IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/h/spr/advbcp/978-94-6463-930-8_5.html

Blockchain for Sustainable Supply Chains: A Bibliometric and Thematic Evolution Analysis (2015–2024)

In: Proceedings of the International Conference on Sustainable Business and Entrepreneurship (ICSBE 2025)

Author

Listed:
  • Theophilus Kofi Anyanful

    (Accra Technical University, Department of Procurement and Supply Chain Management)

  • Aigbavboa

    (University of Johannesburg, Faculty of Engineering and the Built Environment)

  • Clinton

    (University of Johannesburg, Faculty of Engineering and the Built Environment)

  • Wellington Didibhuku Thwala

    (University of Johannesburg, Faculty of Engineering and the Built Environment)

Abstract

Blockchain is increasingly recognised as a disruptive technology in supply chain management (SCM), enhancing transparency, trust, and traceability. However, research remains fragmented. This study conducts a bibliometric analysis of 4,044 Scopus-indexed publications (2015–2024) to map the intellectual structure, leading contributors, and thematic evolution of blockchain-SCM research. Using Bibliometrix and Biblioshiny, the findings reveal exponential publication growth, with early conceptual discussions (2017–2019) transitioning to adoption-oriented studies (2020–2021) and a recent focus on sustainability, traceability, and Industry 4.0 integration (2022–2024). Key authors include Kannan Govindan, Joseph Sarkis, and Horst Treiblmaier, while major publication outlets are Sustainability (Switzerland), IEEE Access, and the International Journal of Production Research. Keyword and thematic analyses indicate sustainability, smart contracts, and IoT integration as emerging hotspots. Yet, critical gaps remain concerning scalability, interoperability, energy efficiency, and regulatory frameworks. The study provides a panoramic overview of blockchain-SCM scholarship, offering insights to guide future research, managerial decision-making, and policy formulation for developing transparent, sustainable, and digitally integrated supply chains.

Suggested Citation

  • Theophilus Kofi Anyanful & Aigbavboa & Clinton & Wellington Didibhuku Thwala, 2025. "Blockchain for Sustainable Supply Chains: A Bibliometric and Thematic Evolution Analysis (2015–2024)," Advances in Economics, Business and Management Research, in: Michael Snowden & Elikem Chosnel Ocloo & Peter Nyanor & Amevi Acakpovi (ed.), Proceedings of the International Conference on Sustainable Business and Entrepreneurship (ICSBE 2025), pages 34-60, Springer.
    • Handle: RePEc:spr:advbcp:978-94-6463-930-8_5
    DOI: 10.2991/978-94-6463-930-8_5
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    To our knowledge, this item is not available for download. To find whether it is available, there are three options:
    1. Check below whether another version of this item is available online.
    2. Check on the provider's web page whether it is in fact available.
    3. Perform a
    for a similarly titled item that would be available.

    More about this item

    Keywords

    ;
    ;
    ;
    ;
    ;
    ;
    ;

    Statistics

    Access and download statistics

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:spr:advbcp:978-94-6463-930-8_5. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    We have no bibliographic references for this item. You can help adding them by using this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Sonal Shukla or Springer Nature Abstracting and Indexing (email available below). General contact details of provider: http://www.springer.com .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.