How the blockchain enables and constrains supply chain performance
International Journal of Physical Distribution & Logistics Management
ISSN: 0960-0035
Article publication date: 13 May 2019
Issue publication date: 7 June 2019
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to understand the enabling and constraining roles of blockchain technology (BCT) in managerial work practices and conceptualise the technology–performance relationship in supply chain management (SCM).
Design/methodology/approach
A structured literature review and a theory-driven approach are used. A set of propositions are developed, suggesting how the use of BCT in supply chains can be understood to simultaneously enable and constrain SCM and performance.
Findings
The analysis identifies four enabling and three constraining blockchain identities to explain how the technology either “facilitates” or “impedes” SCM and supply chain performance. Traceability, which emanates from its ability to provide data immutability, ranks highly as a core innovation of the technology. The blockchain is mainly seen as an opportunity to exploit existing supply chain resources and competencies.
Research limitations/implications
One limitation of the research is its conceptual nature. Future research should test the developed propositions empirically. Further research should focus on BCT as an opportunity to explore and as a relationship-building technology. More research is also needed focussing on the complex and simultaneous enabling and constraining effects of BCT in supply chains.
Originality/value
The paper shows the important and complex Janus-faced implications of embedding BCT in supply chains and demonstrates how organisational theory can be applied to explore the relationship between blockchain and SCM.
Keywords
Acknowledgements
Publishers Note: The publisher would like to inform readers that the following special issue paper was mistakenly published as part of a regular issue. This error was introduced as part of the editorial process, and the publisher sincerely apologises for this error. The paper will remain in its current issue. The affected paper is as follows.
Hald, K. and Kinra, A. (2019), “How the blockchain enables and constrains supply chain performance”, International Journal of Physical Distribution & Logistics Management, Vol. 49 No. 4, pp. 376-397, doi: 10.1108/IJPDLM-02-2019-0063.
The affected paper was originally intended to publish as part of ‘NOFOMA 2018’ guest edited by Jan Stentoft, Per Vagn Freytag, Kannan Govindan and Anne-Mette Hjalager. The publisher would like to take this opportunity to thank the Guest Editors for their time and effort.
The authors would like to thank Student Lorenzo Russo for assisting the authors with the research. The authors would also like to thank the two anonymous reviewers and the guest editors for providing invaluable feedback and comments to this paper.
Citation
Hald, K.S. and Kinra, A. (2019), "How the blockchain enables and constrains supply chain performance", International Journal of Physical Distribution & Logistics Management, Vol. 49 No. 4, pp. 376-397. https://doi.org/10.1108/IJPDLM-02-2019-0063
Publisher
:Emerald Publishing Limited
Copyright © 2019, Emerald Publishing Limited