AI-Driven Decision-Making and Data Analytics for Sustainable Supply Chain and Circular Economy
A special issue of Sustainability (ISSN 2071-1050). This special issue belongs to the section "Sustainable Management".
Deadline for manuscript submissions: 31 December 2026 | Viewed by 97
Special Issue Editors
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Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Special Issue Information
Dear Colleagues,
This Special Issue (SI), titled ‘AI-Driven Decision-Making and Data Analytics for Sustainable Supply Chain and Circular Economy’, focuses on the intersection of technology adoption, digital innovation, and sustainability practices. It emphasizes the role of Artificial Intelligence (AI) and data-driven decision-making in transforming supply chains and promoting circular economy principles. The SI encourages high-quality submissions exploring theoretical, empirical, and applied perspectives on how emerging technologies are adopted, implemented, and leveraged to achieve environmental, social, and economic sustainability outcomes.
The SI invites research that addresses the adoption of sustainable and digital technologies in supply chain management, logistics, manufacturing, and related sectors, highlighting the integration of AI, decision support systems, and data analytics for improved sustainability performance. Submissions may explore the following:
(1) Drivers, barriers, and enablers of technology adoption in sustainability contexts, drawing on frameworks such as TAM, UTAUT, and TOE.
(2) Implementation of smart and circular supply chains, and the organizational, behavioral, and policy factors influencing adoption decisions.
(3) Innovative data-driven decision-making approaches, including AI-powered solutions, predictive analytics, and multi-criteria decision-making for sustainability and circularity.
(4) Empirical case studies, cross-industry comparisons, or systematic reviews demonstrating practical applications of digital technologies to enhance sustainability outcomes.
(5) Theoretical or methodological advancements linking technology adoption theories with sustainability frameworks and SDGs.
The purpose of this SI is to consolidate cutting-edge research on the adoption of AI and digital technologies for sustainable and circular supply chains, providing actionable insights for researchers, practitioners, and policymakers. It aims to deepen understanding of how technology adoption influences sustainability performance, promotes resource efficiency, and supports the transition toward circular economy models.
While the existing literature has extensively explored technology adoption frameworks (TAM, UTAUT, TOE) and AI applications, research at the nexus of technology adoption, AI-driven decision-making, and sustainability in supply chains and circular economy remains fragmented. This SI seeks to bridge this gap by integrating behavioral, organizational, and technological perspectives, providing empirical evidence and theoretical insights that extend the understanding of sustainable technology adoption. By focusing on data analytics, AI-enabled decision support, and circular supply chain practices, the SI supplements the current literature by highlighting how emerging digital technologies can drive both organizational efficiency and sustainability outcomes, offering a comprehensive view of adoption dynamics in contemporary supply chains.
Prof. Dr. Long-Sheng Chen
Dr. Venkateswarlu Nalluri
Guest Editors
Manuscript Submission Information
Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 250 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for assessment.
Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Sustainability is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.
Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2400 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.
Keywords
- technology adoption
- AI adoption/artificial intelligence adoption
- sustainable supply chains
- circular economy
- digital innovation
- data-driven decision-making
- decision support systems
- technology acceptance model (TAM)/UTAUT/TOE
- smart and circular supply chains
- AI-powered sustainability solutions
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