Purpose

The paper presents a research methodology that could be used to carry out a systematic literature review on the current state of the art of the technological development in the field of the digitalization and unphysicalization of supply chains (SCs). A three-dimensional conceptual framework focusing on the relationship between Digital Technologies (DTs), business processes and SC performance is presented. The study identifies the emerging practices and areas of SC management that could be positively affected by the implementation of DTs. With this in mind, the emerging practices have a high probability to be considered future best practices.

Design/methodology/approach

A systematic literature review was conducted on DTs in SC management. The methodology used aims to algorithmically and objectively standardize the information incorporated into thousands of scientific documents. Selected papers were analyzed to investigate the recent literature on SC digitalization and unphysicalization. A total of 87 DTs were selected to be analyzed and subsequently grouped into 11 macro-categories. 17 business processes linked to SC management are taken into account and 17 different impacts on SC management are presented. From a set of 1,585 papers, 5,060 emerging practices were collected and singularly summarized combining DT, business process and impact on SC performance.

Findings

A unique analytical perspective provided represents an important evolution when trying to organize the current literature on SC management. The widely used DTs in the practices and the most considered business processes and impacts are highlighted and described. The three-dimensional conceptual framework is graphically represented to allow for the emergence of the best combinations of DT, business process and impact on SC performance. These combinations suggest the most promising areas for the implementation of the emerging practices for SC digitalization and unphysicalization. Additional findings identify and define the most important contexts in which Big Data contributes to SC performance.

Originality/value

The research methodology used is offering progress through which to systemize the current practices as well as detect the potential of digitalization and unphysicalization under the three-dimensional conceptual framework. The paper provides a structured proposal for promising future research directions, assuming that the five research gaps as findings of this research could be the basis for prescriptions, as well as a future research agenda and theory development. Moreover, this research contributes to current managerial issues concerning SC management, referred to data and information management, efficiency and productivity of SC processes, market performance, SC relationship management and risk management in SC.

中文翻译：

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拥抱供应链数字化和非实体化以提高供应链绩效：概念框架

目的

本文提出了一种研究方法，可用于对供应链 (SC) 数字化和非物理化领域的技术发展现状进行系统的文献综述。提出了一个关注数字技术 (DT)、业务流程和 SC 性能之间关系的三维概念框架。该研究确定了 SC 管理的新兴实践和领域，这些实践和领域可能会受到 DT 实施的积极影响。考虑到这一点，新兴实践很可能被视为未来的最佳实践。

设计/方法/途径

对 SC 管理中的 DT 进行了系统的文献综述。所使用的方法旨在通过算法和客观地将纳入数千份科学文件的信息标准化。对选定的论文进行了分析，以调查有关 SC 数字化和非物理化的最新文献。总共选择了 87 个 DT 进行分析，随后将其分为 11 个宏观类别。考虑了与供应链管理相关的 17 个业务流程，并提出了对供应链管理的 17 种不同影响。从一组 1,585 篇论文中，收集了 5,060 种新兴实践，并结合 DT、业务流程和对 SC 性能的影响进行了单独总结。

发现

提供的独特分析视角代表了在尝试组织当前关于 SC 管理的文献时的重要演变。突出并描述了实践中广泛使用的 DT 以及考虑最多的业务流程和影响。三维概念框架以图形方式表示，以允许出现 DT、业务流程和对 SC 性能的影响的最佳组合。这些组合提出了实施 SC 数字化和非物理化新兴实践的最有希望的领域。其他调查结果确定并定义了大数据对 SC 性能做出贡献的最重要的环境。

原创性/价值

所使用的研究方法正在提供进展，通过这些进展可以系统化当前的实践，并在三维概念框架下检测数字化和非物理化的潜力。该论文为有希望的未来研究方向提供了一个结构化的建议，假设作为本研究发现的五个研究空白可以作为处方的基础，以及未来的研究议程和理论发展。此外，本研究有助于解决当前有关 SC 管理的管理问题，涉及数据和信息管理、SC 流程的效率和生产力、市场绩效、SC 关系管理和 SC 中的风险管理。