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PurposeSmart contracts are self-executing computer programmes that have the potential to be used in several applications instead of traditional written contracts. With the recent rise of smart systems (e.g. Internet of things) and digital platforms (e.g. blockchain), smart contracts are gaining high interest in both business and academia. In this work, a framework for smart contracts was proposed with using reputation as the system currency, and conducts currency mining through fulfilling the physical commitments that are agreed upon.Design/methodology/approachA game theory model is developed to represent the proposed system, and then a system dynamics simulator is used to check the response of the blockchain with different sizes.FindingsThe numerical results showed that the proposed system could identify the takeover attacks and protect the blockchain from being controlled by an outsider. Another important finding is that careful setting of the maximum currency amount can improve the scalability of the blockchain and prevent the currency inflation.Research limitations/implicationsThis work is proposed as a conceptual framework for supply chain 4.0. Future work will be dedicated to implement and experiment the proposed framework for other characteristics that may be encountered in the context of supply chain 4.0, such as different suppliers' tiers, different customer typologies and smart logistics applications, which may reveal other challenges and provide additional interesting insights.Practical implicationsBy using the proposed framework, smart contracts and blockchains can be implemented to handle many issues in the context of operations and supply chain 4.0, especially in times of turbulence such as the COVID-19 global pandemic crisis.Originality/valueThis work emphasizes that smart contracts are not too smart to be applied in the context of supply chain 4.0. The proposed framework of smart contracts is expected to serve supply chain 4.0 by automating the knowledge work and enabling scenario planning through the game theory model. It will also improve online transparency and order processing in real-time through secured multitier connectivity. This can be applied in global supply chain functions backed with digitization, notably during the time of the pandemic, in which e-commerce and online shopping have changed the rules of the game.
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PurposeThis work aims at proposing a novel Internet of Things (IoT)-based and cloud-assisted monitoring architecture for smart manufacturing systems able to evaluate their overall status and detect eventual anomalies occurring into the production. A novel artificial intelligence (AI) based technique, able to identify the specific anomalous event and the related risk classification for possible intervention, is hence proposed.Design/methodology/approachThe proposed solution is a five-layer scalable and modular platform in Industry 5.0 perspective, where the crucial layer is the Cloud Cyber one. This embeds a novel anomaly detection solution, designed by leveraging control charts, autoencoders (AE) long short-term memory (LSTM) and Fuzzy Inference System (FIS). The proper combination of these methods allows, not only detecting the products defects, but also recognizing their causalities.FindingsThe proposed architecture, experimentally validated on a manufacturing system involved into the production of a solar thermal high-vacuum flat panel, provides to human operators information about anomalous events, where they occur, and crucial information about their risk levels.Practical implicationsThanks to the abnormal risk panel;human operators and business managers are able, not only of remotely visualizing the real-time status of each production parameter, but also to properly face with the eventual anomalous events, only when necessary. This is especially relevant in an emergency situation, such as the COVID-19 pandemic.Originality/valueThe monitoring platform is one of the first attempts in leading modern manufacturing systems toward the Industry 5.0 concept. Indeed, it combines human strengths, IoT technology on machines, cloud-based solutions with AI and zero detect manufacturing strategies in a unified framework so to detect causalities in complex dynamic systems by enabling the possibility of products' waste avoidance.
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PurposeThe current study sought to investigate the moderating effect of supply chain disruptions (SCD) (supply chain – supply disruption, catastrophic disruption and infrastructure disruption) on the relationship between supply chain resilience (SCR) and supply chain performance (SCP) of manufacturing firms in Ghana.Design/methodology/approachThe quantitative research approach and explanatory research designs were utilised. A sample of 345 manufacturing firms were drawn from a population of 2,495 manufacturing firms in the Accra metropolis. The Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modelling (PLS-SEM) was employed to accomplish the research objectives.FindingsFirst, the study revealed that SCR has a significant positive effect on SCP. Second, the authors found reasonable evidence to support that SCD have a significant positive moderating effect on the relationship between SCR and SCP, except for supply chain catastrophic disruption which had a negative impact. It can be concluded that the components of SCD have heterogeneous impact in the SCR and SCP nexus.Research limitations/implicationsThe study is limited to manufacturing firms in Ghana and does not make a distinction among resilience strategies.Practical implicationsIncreased SCR boost manufacturing companies' supply chains' performance and aid to lessen the adverse effects of SCD relating to infrastructure and supply. It implies that supply chain managers are able to reduce the effects of infrastructure and supply disruptions. Also, techniques that reduce the adverse impact of SCD relating to catastrophe would be beneficial for supply chain managers in Ghana and other countries with comparable economic environments.Originality/valueThe study provides a unique contribution on the moderating role of the dimensions of SCD (supply, infrastructure and catastrophic) on the nexus between SCR and SCP in a developing economy context in a dynamic changing environment. Policymakers would get better insights into instituting the required policies needed to revamp firms with weak supply chains as a result of supply chain disruption.
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Purpose>This study aims to explore how certain adoption barriers of additive manufacturing (AM) technology may lead to supply chain (SC) vulnerabilities, which in turn would deteriorate supply chain resilience (SCR).Design/methodology/approach>A case study of a leading original equipment manufacturer (OEM) that uses AM technology to directly produce end-use metal parts for different industries was performed. Primary data were collected using the in-depth interview method, which was complemented by secondary data from internal and publicly available sources. The findings were compared with the existing literature to triangulate the results.Findings>The findings indicate that certain AM adoption barriers make the SC vulnerable to reliance on specialty sources, supplier capacity, production capacity, utilization of restricted materials, importance of product purity, raw material availability, unpredictability in customer demand, reliability of equipment, unforeseen technology failures, reliance on information flow, industrial espionage, and utilities availability.Research limitations/implications>The SCR outcomes of the identified SC vulnerabilities and their interrelated AM adoption barriers are proposed in this study.Practical implications>Drawing on the case study findings and the existing literature, several practices are put forward in a framework that supply chain management (SCM) may use to mitigate the identified SC vulnerabilities caused by the AM adoption barriers.Originality/value>This is the first study to empirically examine and identify the SC vulnerabilities that are caused by the adoption barriers of AM technology.
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Purpose>The digital transformation towards Industry 4.0 (I4.0) has become imperative for manufacturers, as it makes them more flexible, agile and responsive to customers. This study aims to identify the factors influencing the manufacturing firms’ decision to adopt I4.0 and develop a triadic conceptual model that explains this phenomenon.Design/methodology/approach>This study used a qualitative exploratory study design based on multiple case studies (n = 15) from the manufacturing industry in Malaysia by conducting face-to-face interviews. The data were analysed using NVivo. The conceptual model was developed based on grounded theory and deductive thematic analysis.Findings>Results demonstrate that driving, facilitating and impeding factors play influential roles in a firms’ decision-making to adopt I4.0. The major driving factors identified are expected benefits, market opportunities, labour problem, customer requirements, competition and quality image. Furthermore, resources, skills and support are identified as facilitating factors and getting the right people, lack of funding, lack of knowledge, technical challenges, training the operators and changing the mindset of operators to accept new digital technologies are identified as impeding factors.Research limitations/implications>Due to its qualitative design and limited sample size, the findings of this study need to be supplemented by quantitative studies for enhanced generalizability of the proposed model.Practical implications>Knowledge of the I4.0 decision factors identified would help manufacturers in their decision to invest in I4.0, as they can be applied to balancing advantages and disadvantages, understanding benefits, identifying required skills and support and which challenges to expect. For policymakers, our findings identify important aspects of the ecosystem in need of improvement and how manufacturers can be motivated to adopt I4.0.Originality/value>This study lays the theoretical groundwork for an alternative approach for conceptualizing I4.0 adoption beyond UTAUT (Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology). Integrating positive and negative factors enriches the understanding of decision-making factors for I4.0 adoption.
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PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to help in the establishment of the first fabrication laboratory (FabLab) in Tunisia. The FabLab movement offers many interesting opportunities through value creation, innovation, training and access to digital manufacturing technologies. A newly created FabLab should be well-positioned in terms of business model, purpose and management. The aim of this paper is to conduct a comparative analysis of FabLabs in developed countries (mainly in France and Luxembourg) and to provide recommendations on the possible development of a FabLab in Tunisia (FabLabENIT).Design/methodology/approachTwelve FabLabs were visited and experts from the makers movement were interviewed. Data from the visits and interviews were analysed using lexicometric tools. This methodology is based on three main steps: first, the identification and selection of panel of studied FabLabs interviews;second transcribing and coding for IRaMuTeQ software;and third, correspondence analysis.FindingsThe correspondence analysis determined five main factors of analysis that were interpreted using the most correlated words. The analysis of the correlation of the FabLabs and these five factors showed that FabLabENIT was strongly correlated with the third factor (interpreted as the organisation and structure factor). Recommendations for the purpose, local impact and methods were derived using the position of FabLabENIT in relation to the other factors.Practical implicationsThis study highlighted five main topics that characterise FabLabs in developing countries before and after their creation. A second practical contribution of this paper is that it provides a framework for FabLab managers and founders to anticipate possible trajectories of evolution for their organisations, especially in an emerging country. Another contribution, both practical and methodological, is the demonstration of the use of textual interview analysis tools (mainly correspondence analysis) to determine the main practices and characteristics of a creative organisation, such as a FabLab.Originality/valueOne original feature of this paper is the topic of the study, especially in the current context of the COVID-19 outbreak, in which the FabLab movement provided interesting solutions that were designed and manufactured using digital manufacturing technologies. A second originality resides in the use of lexicometric techniques to analyse the information that was discussed during the interviews.
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PurposeToday's businesses are facing a world that is more complex, turbulent and unpredictable than in the past with increasing levels of environmental complexity. Rather than proposing environmental uncertainty as a mediator/moderator of the relationship between agility and performance as others have done, the authors offer an alternative view where supply chain agility is seen as mediating the relationship between environmental uncertainty and supply chain performance.Design/methodology/approachThe authors propose that supply chain agility is a response to the effects of environmental uncertainty and, as such, environmental uncertainty should be seen as a driver of supply chain agility. Few studies test the direct relationship between uncertainty and supply chain performance, and none simultaneously test for agility's mediation and moderation effect between environmental uncertainty and agility.FindingsThe model was statistically assessed using partial-least-squares structural equation modeling (PLS/SEM) by analyzing survey data from manufacturing managers in 136 US firms. The study results did not indicate a significant relationship between environmental uncertainty and supply chain performance. However, the authors did find a significant positive relationship between agile manufacturing and supply chain performance using measures that were primarily operations-centered rather than financial. Additionally, the authors found that agile manufacturing fully mediates the relationship between environmental uncertainty and supply chain performance.Originality/valueThe authors’ model, though simple, provides a base for future research for them and other researchers who can incorporate other impacting variables into the model. The study results show that uncertainty can be a force for good and that utilizing agile manufacturing can be a new source of opportunity.