Blockchain technology in supply chain management for sustainable performance: Evidence from the airport industry

Abstract This paper investigates the major implications of blockchain technology for operations management (OM) with a focus on the decision-making processes in supply chain management (SCM) from the perspective of sustainable performance. The links between blockchain technology, OM, and sustainability issues within SCM are analysed. This two-step research study includes a broad review of the main contributions in the literature that have focused on blockchain technology and OM in SCM. It covers the airport industry from the perspective of sustainable performance and data analysis by reading and processing financial statements, non-financial reports, and the website of one strategic airport infrastructure in southern Italy. The Italian airport infrastructure investigated successfully adopted the Airport Collaborative Decision Making (A-CDM) platform. This is one of the main blockchain technology applications in the airport industry. It promotes cooperation between the main players in the aviation industry and the air traffic controllers (ATCs) to reduce fragmentation, inefficiency, and uncoordinated operations. It also allows information and data sharing, but it is still not possible to observe a high level of sustainable performance. Although the adoption of blockchain technology presents numerous benefits, especially in improving OM, these new technological solutions do not guarantee the achievement of the best performance in terms of effectiveness, efficiency, and sustainability issues. Managers and policy makers need to work together to create a real forum within their collaborative network in which there is a common culture and mutual trust. This article adds an interesting reading of blockchain technology to the existing research with concerns about OM and sustainability issues within the airport setting in Italy.

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