Supply chain mapping for enhanced visibility and resilience: a multi-industry comparative study of best practices and emerging technologies

Supply chain mapping is a strategic tool used to visualise and analyse the flow of materials, information, and processes across networks to enhance visibility and resilience. This study provides an integrated review of key mapping typologies, including value stream mapping (VSM), member-based mapping, geographic-based mapping, network theory-based mapping, simulation-based mapping, closed-loop diagrams, process-based mapping (BPMN), and Petri Nets Mapping. The research explores how these tools, when combined with technologies such as Digital Twins, Blockchain, and Artificial Intelligence, strengthen real-time monitoring, traceability, and adaptive risk management. A comparative analysis across the automotive, electronics, pharmaceutical, consumer goods, retail, food and beverage, and energy sectors reveals how mapping practices are adapted to industry-specific complexities. The findings demonstrate that combining advanced mapping methods with digital enablers is essential for developing transparent, agile, and resilient supply chains in an increasingly uncertain environment.