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The main objective of this paper is to provide a systematic literature review (SLR) and structured insight into last mile delivery, ultimately identifying gaps in current knowledge and proposing a framework for future research direction in terms of sustainability in the area.

This paper identifies and synthesizes information from academic journals and examines “Journals and Publishing place,” “Geographic location,” “Year of Publication,” “University and Author Affiliation,” “Themes and Sub-themes,” “Theory,” “Research Design, Methods and Area” and “Industry Involvement.” A collection of online databases from 2005 to 2020 were explored, using the keywords “Last mile delivery,” “Last mile logistics,” “Last mile transportation,” “Last mile fulfillment,” “Last mile operations” and “Last mile distribution” in their title and/or abstract and/or keywords. Accordingly, a total of 281 journal articles were found in this discipline area, and data were derived from a succession of variables.

There has been significant growth in published articles concerning last mile delivery over the last 15 years (2005–2020). An in-depth review of the literature shows five dimensions of the last mile: last mile delivery, transportation, operations, distribution and logistics. Each of these dimensions is interrelated and possess clustered characteristics. For instance, last mile operations, last mile transportation and last mile delivery are operational, whereas last mile distribution is tactical, and last mile logistics possess strategic characteristics. The findings also indicate that even though the sustainability concept can be incorporated into all levels of the last mile, the current literature landscape mainly concentrates on the operational level.

This review is limited to academic sources available from Emerald Insight, Science Direct, Taylor and Francis, Springer, MDPI and IEEE containing the mentioned keywords in the title and/or abstract/or keywords. Furthermore, only papers from high-quality, peer-reviewed journals were evaluated. Other sources such as books and conference papers were not included.

This study dissects last mile delivery to produce a framework that captures and presents its complex characteristics and its interconnectedness with various related components. By analyzing last mile delivery in its entirety, the framework also helps practitioners pinpoint which levels of last mile delivery (operation, tactical or strategic) they can incorporate the concept of sustainability.

The research findings enrich the contemporary literature landscape and future work by providing a conceptual framework that incorporates the “economic,” “environmental” and “social” pillars of sustainability in all dimensions of the last mile delivery.

The purpose of this research is to provide a systematic insight into corporate social responsibility (CSR) and corporate citizenship (CC) in supply chain development, by analyzing the current literature, contemporary concepts, data and gaps for future discipline research.

This research identifies information from existing academic journals and investigates research designs and methods, data analysis techniques, industry involvement and geographic locations. Information regarding university affiliation, publishers, authors, year of publication is also documented. A collection of online databases from 2001 to 2018 were explored, using the keywords “corporate social responsibility”, “corporate citizenship” and “supply chain” in their title and abstract, to deliver an inclusive listing of journal articles in this discipline area. Based on this approach, a total of 164 articles were found, and information on a chain of variables was collected.

There has been visible growth in published articles over the last 18 years regarding supply chain sustainability, CSR and CC. Analysis of the data collected shows that only five literature reviews have been published in this area. Further, key findings include 41% of publications were narrowly focused on four sectors of industry, leaving gaps in the research. 85% centered on the survey and conceptual model, leaving an additional gap for future research. Finally, developing and developed nation status should be delineated, researched and analyzed based on further segmentation of the industry by region.

This research is limited to reviewing only academic and professional articles available from Emerald, Elsevier, Wiley, Sage, Taylor and Francis, Springer, Scopus, JSTOR and EBSCO containing the words “corporate social responsibility”, “corporate citizenship” and “supply chain” in the title and abstract.

This assessment provides an enhanced appreciation of the current practices of current research and offers further directions within the CSR and CC in supply chain sustainable development.

This article addresses the experience of academic developers and academic staff during the transition of assessment practices in an English-speaking international university campus in South East Asia. The project examined in the study was born out of the institutional strategy focused on producing graduates ready for employment.

A case study from a Business discipline highlights key factors in curricula change from the academic perspective.

This study focuses on what it meant for the academic teaching and academic development teams to work together to bridge the broadly strategic with the local practical implementation. Potential implications for others embarking on academic development within large-scale strategic projects are also provided.

This paper offers a discussion of the symbiotic relationship between management, academic staff and academic developers (Roxå and Mårtensson, 2008) generated by the transition to authentic assessment as a key element in the development of student employability.

The purpose of the article is to contribute to the body of research on digital transformation among members of the supply chain operating in an emerging economy. This paper researches the digital transformation trends happening across Vietnamese supply chains, by investigating the current adoption rates, predicted impact levels and financial investments being made in key Industry 4.0 technologies.

By using a semi-structured online survey, the experiences of 281 supply chain professionals in Vietnam were captured. Subsequently, statistical techniques examining variances in means, regression analysis and Monte Carlo simulation were applied.

The findings of this study offer a comprehensive understanding of Industry 4.0 technology in Vietnam, highlighting the prevalent technologies being prioritized. Big data analytics and the Internet of things are expected to have the most substantial impact on businesses over the next 5–10 years and have received the most financial investment. Conversely, Blockchain is perceived as having less potential for future investment. The study further identifies several technological synergies, such as combining advanced robotics, artificial intelligence and the Internet of things to build effective and flexible factories, that can lead to more comprehensive solutions. It also extends diffusion of innovation theory, encompassing investment and impact considerations.

This study offers valuable insights into the impact and financial investment in Industry 4.0 technologies by Vietnamese supply chain firms. It provides a theoretical contribution via an extension of the diffusion of innovation theory and contributes toward a better understanding of the current Industry 4.0 landscape in developing economies. The findings have significant implications for future managerial decision-making, on the impact, viability and resourcing needs when undertaking digital transformation.

The qualitative (focus group) portion of this study aims to examine the perceptions and opinions of corporate and nongovernmental organization (NGO) executives in Vietnam about corporate social responsibility (CSR) programs, issues and priorities in Vietnam, the role of various external stakeholders in supporting CSR practices and how corporates and NGOs can work together to support each other’s CSR agendas. The quantitative (survey) portion of this study aims to examine how Vietnamese companies across different sectors prioritize CSR issues and goals, budget for CSR, report on CSR and centrally (or decentrally) manage CSR programs.

This is a qualitative and quantitative research study of executives in NGO, multinational and domestic-only firms operating in Vietnam. Qualitative (focus group) data were collected from 20 participants in three focus groups. Quantitative data were collected through an online survey of respondents from 186 companies throughout Vietnam.

The focus group findings support the research literature that CSR agenda and priorities amongst Vietnamese domestic companies are strongly influenced by long-standing norms, values and religious beliefs embedded in the Vietnamese culture that support their role in charitable giving and improving the welfare and well-being of Vietnamese citizens. The findings also indicate that CSR and sustainability programs are more fully funded and developed by multinational subsidiaries in Vietnam who have more capital and human resources to support their initiatives. The survey findings indicate that enhanced reputation, attracting new customers, securing more sustainable supply chains, developing innovative or new products/services and improving risk management are the top five business goals amongst the 186 companies surveyed.

While the qualitative research uncovered important trends and issues in CSR amongst NGO and corporate participants, the focus was limited to the defined geographic areas of two main urban hubs.

This paper presents a review of the existing state-of-the-art literature on machine learning (ML) in logistics and supply chain management (LSCM) by analyzing the current literature, contemporary concepts, data and gaps and suggesting potential topics for future research.

A systematic/structured literature review in the subject discipline and a bibliometric analysis were organized. Information regarding industry involvement, geographic location, research design and methods, data analysis techniques, university, affiliation, publishers, authors, year of publications is documented. A wide collection of eight databases from 1994 to 2019 were explored using the keywords “Machine Learning” and “Logistics“, “Transportation” and “Supply Chain” in the title and/or abstract. A total of 110 articles were found, and information on a chain of variables was gathered.

Over the last few decades, the application of emerging technologies has attracted significant interest all around the world. Analysis of the collected data shows that only nine literature reviews have been published in this area. Further, key findings show that 53.8 per cent of publications were closely clustered on transportation and manufacturing industries and 54.7 per cent were centred on mathematical models and simulations. Neural network is applied in 22 papers as their exclusive algorithms. Finally, the main focuses of the current literature are on prediction and optimization, where detection is contributed by only seven articles.

This review is limited to examining only academic sources available from Scopus, Elsevier, Web of Science, Emerald, JSTOR, SAGE, Springer, Taylor and Francis and Wiley which contain the words “Machine Learning” and “Logistics“, “Transportation” and “Supply Chain” in the title and/or abstract.

This paper provides a systematic insight into research trends in ML in both logistics and the supply chain.

This research aims to provide systematic insight into the current maturity of augmented reality (AR) and virtual reality (VR) in operations and supply chain management (OSCM), by analyzing the existing literature, contemporary concepts, data and gaps for future research directions.

This research uses information from existing literature regarding timeline trends, publishers, research design and method, industry engagement, geographic location, active authors and affiliated universities, concentrated topics, theories and maturity in its review. A collection of publishing databases from 1997 to 2021 were explored using the keywords “Augmented Reality,” “Virtual Reality” and “Operations” and/or “Supply Chain” in their title and abstract to examine which publications to be included. Based on the search, a total of 164 journal articles were selected, and information on a chain of variables was collected.

There has been a significant publication growth over the past 25 years regarding the adoption of AR/VR in OSCM. Key findings indicate that 52% of the publications were focused on manufacturing, with only 10% of the existing literature using background theories. AR/VR can be observed at the introduction and growth phase and have yet to reach their maturity. Furthermore, there is limited utilization of AR/VR as drivers in facilitating sustainable practices in OSCM by academics and practitioners, albeit a strong promise exists. Finally, the prospective applications of AR/VR toward post-COVID-19 supply chains recovery require special attention.

This systematic review is limited to considering only academic articles available from Emerald, Elsevier, Taylor and Francis, Springer, Scopus, JSTOR and EBSCO containing the keyword parameters.

The study used a bibliometric review to identify the trends and maturity in the evolution of AR/VR in OSCM. This research provides a better understanding of current research practices and offers directions toward the adoption of AR/VR in OSCM.

Proactive risk assessment suggests that risk assessment should emphasize the consequences that it might cause and the opportunities it might create for firms. Hence, this study aims to validate risk impact on supply chain performance in the context of the Vietnamese construction sector. Also, a complex network, in which multiple risk factors mutually affect, impede or promote each other, is developed to assist managers in tackling unpredictable risks proactively. In particular, the authors investigate whether certain risks could be considered either challenges or opportunities for businesses in turbulent times to improve SC performance.

The construction industry is the focal study context as it is one of the most essential industries in charge of providing accommodations, infrastructures and employment for society. 289 valid responses used in this research are from a large-scale survey result, supported by a Japanese government project promoting sustainable socio-economic development in Vietnam.

From the study findings, the authors find that external risk brings opportunities for supply chain performance. Meanwhile, demand risk, when it occurs, can reduce the danger level of operational risk, which is an interesting finding of this research. It is evident that when multiple risk factors mutually affect, impede or promote each other, it provides a more meaningful examination of mutually interconnected supply chain risks.

Practitioners should perceive risks as an opportunity than a threat. This study contributes to preventing risks and guaranteeing an effective and efficient supply chain by tackling unpredictable risks in a disruptive period. Moreover, data on validating research models collected during the Covid-19 pandemic and Ukraine and Russia conflicts reflect the topicality of this study.

In the case of Iran, about 19 years have passed since the announcement of general energy policies. Policies adopted in the past included too many approaches and goals for the energy sector that some of them are in conflict with each other and their simultaneous implementation was impossible. Therefore, many of the expected goals of these policies have not been achieved. It is very important to adopt an appropriate approach that is compatible with the country’s characteristics and can steer energy policies. Therefore, this study aims to adopt an appropriate approach for the country’s energy sector according to the conditions and needs of the country.

A participatory scenario technique is designed and used to develop plausible projections in the case of Iran’s energy futures. Based on the proposed methodology, the research process starts with data gathering through interviews and national plans analysis. Then, findings were used as inputs to a simulation-based scenario development process. Scenarios are developed based on Monte Carlo simulation via cross-impact analysis technique purified based on expert judgments.

In this paper, to recognize Iran’s general approach to energy in the next 20 years, driving forces of change were introduced and used as input for the scenario development phase. Results showed sanctions play a significant role in Iran’s energy future and determine the directions of other driving forces. For renewable energy, it was proposed to increase the renewable share in Iran’s electricity generation mix to 5% of the total installed capacity. In the case of fossil fuel extraction, the maximum efficient rate was proposed for both oil and natural gas national production strategy.

This research is novel both in terms of application and theory. A new participatory scenario development method is used using simulations that are equipped based on experts’ judgments. Also from the practical perspective, this research targeted a future-oriented challenging problem to initialize national policy in a resource-rich developing economy (i.e. Iran).

The purpose of this paper is to provide a structured literature review (SLR) and systematic insight into logistics outsourcing research, in order to identify gaps in knowledge, and provide future research direction in the logistics outsourcing discipline.

This paper identifies and synthesises information from academic journals and examines research designs and methods, data analysis techniques, geographic locations, industry engagements, year of publication, publishers, university and author affiliations. A collection of online databases from 1991 to 2016 were explored, using the keywords “third-party”, “logistics” and “outsourcing” in their title and/or abstract, to deliver an inclusive listing of journal articles in this discipline area. Based on this approach, a total of 263 articles were found and data were derived from a succession of variables.

There has been a significant increase and concentration by researchers over the past 25 years focussing on logistics outsourcing. A need to implement best practice has been universally identified, owing to increasing global supply chain complexity. This analysis shows that only seven literature reviews were published in the logistics outsourcing discipline. Additionally, this study revealed that 42 per cent of the work in this field was found to be survey based and this trend in research indicates the development of the structural equation modelling and multi-criterion decision-making methods. Investigations between 2010–2012 and 2015–2016 accounted for 151 of the total 263 articles published. Finally, reverse logistics is an area that requires special attention.

This paper is limited to a review of academic articles obtainable from online databases, containing the words “logistics” and “outsourcing” in the title and/or abstract. Additionally, only papers from high quality, peer-reviewed journals were evaluated. Other academic sources such as books and conference papers were not included in this study.

This review will provide an increased understanding of the existing state of current research, trends and future research directions in the logistics outsourcing discipline.