SYSTEMATIC REVIEW article
Front. Sustain.
Sec. Sustainable Supply Chain Management
Digital Transformation in Supply Chains: Improving Resilience and Sustainability through AI, Blockchain, and IoT
Provisionally accepted
- North West University, South Africa, North West, South Africa
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Background Global supply chains are increasingly challenged by disruptions, environmental pressures, and evolving market demands, necessitating a strong digital transformation. This study explores how the integration of Artificial Intelligence (AI), Blockchain, and the Internet of Things (IoT) is revolutionising supply chain management (SCM) by improving operational efficiency, transparency, resilience, and sustainability. Methods Adhering to the PRISMA framework, a systematic review of literature published between 2010 and 2024 was undertaken. Comprehensive searches were conducted in Scopus database. The collected literature was rigorously screened and analysed using Atlas-ti software to identify recurring themes and assess the synergistic impact of AI, Blockchain, and IoT on supply chain operations. Results The review reveals that digital transformation significantly improves SCM through improved demand forecasting, optimized inventory management, and real-time decision-making capabilities. AI provides predictive insights that mitigate risks and streamline processes, Blockchain offers secure, transparent, and immutable records that improve trust and traceability, and IoT enables real-time monitoring and connectivity across the supply chain network. Despite these benefits, challenges remain, including cybersecurity vulnerabilities, interoperability with legacy systems, and the need for workforce upskilling. Conclusion The integration of AI, Blockchain, and IoT into SCM presents a compelling pathway toward creating more resilient and sustainable supply chains. The paper offers a comprehensive analysis of the benefits and challenges associated with these digital technologies and provides strategic recommendations for practitioners and policymakers to encourage a balanced, technology-driven, and sustainable supply chain ecosystem.
Keywords: artificial intelligence, Blockchain, digital transformation, Supply chain resilience, sustainability, Internet of Things
Received: 27 Feb 2025; Accepted: 11 Nov 2025.
Copyright: © 2025 Samuels. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY). The use, distribution or reproduction in other forums is permitted, provided the original author(s) or licensor are credited and that the original publication in this journal is cited, in accordance with accepted academic practice. No use, distribution or reproduction is permitted which does not comply with these terms.
* Correspondence: Alexander Samuels, alexander.samuels@nwu.ac.za
Disclaimer: All claims expressed in this article are solely those of the authors and do not necessarily represent those of their affiliated organizations, or those of the publisher, the editors and the reviewers. Any product that may be evaluated in this article or claim that may be made by its manufacturer is not guaranteed or endorsed by the publisher.