Blockchain Technology in Supply Chain Management – A Discussion of Current and Future Research Topics

Purpose: Today’s supply chain management faces complex and globally distributed networks of customers and suppliers. Blockchain solutions serve as underlying IT infrastructures to connect the network participants and enable multiple applications. This paper aims at bringing together and discussing current and future research topics in the field of blockchain in supply chain management. Methodology: In the paper, seven central research topics of the field - strategic realignment of enterprises, governance and profitability considerations, as well as blockchain-based pay-per-use models, additive manufacturing, decentralized markets and cyber-physical production systems - are presented with a state of the art and a research discussion to stimulate prospective blockchain research. Findings: As an outcome, the research topics are consolidated in a research framework and categorized in strategic or application oriented approaches, as well as assigned to blockchain scientific layers.