Evaluating the Impact of Smart Systems on the Sustainability of Businesses and Supply Chains

Dear Colleagues,

Companies designing, implementing and operating smart systems require investment in a range of technical, human and financial resources. Therefore, the need to develop new and innovative smart systems applications and associated management approaches should not only focus on systems performance but should also focus on the environmental, cultural, economic, and social sustainability of human beings.

A significant body of research has been developed to assist engineers and managers to find effective ways of improving the efficiency and effectiveness of smart systems which have primarily focussed upon the technologies themselves. However, a frequently overlooked area of research is in understanding how to manage such systems and focussing upon the environmental, cultural, economic and social impact of smart systems and how society is able to embrace these technologies and systems.

Moreover, it is important to note that whilst smart systems provide the impetus for the development of new research, it must be recognized that many companies still need to achieve sustainable operations through more traditional means, especially where investment in highly sophisticated smart systems and technologies is not an immediate possibility for them (micro-SMEs etc).

This Special Issue focusses on disseminating research from real-life smart systems development, where theory and new approaches has been applied successfully that impact on the sustainability of supply chains and society too. We invite good quality research articles that focus on detailed research exploring the application and impact of smart systems from both industry professionals and academic researchers. The Special Issue will extend an opportunity to academic and industry researchers to share real-life applications and investigations.

We would welcome submissions for publication in the following areas:

• Reviews of current attitudes, cultures and societal and sustainability impacts around smart systems

• Reviews that focus on the impact of smart systems on business sustainability
• Evaluation of projects with industry, focusing on addressing user needs and societal sustainability
• Redesigning/reconfiguring business processes and supply chains for sustainable smart systems implementation
• Knowledge management and competency development around the development of innovation and co-creation to create sustainable businesses
• Societal and cultural change—managing the disruptive impact of digital technologies and its impact on environmental sustainability
• Integrate technological and societal aspects of smart systems research, ensuring technologies are developed with people in mind to improve the adoption and acceptance of new ways of working

Prof. Dr. Andrew Thomas
Dr. Wyn Morris
Guest Editors

Ms. Ivett Schmidt
Guest Editor Assistant

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 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

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.

• impact on sustainability of smart systems
• societal impacts of smart systems
• technologies
• reconfiguring business systems
• knowledge management