, costs, hospitality, tourism and post-treatment options. However, these technologies are primarily legacy systems and lack interoperability. Several questions arise, including the potential patient-tourist ability to verify crucial factors such as the quality of care and the credentials of the medical professionals and medical facilities. Moreover, questions arise regarding patient-doctor trust, procedure and risk transparency‚ medical record privacy and other health-related hazards in specific procedures. In this conceptual paper, we investigate the potential benefits of Blockchain technology to address some of the open questions in medical tourism. We conclude that Blockchain technology can benefit medical tourism, and we lay the foundation for future research.
Open Access: Yes
How Blockchain Technology Can Benefit Marketing: Six Pending Research Areas
Publication Name: Frontiers in Blockchain
Publication Date: 2020-01-01
Volume: 3
Issue: Unknown
Page Range: Unknown
Description:
The proliferation of sophisticated e-commerce platforms coupled with mobile applications has ignited growth in business-to-consumer (B2C) commerce, reshaped organizational structures, and revamped value creation processes. Simultaneously, new technologies have altered the dynamics of brand marketing, enabling a broader reach and more personalized targeting aimed at increasing brand trust and enhancing customer loyalty. Today, the Internet allows marketers to penetrate deeper into their existing markets, create new online marketplaces and to generate new demand. This dynamic market engagement uses new technologies to target consumers more effectively. In this conceptual paper, we discuss how blockchain technology can potentially impact a firm's marketing activities. More specifically, we illustrate how blockchain technology acts as incremental innovation, empowering the consumer-centric paradigm. Moreover, blockchain technology fosters disintermediation, aids in combatting click fraud, reinforces trust and transparency, enables enhanced privacy protection, empowers security, and enables creative loyalty programs. We present six propositions that will guide future blockchain-related research in the area of marketing.
Open Access: Yes
Covid-19 and the food chain? Impacts and future research trends
Publication Name: Logforum
Publication Date: 2020-01-01
Volume: 16
Issue: 4
Page Range: 475-485
Description:
Background: Throughout history, the world has witnessed natural disasters affecting businesses and societies with varying degrees of disruption. COVID-19 (henceforth C19) constituted a significant system shock and a stark reminder of the fragility and sensitive nature of supply chains. The pandemic has exerted considerable societal and economic pressure and has had an adverse impact on food supply chains in particular. Many food processing operations were forced to alter activities or close temporarily due to outbreaks. Societal lockdowns, travel restrictions, business closures and quarantine have led to structural changes in the productivity of economies and impacted the mental health and financial wellbeing of citizens. Methods: We present a critical review of the literature to explore the impact of C19 on the food supply chain. We collected data from journal articles retrieved from a leading scientific database (i.e., Scopus), books, chapters, conference proceedings, reports, and a variety of Internet websites. For the literature search, we used the following words; "COVID-19" and "food". Results and conclusions: The findings of the review suggest that the C19 pandemic poses unprecedented challenges for food supply chains. We reveal that C19 has raised food insecurity and food safety concerns, increased supply chain and logistics costs and radically changed consumer behavior. On the positive side, the pandemic has improved awareness of food waste and the importance of self-grown foods. We generated nine research propositions to foster future academic research. Our study also highlighted the need to advance this literature and calls for increased attention from the supply chain management and logistics community to further analyse and quantify the impact of C19 on the food chain.
Open Access: Yes
Leveraging the Internet of Things and blockchain technology in Supply Chain Management
Publication Name: Future Internet
Publication Date: 2019-07-01
Volume: 11
Issue: 7
Page Range: Unknown
Description:
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.
Open Access: Yes
DOI: 10.3390/fi11070161
Blockchain and Smart Cities: Co-Word Analysis and BERTopic Modeling
Publication Name: Smart Cities
Publication Date: 2025-08-01
Volume: 8
Issue: 4
Page Range: Unknown
Description:
Highlights: What are the main findings? Blockchain plays a foundational role in supporting secure, interoperable infrastructure for key urban services, particularly through integration with IoT, edge computing, and smart contracts. Research has shifted from general blockchain exploration to sector-specific applications, including decentralized healthcare, energy trading, smart mobility, and drone coordination. What is the implication of the main finding? Blockchain enables cross-sectoral innovation in smart cities by enhancing transparency, data integrity, and trust across complex urban systems. As both a technological and ethical infrastructure, blockchain supports the development of secure, resilient, and sustainable smart city ecosystems aligned with Industry 5.0 values. This paper explores the intersection of blockchain technology and smart cities to support the transition toward decentralized, secure, and sustainable urban systems. Drawing on co-word analysis and BERTopic modeling applied to the literature published between 2016 and 2025, this study maps the thematic and technological evolution of blockchain in urban environments. The co-word analysis reveals blockchain’s foundational role in enabling secure and interoperable infrastructures, particularly through its integration with IoT, edge computing, and smart contracts. These systems underpin critical urban services such as transportation, healthcare, energy trading, and waste management by enhancing data privacy, authentication, and system resilience. The application of BERTopic modeling further uncovers a shift from general technological exploration to more specialized and sector-specific applications. These include real-time mobility systems, decentralized healthcare platforms, peer-to-peer energy exchanges, and blockchain-enabled drone coordination. The results demonstrate that blockchain increasingly supports cross-sectoral innovation, enabling transparency, trust, and circular flows in urban systems. Overall, the current study identifies blockchain as both a technological backbone and an ethical infrastructure for smart cities that supports secure, adaptive, and sustainable urban development.
Open Access: Yes
Empowering circular economy transformation through immersive digital open innovation
Publication Name: Journal of Innovation and Knowledge
Publication Date: 2025-11-01
Volume: 10
Issue: 6
Page Range: Unknown
Description:
Despite broad support for sustainability, the transition from linear to circular economic models remains slow and fragmented across industries. Digital technologies such as the metaverse present new opportunities for enabling circular economy (CE) practices, yet their strategic integration within organizational systems is not fully understood. To address this gap, this study proposes and empirically validates a model that explains how metaverse adoption influences CE implementation through the mediating role of Immersive Knowledge Co-Creation (IKCC), and the moderating effect of Open Eco-Innovation Capability (OEIC). Grounded in the knowledge-based view (KBV), interactive learning theory, and dynamic capabilities theory, the research develops a process-driven and capability-oriented framework to explore the mechanisms and boundary conditions for digital-enabled circular transformation. Empirical data were collected from 220 respondents in Germany's advanced manufacturing sector and analyzed using partial least squares structural equation modeling. The results confirm that IKCC significantly mediates the relationship between metaverse adoption and CE implementation, and that this mediated relationship is stronger in firms with high OEIC. These findings contribute to the growing body of literature on digital innovation in the CE by highlighting the critical role of immersive collaboration and organizational readiness in driving circular processes.
Open Access: Yes
Editorial: Blockchain-driven business models
Publication Name: Digital Business
Publication Date: 2025-01-01
Volume: Unknown
Issue: Unknown
Page Range: Unknown
Description:
In this editorial, we introduce the Special Issue on Blockchain-Driven Business Models. Over the last decade, academics have proposed numerous ideas on how to integrate the unique properties of blockchain, such as immutability, traceability, and programmability, into existing business models or to utilize them for developing startups from scratch. Practitioners have tried out countless disruptive business ideas, some of which have failed, while others have already begun to transform entire industries. This Special Issue explores the concept of blockchain-based business models from various angles, offering different theoretical perspectives and paving the way for future research in this groundbreaking area.
Open Access: Yes
A bibliometric investigation of chatbot applications in business and management
Publication Name: Discover Applied Sciences
Publication Date: 2025-10-01
Volume: 7
Issue: 10
Page Range: Unknown
Description:
Chatbots have become a pivotal technology in business and management. Despite their growing adoption, existing research on chatbots is diverse and fragmented, lacking a cohesive overview of the field’s development and emerging trends. This study aims to answer the core research question: “What are the major research patterns, influential contributors, and emerging themes in chatbot-related literature within business and management between 2018 and 2024?” To address this, a structured four-step bibliometric methodology was applied to systematically collect, screen, and analyze relevant literature. A total of 331 peer-reviewed journal articles published between 2018 and 2024 were retrieved from the Web of Science database. Bibliometric and metadata analyses were conducted using CiteSpace software, including keyword co-occurrence, co-citation, and collaboration network visualizations. The findings show a steady rise in chatbot publications, with the highest output in 2023 (88 articles) and 2024 (85 articles). Prolific authors include Mou Jian, Lova Rajaobelina, and Xueming Luo, while top institutions are the University System of Ohio and the Indian Institute of Management. Core themes include AI, customer service, trust, and consumer experience, with emerging topics such as large language models and service quality. Influential cited works focus on anthropomorphism, technology acceptance, and generative AI. This study provides quantitative insights into the evolution of chatbot research, highlights key contributors and trends, and offers practical implications for improving chatbot design and adoption in business contexts.
Open Access: Yes
