Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to review the existing literature on blockchain technology, present some trends and consider its potential value in supply chain management (SCM).Design/methodology/approach: Papers that contained the word “blockchain” in their titles, keywords or abstracts were selected for conducting trend analyses.Findings: The blockchain technology is rapidly making inroads in many industries and there is tremendous potential to eliminate intermediaries and to make SCM more efficient.Research limitations/implications: This analysis is limited to 299 papers from the EBSCO database through December 2018.Practical implications: This paper highlights the imperative role of blockchain technology that has created a discourse in the world of innovation and technology. This work will help academics to further the understanding of blockchain technology.Social implications: Blockchain technology will provide transparency to consumers.Originality/value: This paper presents the first review of blockchain technology and delves into its value in SCM. This work will help researchers in identifying the areas where blockchain is the most desirable and can be implemented.

The risks associated with global supply chain management has created a discourse among practitioners and academics. This is evident by the business uncertainties growing in supply chain management, which pose threats to the entire network flow and economy. This paper aims to review the existing literature on risk factors in supply chain management in an uncertain and competitive business environment. Papers that contained the word “risk” in their titles, keywords, or abstracts were selected for conducting the theoretical analyses. Supply chain risk management is an integral function of the supply network. It faces unpredictable challenges due to nations’ economic policies and globalization, which have raised uncertainty and challenges for supply chain organizations. These significantly affect the financial performance of the organizations and the economy of a nation. Debate on supply chain risk management may promote competitiveness in business. Risk mitigation strategies will reduce the impact caused due to natural and human-made disasters.

The authors examine various aspects of the organizational knowledge capabilities and assess their impact on the organizational performance of private firms in Oman. Ten hypotheses are developed, linking the dimensions of organizational knowledge capabilities (OKC) (technological, cultural, managerial, and collaborative) with the aspects of performance. The path analysis technique is used to test the hypotheses; only four hypotheses depicted the effect of OKC on performance. They find that managerial capabilities play a significant role but have an indirect positive effect on enhancing performance. They have a higher impact only when they are inter-linked with collaborative capabilities, which have a direct and significant effect on performance. This paper deciphers the various knowledge capabilities and establishes inter-linkages among them in the firm context. The results enable the development of a productive knowledge management ecosystem in the business environment and spotlight on the wise investment of IT in achieving business goals.

Background: The paper examines the "mysterious case of the disappearing toilet paper" during the COVID19 pandemic. Purpose: This paper describes the strategic impacts on paper and packaging supply chains due to the pandemic. Study design/methodology/approach: Structured interviews and qualitative discussions with organizational and supply chain management leaders. Findings/conclusions: Several "behind the scenes" and less well-documented supply chain impacts in the paper and packaging, and logistics industries were discovered. The critical effects observed are: (1) Impact on the manufacturing side was mitigated mainly by implementing CDC guidelines and by the willingness of industry leaders to go above and beyond to shield their employees from economic hardships. (2) The transportation sector has experienced a more severe workforce shortage, amplified by government actions before and during the pandemic. (3) Product specialization, a pre-pandemic strategy for industry participants, turned into a weakness during the pandemic due to unprecedented shifts in demand across sectors. (4) Traditional "lean" supply chain thinking is increasingly making way for a more interconnected "risk avoidance" strategic model. Limitations/future research: The research is limited to organizations in Midwest U.S.A. and one organization in Europe.

The study analyses the effects of free trade agreements (FTAs) signed by India on the changes in the trade volumes of member states. The article analyses the benefits of the economic integration of export earnings to meet the import demands. It is found that FTAs improve economic activities among the signing countries. This article highlights the role of FTAs in the economic activities of countries signing the trade agreement. Post FTAs, the compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of exports increased and imports reduced. This research will help researchers identify the areas and countries where FTAs are desirable and help improve economic activities. JEL Codes: F15

Digital supply chains employ many technologies, each influencing the environmental performance of the supply chain network to some degree. The technological ecosystem includes additive manufacturing (AM), artificial intelligence (AI), big data, blockchain, the internet of things (IoT) and robotics, among others. Technologies in digital supply chains have brought many opportunities and new challenges to sustainability in supply chain management. Sustainability in supply chains refers to adopting processes and technologies that minimize the environmental impact. Circular economy (CE) supports I4.0 and improves sustainability. Moreover, sustainability applies to the different activities of supply chains, from sourcing to last mile delivery, at various levels to minimize the environmental impact. This chapter provides a holistic view of technologies in digital supply chains and their contribution to environmental sustainability.