Supply Chain 4.0: Lean, Agile, Green Practices

Dear Colleagues,

This Special Issue calls for high, quality papers that make a theoretical and practical contribution to Supply Chain 4.0 and digital logistics transformation, where Industry 4.0 technologies such as the Internet of Things (IoT), artificial intelligence (AI), blockchain, big data analytics, and digital twins are deeply changing logistics management (Bykzkan & Ger, 2018; Ivanov et al., 2019; Helo, 2024). Papers analyzing how these technologies help obtain real-time visibility, make predictive decisions, and optimize the whole network are welcome (Frederico et al., 2021; Samuels, 2025).

A major concern of the Special Issue is how Lean, Agile, and Green (LAG) supply chain practices can be digitally integrated into logistics systems. Existing literature mentions the necessity of moving beyond the traditional trade-offs among efficiency, responsiveness, and sustainability to digitally facilitated synergies (Agarwal et al., 2007; Tortorella et al., 2020). Besides that, contemporary research underlines the function of digital transformation in enabling green supply chain practices and achieving resilience (Kamble et al., 2018; Taib et al., 2025).

The Special Issue is also open to papers on sustainable and circular logistics systems, which may consist of reverse logistics, closed supply chains, and digital carbon tracking, that contribute to environmental transparency and ESG performance (Geissdoerfer et al., 2017; Saberi et al., 2019; Bag et al., 2021). Topics related to supply chain resilience and risk management in digitally connected settings, especially under disruption and uncertainty, are strongly encouraged (Pettit et al., 2019; Ivanov, 2021; Li, 2025).

The following topic areas are open for discussion:

1. Technology

• Supply Chain 4.0/5.0 architectures and reference models;
• Autonomous systems, robotics, and warehouse automation;
• Platform ecosystems and logistics, as a service;
• Resilience of digital logistics infrastructure.

2. Integration of Lean, Agile & Green (LAG)

• Digital enablers of lean practices;
• Digitally enabled agility;
• Green, by, design & digital support for decarbonization.

3. Sustainability, Circularity & Environment

• Circular logistics and reverse supply chains;
• Life cycle assessment (LCA) and environmental footprinting using digital data;
• Carbon accounting, reporting, and blockchain-enabled transparency;
• Green procurement, supplier collaboration, and closed-loop networks.

4. Resilience, Risk & Decision Support

• Digital risk sensing and early warning systems;
• Scenario planning, stress, testing, and contingency orchestration with digital twins;
• Supply chain insurance, finance, and risk transfer mechanisms enabled by digital verification.

References

• Agarwal, A., Shankar, R., & Tiwari, M. K. (2007). Modeling agility of supply chain. Industrial marketing management, 36(4), 443–457.
• Bag, S., Pretorius, J. H. C., Gupta, S., & Dwivedi, Y. K. (2021). Role of institutional pressures and resources in the adoption of big data analytics powered artificial intelligence, sustainable manufacturing practices and circular economy capabilities. Technological Forecasting and Social Change, 163, 120420.
• Büyüközkan, G., & Göçer, F. (2018). Digital Supply Chain: Literature review and a proposed framework for future research. Computers in industry, 97, 157–177.
• Frank, A. G., Dalenogare, L. S., & Ayala, N. F. (2019). Industry 4.0 technologies: Implementation patterns in manufacturing companies. International journal of production economics, 210, 15–26.
• Frederico, G. F., Garza-Reyes, J. A., Anosike, A., & Kumar, V. (2020). Supply Chain 4.0: concepts, maturity and research agenda. Supply Chain Management: An International Journal, 25(2), 262–282.
• Geissdoerfer, M., Savaget, P., Bocken, N. M., & Hultink, E. J. (2017). The Circular Economy–A new sustainability paradigm?. Journal of cleaner production, 143, 757–768.
• Helo, P., & Thai, V. V. (2024). Logistics 4.0–digital transformation with smart connected tracking and tracing devices. International Journal of Production Economics, 275, 109336.
• Ivanov, D. (2021). Supply chain viability and the COVID-19 pandemic: A conceptual and formal generalisation of four major adaptation strategies. International Journal of Production Research, 59(12), 3535–3552.
• Ivanov, D., Dolgui, A., & Sokolov, B. (2019). The impact of digital technology and Industry 4.0 on supply chain risk analytics. International Journal of Production Research, 57(3), 829–846.
• Kamble, S. S., Gunasekaran, A., & Gawankar, S. A. (2018). Sustainable Industry 4.0 framework: A systematic literature review. Process Safety and Environmental Protection, 117, 408–425.
• Li, P. (2025). Digital transformation and supply chain resilience: Evidence from global manufacturing firms. Decision Support Systems, 181, 114153.
• Pettit, T. J., Croxton, K. L., & Fiksel, J. (2019). The evolution of resilience in supply chain management. Journal of Business Logistics, 40(1), 56–65.
• Saberi, S., Kouhizadeh, M., Sarkis, J., & Shen, L. (2019). Blockchain technology and its relationships to sustainable supply chain management. International Journal of Production Research, 57(7), 2117–2135.
• Samuels, A. (2025). Digital transformation in supply chains: A systematic review and future research agenda. Frontiers in Sustainability, 6, 1584580.
• Sony, M., & Naik, S. (2020). Industry 4.0 integration with lean manufacturing. International Journal of Production Research, 58(23), 7191–7210.
• Taib, N. M., Ibrahim, L. M., Daud, S., & Yusoff, Y. M. (2025). Integrating green supply chain management and digital transformation towards resilient and sustainable supply chains. International Journal of Research in Business and Social Science, 14(2), 1–15.
• Tortorella, G. L., Giglio, R., & van Dun, D. H. (2020). Industry 4.0 adoption and lean manufacturing practices. International Journal of Production Economics, 221, 107464.

Dr. Sandeep Jagtap
Dr. Rashmi Ranjan Panigrahi
Dr. Subhodeep Mukherjee
Dr. Harshad Sonar
Guest Editors

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• supply chain management
• Industry 4.0/5.0
• logistics
• sustainability