Digitalization of Supply Chain Management with Industry 4.0 Enabling Technologies.

What is it about?

Supply chain management is one of the most prominent areas that needs to incorporate sustainability to achieve responsible consumption and production (SDG 11).It has been identified that there are limited studies that have presented the significance of different Industry 4.0 technologies from the perspective of sustainable SCM. The purpose of this study is to discuss the role of Industry 4.0 technologies in the context of sustainable SCM, as well as to identify important areas for future research. The PRISM framework is followed to discuss the role and significance of sustainable SCM and the integration of Industry 4.0-enabling technologies such as the Internet of Things (IoT), cloud computing, big data, artificial intelligence (AI), blockchain, and digital twin for sustainable SCM. The findings of the study reveal that there are limited empirical studies for developing countries and the majority are emphasized in case studies. Additionally, a few studies have focused on operational aspects, economics, and automation in SCM. The current study is able to contribute to the significance and application of IoT, cloud computing, big data, AI, blockchain, and digital twin in achieving sustainable SCM in the future. The current study can be expanded to discuss the Industry 4.0-enabling technologies in analyzing sustainability performance in any organization using environmental, social, and governance (ESG) metrics.

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Why is it important?

The SDGs were adopted on 25 September 2015, at a meeting of global leaders held at the United Nations (UN) in New York. These 17 goals lay out a plan for the sustainable development of all countries that emphasizes social inclusion, economic prosperity, and environmental conservation [1]. The 17 SDGs are interconnected, with actions in one area influencing results in another, and the sustainability of social, economic, and environmental systems must be sustained throughout the development phase [2]. Everyone, including governments, businesses, civil organizations, and the general public, must contribute to the SDGs [3]. To some extent, the goal of economic, social, and environmental sustainability can be realized in the field of manufacturing, where manufacturing includes a variety of actions that contribute to the creation of an end product from raw materials. SCM is a field in which various manufacturing activities are regularly monitored and economic, social, and environmental factors are adequately implemented. The balancing of these factors leads to the growth of a manufacturing organization in connection with the contemporary world

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