Digitalisation and sustainable supply chain management: past development and future significance

In times of uncertainty and volatility there is the need for more resilient international supply chains to improve responsiveness to market demands. Many of the digital technologies available today certainly help to make supply chains more resilient. However, the challenge for businesses is that the increased resilience of supply chains cannot be achieved if it is not accompanied by an adequate level of sustainability. Digital technologies are enablers facilitating the integration of the different levels of the supply chain. Digital technologies can therefore help to manage activities along supply chains in a more sustainable way as in the case of transport, where digital technologies provide a key contribution to mitigating the most pressing environmental problem, namely the reduction of CO2 emissions. Although many researchers have shown significant interest in modelling these issues in the face of difficulty in capturing the complexities and interactions occurring in supply chains, there are still few scientific studies focusing on the integration of digitalisation and sustainability in supply chain management. The book addresses this scientific gap by presenting original research that focuses on the links between digital technologies and environmental sustainability and how synergies can be created in supply chain management practices. It contains 14 chapters that can be divided into three different categories: theoretical/conceptual, investigations/experiments and applications/case studies. These studies were conducted by scholars and practitioners operating in different countries and continental areas who share findings and managerial insights on how digital technologies can make supply chains more sustainable. The book offers a comprehensive and up-to-date overview of this crucial topic and makes a significant contribution to increasing knowledge in this area.