SNF: Foundation of distributed ledgers in supply chain management: Theory development, practical applicability and critical reflection
Type
fundamental research project
Start Date
2018
End Date
2021
Status
completed
Keywords
Design science Research
case study Research
distributed ledger Technology
blockchain Technology
autonomous decision making
supply chain management
Description
Die Distributed Ledger Technologie (DLT) und ihre bislang bekannteste Form, die Blockchain Technologie (BCT), wird weithin als bahnbrechende Innovation wahrgenommen und nach ersten Anwendungen im Finanzsektor (z.B. Kryptowährungen) auch im Supply Chain Management (SCM) diskutiert. Besonders im SCM werden enorme Potentiale erwartet. Bislang ist jedoch noch unerforscht, welchen Einfluss (theoretischer und praktischer Natur) die Technologie tatsächlich auf das SCM haben wird und in welchen Anwendungsgebieten die Technologie einen Beitrag leisten kann. Aufgrund der Neuartigkeit der Technologie ist bisher auch die Frage unbeantwortet, wie DLT in den Operations von Unternehmen genutzt werden kann (Technologieadaption).
Das übergeordnete Ziel dieses Forschungsprojektes ist es, die theoretischen Grundlagen für DLT im SCM zu legen. Diese dienen als Basis für weiterführende Forschungsvorhaben und die praktische Anwendung von BCT in Supply Chains. Im Detail werden (i) die grundlegenden Voraussetzungen der DLT untersucht, die im SCM einen Wertbeitrag liefern können. Des Weiteren wird im Forschungsprojekt (ii) die Anwendbarkeit der Technologie im SCM analysiert und dadurch zukünftige Anwendungsbereiche aufgedeckt. Ausserdem werden (iii) theoretische und praktische Änderungen, die durch den Einsatz der Technologie zu erwarten sind, analysiert. Einerseits werden erforderliche Anpassungen des forschungsmethodischen Vorgehens analysiert. Die Dynamik der Entwicklung von DLT erfordert eine Anpassung des Vorgehens. Andererseits werden auf praktischer Seite die benötigten Ressourcen für den Einsatz der Technologie sowie deren Implementierungsprozess erforscht.
Das übergeordnete Ziel dieses Forschungsprojektes ist es, die theoretischen Grundlagen für DLT im SCM zu legen. Diese dienen als Basis für weiterführende Forschungsvorhaben und die praktische Anwendung von BCT in Supply Chains. Im Detail werden (i) die grundlegenden Voraussetzungen der DLT untersucht, die im SCM einen Wertbeitrag liefern können. Des Weiteren wird im Forschungsprojekt (ii) die Anwendbarkeit der Technologie im SCM analysiert und dadurch zukünftige Anwendungsbereiche aufgedeckt. Ausserdem werden (iii) theoretische und praktische Änderungen, die durch den Einsatz der Technologie zu erwarten sind, analysiert. Einerseits werden erforderliche Anpassungen des forschungsmethodischen Vorgehens analysiert. Die Dynamik der Entwicklung von DLT erfordert eine Anpassung des Vorgehens. Andererseits werden auf praktischer Seite die benötigten Ressourcen für den Einsatz der Technologie sowie deren Implementierungsprozess erforscht.
Leader contributor(s)
Partner(s)
Jan Holmström, Aalto University, Finland
Dale S. Rogers, Arizona State University, USA
Funder
Method(s)
Design science research
Case study research
Range
Institute/School
Range (De)
Institut/School
Principal
SNF
Division(s)
Eprints ID
247611
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Item type:Publication, PharmaQuick: Implementation of a blockchain-based temperature monitoring system (Teaching Note)After the revision of guidelines by the European Commission in March 2013 requiring continuous temperature monitoring of medicinal products during transport, the Swiss logistics service provider PharmaQuick faced the challenge of not only modifying their business practice to fulfill the guidelines, but also to simultaneously gain a competitive advantage with the implementation of superior technology. According to the new guidelines, the company would have to be able to provide evidence for complying with the allowed temperature ranges pre-defined by the manufacturers. Compliance for the transport of products that required low ambient temperatures usually remained unchecked, as clients of PharmaQuick refused to pay the fee for active temperature monitoring. This refusal was mostly communicated orally or unofficially, providing no hard evidence in case of a dispute. In the face of rising regulatory pressure, PharmaQuick implemented a short-term solution based on active temperature controlling and cellular data transmission with cooling trucks. However, this change multiplied the costs and, in the eyes of Dean Sprouts—business development manager at PharmaQuick, was not economically sustainable for the company. For this reason, Sprouts had to find a long-term solution that allows for compliance with the GDP’s requirements and improves transparency and traceability along the transportation supply chain at the same time. In particular, he had to assess whether blockchain technology within a cooperation with Modum constituted such a long-term solution. The presented case study is based on a fictitious company that represents a customer of the Swiss startup Modum. In this decision-based case, students are asked to put themselves in the role of the protagonist, Dean Sprout. They need to analyze the challenge faced and evaluate the solution pursued by the protagonist. The case takes place in the pharmaceutical sector in Switzerland in the year 2017. The key topics are supply chain management (SCM), external influence factors, data management, process optimization and blockchain technology (BCT). This publication represents the corresponding teaching note of the case: "PharmaQuick: Implementation of a blockchain-based temperature monitoring system"Type:case studyIssue:TEACHING NOTE-Reference no. 620-0029-8 - Some of the metrics are blocked by yourconsent settings
Item type:Publication, modum.io (B): Bidding Farewell to CryptoAfter a successful initial coin offering (ICO) in the fall of 2017, the Switzerland-based supply chain technology company modum.io began trading its MOD token on various exchanges. The financial resources generated from the token sale set up the modum.io team to focus on operations, launch the company’s product, increase revenue, onboard new customers, and hire new staff. In the course of the cryptocurrency bear market of 2018–2019, however, the value of the MOD token deteriorated to the point where it was delisted from major exchanges. Mainly caused by the lack of regulatory compliance of security tokens on the exchanges, these delistings partially killed the liquidity of the MOD token. In light of market and regulatory developments, and with external pressure increasing, modum.io scrambled to identify alternatives to solve its predicament. In 2019, cofounder Marc Degen and his partners decided to elaborate different options in order to secure the future of modum.io while simultaneously offering a satisfactory solution for all stakeholders. In their discussions, they saw three potential paths forward from which they must choose: (1) continue as is, (2) convert outstanding tokens into some form of company equity, or (3) liquidate the company and distribute the proceeds to the share- and tokenholders. Because this decision was strategically crucial for the future of modum.io, the board of directors did not want to rush to a conclusion; they preferred to thoroughly review the benefits and pitfalls of each option.Type:case studyIssue:421-068 - Some of the metrics are blocked by yourconsent settings
Item type:Publication, modum.io (B): Bidding Farewell to Crypto (Teaching Note); - Some of the metrics are blocked by yourconsent settings
Item type:Publication, TradeIX: Blockchain-Enabled Trade Finance in Global Supply Chains (Teaching Case)In accordance with the announcement of its new strategy, Warehousing & Co—one of the largest logistics companies worldwide—began an initiative through Robert Barnes — CEO of TradeIX — to optimize its working capital management in 2017. However, the potential for improvement in the realm of trade finance was heavily restricted by not only a complex network of suppliers but also by siloed inter-organizational data flows. For this reason, Global 3PL initiated a pilot project with TradeIX, a Dublin-based startup that offered a blockchain-based platform managing trade finance, especially receivables finance. Essentially, the platform solution, called Marco Polo platform, connected bank and insurance to a secure network, enabling full transparency during interim financing of accounts receivables. Despite the success of a trial run of using the Marco Polo platform, it had to be assessed on a technological and strategic level, whether this proved a long-term sustainable solution for full operation across Global 3PL's global trade finance system landscape. In this decision-oriented teaching case based on a real situation, students are asked to put themselves in the role of the protagonist, Robert Barnes. They need to analyze the challenge faced and evaluate the solution pursued by the protagonist. The teaching case takes place in the field of trade finance. The key topics are trade finance, working capital management, supply chain management (SCM), data management, process optimization and blockchain technology (BCT).Type:case studyIssue:9B20E016s - Some of the metrics are blocked by yourconsent settings
Item type:Publication, Determinants of transparency in supply chains: A frame to assess the influence of digital technologies on transparency(2020-04-08); - Some of the metrics are blocked by yourconsent settings
Item type:Publication, modum.io: Funding a Blockchain-Based Start-Up's Supply Chain Solution (Teaching Case)At the end of June 2017, the founder of modum.io AG, Marc D., was preparing for an important meeting that would take place the next day with a major investor when he received an email. The goal of the meeting was to negotiate the final terms of a commitment. However, the email from the investor indicated that the negotiations related to modum.io would not make it onto the agenda. After months of promising discussions, the entrepreneur was disappointed by this unexpected decision. With a limited cash flow, the founders faced two choices: (1) provide a cash bridge until the negotiations could resume or (2) come up with an alternative plan. Modum.io was focused on one core business idea: streamlining supply chain processes by combining innovative technologies and proprietary hardware to provide an efficient, reliable, and secure shipment monitoring solution. More specifically, modum.io’s first use-case was aimed at monitoring temperature-sensitive pharmaceutical products in the supply chain. Their sensor devices are connected to the Internet of Things (IoT), and the collected data is stored on the blockchain to ensure integrity and authenticity.Type:case studyIssue:N9-420-006 - Some of the metrics are blocked by yourconsent settings
Item type:Publication, TradeIX: Blockchain-Enabled Trade Finance in Global Supply Chains (Teaching Note)(Ivey Cases); Fallegger, SaraIn accordance with the announcement of its new strategy, Global 3PL—one of the largest logistics companies worldwide—began an initiative through Robert Barnes — CEO of TradeIX — to optimize its working capital management in 2017. However, the potential for improvement in the realm of trade finance was heavily restricted by not only a complex network of suppliers but also by siloed inter-organizational data flows. For this reason, Global 3PL initiated a pilot project with TradeIX, a Dublin-based startup that offered a blockchain-based platform managing trade finance, especially receivables finance. Essentially, the platform solution, called Marco Polo platform, connected bank and insurance to a secure network, enabling full transparency during interim financing of accounts receivables. Despite the success of a trial run of using the Marco Polo platform, it had to be assessed on a technological and strategic level, whether this proved a long-term sustainable solution for full operation across Global 3PL's global trade finance system landscape. In this decision-oriented teaching case based on a real situation, students are asked to put themselves in the role of the protagonist, Robert Barnes. They need to analyze the challenge faced and evaluate the solution pursued by the protagonist. The teaching case takes place in the field of trade finance. The key topics are trade finance, working capital management, supply chain management (SCM), data management, process optimization and blockchain technology (BCT). This publication represents the corresponding teaching note of the case: "TradeIX: Blockchain-Enabled Trade Finance in Global Supply Chains"Type:case studyIssue:8B20E016w - Some of the metrics are blocked by yourconsent settings
Item type:Publication, Technology adoption by logistics service providersPurpose The purpose of this paper is to reveal the effects of different technology access modes on the successful integration of technological innovations. From the perspective of logistics service providers (LSPs), theoretical and managerial implications for the process of technology adoption are discovered. Design/methodology/approach The paper provides a structured literature review of the state-of-the-art in technology adoption by LSPs. Drawing on the innovation diffusion theory (IDT) and absorptive capacity, the explorative case study research includes systematic analyses of ten technology projects conducted by seven different LSPs. Findings The findings illustrate that the technology access modes (make, buy and ally) prejudge the success of the integration process in terms of technology acceptance, as well as process quality, speed and costs of integration. This relationship is moderated by technology-, firm-, environment- and relation-related factors. Research limitations/implications The paper is limited by its qualitative research approach, only seven different LSPs were addressed. Furthermore, the scope of the investigated technologies is broad but not exhaustive. Practical implications For practitioners, research indicates that the way LSPs access technologies is highly related to a successful integration process. Therefore, the paper provides practical support for improving technology adoption. Originality/value As the link between LSPs’ technology access strategies and a successful integration process has been largely neglected thus far, this paper is the first contribution addressing this research gap. In this context, IDT and absorptive capacity are discussed for application to technology adoption in supply chain management research.Type:journal articleJournal:International Journal of Physical Distribution & Logistics ManagementVolume:49Issue:4Scopus© Citations 95 - Some of the metrics are blocked by yourconsent settings
Item type:Publication, - Some of the metrics are blocked by yourconsent settings
Item type:Publication, Analyzing the Potential of DLT-based Applications in Smart Factories(Springer International Publishing, 2020); ; Hofmann, ErikWhile companies struggle to implement Smart Factory initiatives, the emergence of decentralized Distributed Ledger Technology (DLT) promises to support Smart Factories. However, little is known about the extent to which DLT can support Smart Factory initiatives. Thus, this paper examines whether DLT is a useful addition to the Smart Factory concept in the context of Industry 4.0. The focus of the research lies on practical challenges that manufacturing companies are confronted with when creating Smart Factories and integrating them into their value chain. These challenges were worked out with the help of literature review and interviews, which were conducted with employees of one of the most renowned industrial automation and digitization companies (undisclosed for confidentiality). Based on this, two DLT concepts were developed and discussed with the experts regarding their respective opportunities, risks, and feasibility. The DLT-based Audit Trail is intended to solve the challenge of creating a detailed, consistent and traceable overview of production processes, while the Crypto-based Agent Logic solves the challenge of setting priorities for orders in a fully automated production process. The results show that DLT integration in the context of the Smart Factory concept is to be regarded as useful and should be driven forward by further research. Keywords distributed ledger technology; supply chain; manufacturing; smart factory; use cases; blockchain.Type:book section
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