Steve Simske
7003506391
Publications - 8
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
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
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
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
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 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
