Navigating Complexity in a Changing World: Challenges and Opportunities for Sustainable and Resilient Supply Chains

A Special Issue of Systems (ISSN 2079-8954) belonging to the section "Supply Chain Management".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 28 February 2027 | Viewed by 15260

Editors


E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Graduate School of Business, Sejong University, Seoul 05006, Republic of Korea
Interests: strategic sourcing; supply chain resilience; supply networks; sustainable supply chain; blockchains in supply chain; healthcare supply chains

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
School of Business Administration, Chung-Ang University, Seoul 06974, Republic of Korea
Interests: strategic supply chain management; healthcare supply chains; supply chain technologies

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Franklin P. Perdue School of Business, Salisbury University, 1101 Camden Ave., Salisbury, MD 21801, USA
Interests: behavioral operations management; supply chain management; marketing and operations interface; strategy and operations interface; technology and innovation

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

In today’s rapidly evolving and sustainability-conscious global landscape, supply chains face mounting pressure to address two critical priorities: sustainability and resilience. Organizations are expected to reduce their environmental and social impact through sustainable practices while also building resilient systems that are capable of appropriately anticipating, absorbing, and recovering from disruptions. While both objectives are vital for long-term viability, their relationship is often complex—at times mutually reinforcing but frequently characterized by tensions and trade-offs that require strategic compromise.

This Special Issue invites high-quality research that addresses either sustainability or resilience or explores their interconnectedness within the context of supply chain management. We particularly welcome studies that examine synergies, trade-offs, or paradoxes between the two, as well as frameworks, tools, and strategies for managing these dynamics. Submissions using a variety of methodological approaches are encouraged, including conceptual, empirical, case-based, analytical, modeling, and mixed-method studies.

Topics of interest include, but are not limited to, the following:

  • Designing and managing supply chains to improve sustainability, resilience, or both, including planning methods and performance metrics.
  • Exploring the trade-offs, synergies, and tensions between sustainability and resilience in supply chain strategies.
  • Using data-driven methods such as AI, machine learning, and analytics to evaluate ESG performance and support sustainable and resilient supply chains.
  • Managing supply chain risks through ESG-based strategies, adaptation plans, and decision support tools.
  • Applying circular economy principles to strengthen supply chain sustainability and resilience.
  • Examining practices tailored to specific contexts, such as developing countries, service industries, and small- or medium-sized enterprises (SMEs).
  • Understanding how organizational structures, behaviors, policies, and regulations support sustainable and resilient supply networks.
  • Sharing real-world case studies that highlight innovative solutions from different industries.

Dr. Jaeyoung Oh
Dr. Joonhwan In
Dr. Minseok Park
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-anonymized peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Systems is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly 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

  • sustainability
  • resilience
  • trade-offs and synergies
  • ESG strategies
  • data-driven decision-making
  • AI and machine leaning in supply chains
  • circular economy
  • supply chain risk management
  • supply chains for SMEs and service industries
  • policy and regulation for ESGs

Benefits of Publishing in a Special Issue

  • Ease of navigation: Grouping papers by topic helps scholars navigate broad scope journals more efficiently.
  • Greater discoverability: Special Issues support the reach and impact of scientific research. Articles in Special Issues are more discoverable and cited more frequently.
  • Expansion of research network: Special Issues facilitate connections among authors, fostering scientific collaborations.
  • External promotion: Articles in Special Issues are often promoted through the journal's social media, increasing their visibility.
  • Reprint: MDPI Books provides the opportunity to republish successful Special Issues in book format, both online and in print.

Further information on MDPI's Special Issue policies can be found here.

Published Papers (11 papers)

Order results
Result details
Select all
Export citation of selected articles as:

Research

Jump to: Review

19 pages, 413 KB  
Article
Does Good Treatment Travel Downstream? Buyer Support and Responsible Governance in Multi-Tier Supply Chains
by Hyejin Cho and Pyoungsoo Lee
Systems 2026, 14(9), 1111; https://doi.org/10.3390/systems14091111 - 7 Sep 2026
Abstract
Sustainable supply-chain governance often depends on firms that occupy more than one relational role. A middle-tier firm may receive support from an upstream buyer while simultaneously governing its own subcontractors. This study examines whether support received from an upstream buyer is associated with [...] Read more.
Sustainable supply-chain governance often depends on firms that occupy more than one relational role. A middle-tier firm may receive support from an upstream buyer while simultaneously governing its own subcontractors. This study examines whether support received from an upstream buyer is associated with more responsible governance toward subcontractors, and whether buyer pressure is negatively associated with such governance. Using five waves of the Korean Workplace Panel Survey (2015–2023), we identify 574 dual-role firms, yielding 1134 firm-year observations. The results show that buyer support is positively associated with responsible subcontractor governance in both contemporaneous and next-wave models. Buyer pressure, by contrast, is negatively associated with subcontractor governance in contemporaneous models, but this association does not persist in next-wave specifications. These findings suggest that everyday relational treatment may matter beyond the immediate dyad. The study extends multi-tier sustainability research beyond the cascading of explicit standards by showing how relational experiences received by dual-role firms in upstream-facing relationships are associated with how those same firms govern downstream-facing subcontracting relationships. Full article
27 pages, 4541 KB  
Article
Make-or-Buy Decisions in Eco-Friendly Markets: Supplier Coopetition and Sustainability Reputation Spillovers
by Dawoon Jung, Sangjoon Lee, Sunghak Kim and Bosung Kim
Systems 2026, 14(9), 1094; https://doi.org/10.3390/systems14091094 - 3 Sep 2026
Viewed by 145
Abstract
Large diversified firms seeking to enter eco-friendly markets must decide whether to source essential green components from specialized suppliers or develop comparable components in-house. External sourcing facilitates rapid market entry and avoids costly development, but it creates dependence on a specialized supplier that [...] Read more.
Large diversified firms seeking to enter eco-friendly markets must decide whether to source essential green components from specialized suppliers or develop comparable components in-house. External sourcing facilitates rapid market entry and avoids costly development, but it creates dependence on a specialized supplier that also competes downstream. Internal development eliminates this dependence and gives the diversified firm greater control over component production but it requires substantial investment and may place the firm at a production cost disadvantage relative to the specialized supplier. Moreover, sustainability reputation spillovers further complicate this make-or-buy dilemma, as participation in the eco-friendly market can generate positive reputational effects across the diversified firm’s broader product portfolio. To examine how these trade-offs and reputation spillovers jointly affect sourcing decisions and supply chain structures, we develop a game-theoretic model in which a specialized supplier serves as both a component provider and a downstream competitor. We identify three equilibrium supply chain structures: external sourcing with upstream–downstream coopetition, internal development with Cournot competition, and internal development leading to the supplier’s exit from the downstream market. A critical insight is the supplier’s dilemma: while moderate reputation benefits create mutually profitable coopetition, sufficiently large benefits trigger the diversified firm’s internalization, eliminating the supply relationship and potentially resulting in its exit from the downstream market. Further analysis shows that a higher supplier marginal production cost affects both the diversified firm’s sourcing decision and the conditions under which supplier market exit can occur, whereas a higher fixed development cost shifts the decision boundary toward external sourcing. Our findings suggest that policies amplifying reputation benefits may induce large firms to replace external sourcing from lower-cost specialized suppliers with higher-cost internal development, displacing specialized green producers and duplicating existing technology investments. Full article
Show Figures

Figure 1

22 pages, 986 KB  
Article
Navigating Complexity of 3PL-Led Low-Carbon Supply Chains: A Two-Stage Dynamic Coordination Mechanism for Sustainability and Resilience Under Information Asymmetry
by Jinde Jiang, Junding Yang, Wenping Liu, Yingjing Gu, Jing Gu and Yiling Zhu
Systems 2026, 14(9), 1042; https://doi.org/10.3390/systems14091042 - 24 Aug 2026
Viewed by 244
Abstract
To address the issue where information asymmetry in third-party logistics (3PL)-led low-carbon supply chain coordination undermines coordination efficiency, thereby threatening the sustainability and resilience of supply chain cooperation, this paper develops a Stackelberg dynamic game model with the 3PL as the leader. This [...] Read more.
To address the issue where information asymmetry in third-party logistics (3PL)-led low-carbon supply chain coordination undermines coordination efficiency, thereby threatening the sustainability and resilience of supply chain cooperation, this paper develops a Stackelberg dynamic game model with the 3PL as the leader. This model is constructed within the context where consumers’ low-carbon preferences influence product demand, and a government carbon cap policy is implemented. By comparing decentralized and centralized equilibria, we verify that centralized collaboration achieves dual gains: higher carbon reduction levels and greater overall supply chain profits, which strengthens sustainability and resilience. To address efficiency losses from three types of information asymmetry, we propose a two-stage dynamic coordination mechanism adapted to evolving cooperation transparency. At the initial stage with opaque information, a bargaining-power-weighted profit-sharing contract is adopted, where negotiation weights are quantified by enterprise scale, resource control and industry influence. After data transparency improves, the system switches to a Nash bargaining framework supported by blockchain carbon data sharing to realize stable long-term collaboration. Numerical cases and sensitivity analysis demonstrate that manufacturer cost information asymmetry is the primary constraint on coordination efficiency. The proposed dynamic coordination scheme effectively mitigates systemic complexity, balancing economic benefits and carbon reduction targets. This study provides practical pathways for supply chain participants to navigate complex low-carbon environments and advance sustainable, resilient supply chain operation. Full article
Show Figures

Figure 1

29 pages, 392 KB  
Article
Consumers as the Demand-Side Buffer of Sustainable Supply Chains: The Formation and Boundary Conditions of Resilient Consumption Through Perceived ESG Legitimacy
by Sunghee Lee and Jinsoo Park
Systems 2026, 14(8), 1028; https://doi.org/10.3390/systems14081028 - 20 Aug 2026
Viewed by 271
Abstract
Sustainable supply chains carry a cost premium that can make their demand base fragile when economic shocks tighten household budgets, because the more expensive environmental, social, and governance (ESG)-aligned product is often among the first that consumers forgo. We propose extending resilience thinking [...] Read more.
Sustainable supply chains carry a cost premium that can make their demand base fragile when economic shocks tighten household budgets, because the more expensive environmental, social, and governance (ESG)-aligned product is often among the first that consumers forgo. We propose extending resilience thinking to the downstream, demand-side node of the supply chain: we frame premium-tolerant ESG consumption as a conceptual indicator of demand-side resilience—an absorptive buffer that may help keep sustainable supply chains viable through disturbance—and draw on signaling theory to model how it is formed. Using a nationally structured, quota-controlled survey of 3000 Korean consumers collected by the Korea Consumer Agency, we estimate a moderated-mediation structural equation model in which ESG signal trust is associated with resilient sustainable consumption through perceived ESG legitimacy, conditioned by income and perceived greenwashing. Because the data are cross-sectional, we report associations rather than causal effects. Trust was positively associated with perceived legitimacy, which in turn was associated with resilient sustainable consumption, so that legitimacy is the proximal correlate linking trust to resilience. Income moderated this conversion only modestly—the sustainability–resilience trade-off is statistically present but small in magnitude—while perceived greenwashing did not attenuate it, and its unexpected positive coefficient proved unstable across specifications and is not interpreted. A multi-group comparison indicated that the pattern of associations differs with the perceived credibility of the ESG signal environment: when third-party signals were perceived as credible, the trust–legitimacy–consumption route was more pronounced, whereas when they were not, trust was associated with consumption more directly. Consumers also expected ESG far more of large firms than of micro-enterprises. No supply-chain-level outcome was measured; the cross-level link is advanced as a proposition for future work. The study reframes supply chain resilience as partly demand-side, potentially sustained by credible, independently verified ESG signals rather than by firms’ own disclosure. Full article
25 pages, 849 KB  
Article
When Does Sustainability Translate into Supply Chain Logistics Performance? The Moderating Role of National Digital-Technological Readiness
by Jeong Hyun Park, Sang Won Yoon and Seung Jun Lee
Systems 2026, 14(8), 1026; https://doi.org/10.3390/systems14081026 - 20 Aug 2026
Viewed by 263
Abstract
This study examines whether national digital technological readiness moderates the relationship between national sustainability performance and supply chain logistics performance. Using a panel of 157 countries across six biennial waves from 2010 to 2023 (N = 850), with every predictor measured two years [...] Read more.
This study examines whether national digital technological readiness moderates the relationship between national sustainability performance and supply chain logistics performance. Using a panel of 157 countries across six biennial waves from 2010 to 2023 (N = 850), with every predictor measured two years before the wave it explains, drawn from the World Bank Logistics Performance Index (LPI), the World Bank Sovereign ESG indicators, and the UNCTAD Frontier Technology Readiness Index (FTRI), we estimate a hybrid within-between panel model that separates durable cross-country differences from within-country change, with sustainability performance measured through three separately constructed environmental, social, and governance dimensions. Sustainability performance relates positively to logistics performance between countries, and the association strengthens with readiness. The association becomes statistically significant only above a readiness threshold on the FTRI scale, below which every low-income country in the sample falls. The moderating effect is driven by the social and governance dimensions rather than the environmental dimension. It operates on the sub-dimensions that domestic institutions govern, most notably customs and infrastructure, while disappearing for international shipping. The between-country interaction remains stable across alternative moderator definitions, alternative measure constructions, an expanded control set, and a permutation placebo test. This moderation follows the continuous level of readiness rather than income group boundaries. Grounded in Dynamic Capabilities Theory, the findings suggest that digital readiness functions as the capability through which sustainability investments translate into realized logistics performance, and they locate a readiness threshold with direct implications for the sequencing of development policy. Full article
Show Figures

Figure 1

21 pages, 523 KB  
Article
Cultivating Risk-Response Capability: The Impact of Partner Compatibility and Supply Chain Collaboration
by Su Kyong Cho, Pyoungsoo Lee and Dawoon Jung
Systems 2025, 13(12), 1130; https://doi.org/10.3390/systems13121130 - 18 Dec 2025
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1309
Abstract
Supply chains operate in increasingly volatile environments, making it essential to understand the mechanisms through which partner characteristics shape risk-response capability. This study examines how compatibility between supply chain partners promotes collaboration and, in turn, strengthens robustness and resilience. Using survey data from [...] Read more.
Supply chains operate in increasingly volatile environments, making it essential to understand the mechanisms through which partner characteristics shape risk-response capability. This study examines how compatibility between supply chain partners promotes collaboration and, in turn, strengthens robustness and resilience. Using survey data from 219 managers in South Korea, the study develops a conceptual model grounded in congruence theory and the dynamic capability view, and tests it through partial least squares path modeling. The results show that compatibility enhances collaboration, which subsequently improves risk-response capability and mediates the effect of compatibility on robustness and resilience. These findings provide empirical support for a capability-building mechanism in which inter-organizational compatibility enables more effective collaborative practices that enhance a supply chain’s ability to withstand and recover from disruptions. The study extends prior research by shifting the discussion of compatibility from interpersonal or person–organization settings to the inter-organizational domain and by demonstrating its critical role in cultivating dynamic capabilities in supply chain risk management. Full article
Show Figures

Figure 1

29 pages, 1450 KB  
Article
Resilient and Sustainable Restaurant Supply Chain Operations Considering Multi-Brand Strategies
by Sangjoon Lee, Byeongmo Kang and Seung Ho Yoo
Systems 2025, 13(12), 1101; https://doi.org/10.3390/systems13121101 - 5 Dec 2025
Viewed by 2403
Abstract
This study analyzes the performance and strategic implications of multi-brand kitchen restaurants from a supply chain perspective. Multi-brand kitchens are increasingly adopted in franchise systems as they enhance resilience by pooling demand risks and enabling substitution across brands. They also promote environmental sustainability [...] Read more.
This study analyzes the performance and strategic implications of multi-brand kitchen restaurants from a supply chain perspective. Multi-brand kitchens are increasingly adopted in franchise systems as they enhance resilience by pooling demand risks and enabling substitution across brands. They also promote environmental sustainability by integrating operations and reducing land use. However, limited research has examined how such models perform under different supply chain structures and contract types. To address this gap, we develop analytical models comparing five configurations that vary by brand scope (single- vs. multi-brand) and integration level (centralized vs. decentralized). We examine how optimal pricing, brand portfolio, and royalty structures influence profits across franchisors, franchisees, and the overall chain under diverse market environments. Our findings reveal that multi-brand strategies improve profitability, particularly under high demand and favorable market potential. However, decentralized systems show greater profit fluctuations, highlighting the need for alignment between contracts and operations. Theoretically, this study contributes to the restaurant supply chain literature by modeling coordination across organizational boundaries. Practically, it offers actionable insights for franchisors and restaurant operators on when and how to implement multi-brand kitchen strategies for resilient and sustainable supply chain operations. Full article
Show Figures

Figure 1

33 pages, 1777 KB  
Article
From Frameworks to Implementation: Comparing Academic and Media Discourse on Climate-Resilient Supply Chains
by Seungkwon Joo and Seung Jun Lee
Systems 2025, 13(12), 1057; https://doi.org/10.3390/systems13121057 - 23 Nov 2025
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1137
Abstract
This study examines the evolution of environmental discourse in supply chain management (SCM) research from 2004 to 2024, systematically comparing scholarly trajectories with media narratives to identify critical implementation gaps at the theory–practice interface. Following PRISMA guidelines, we employ structural topic modeling on [...] Read more.
This study examines the evolution of environmental discourse in supply chain management (SCM) research from 2004 to 2024, systematically comparing scholarly trajectories with media narratives to identify critical implementation gaps at the theory–practice interface. Following PRISMA guidelines, we employ structural topic modeling on 6586 academic articles and 384,190 media articles (2019–2023) within the SPAR-4-SLR protocol, we document substantial growth in sustainability scholarship—from fewer than 200 publications in 2004 to over 700 in 2024—with research emphasis shifting from compliance-oriented frameworks toward strategic integration models. Systematic comparison reveals significant misalignments: six domains—community-based sustainability initiatives, climate adaptation strategies, plastic reduction mandates, food security resilience, event-driven crisis responses, and sustainable product design—receive substantially greater media emphasis than scholarly investigation, constituting what we characterize as the implementation knowledge gap. This gap reflects disconnection between theoretically sophisticated academic frameworks emphasizing long-term strategic integration and practitioner concerns prioritizing acute operational challenges, rapid regulatory compliance, and grassroots sustainability mechanisms. Our findings demonstrate that, while academic research remains theoretically robust, it insufficiently captures short-term adaptation imperatives, community-level integration mechanisms, and sector-specific resilience strategies that climate volatility demands. By establishing a transferable analytical framework integrating media discourse with academic literature, this study advances sustainable supply chain management theory through reconceptualizing implementation challenges as central research concerns while generating actionable imperatives for aligning scholarship, policy interventions, and industrial strategies toward climate-resilient supply chain systems. Full article
Show Figures

Figure 1

22 pages, 557 KB  
Article
Resilience Through Integration: The Synergistic Role of National and Organizational Culture in Enhancing Market Responsiveness
by Hyojin Kim, Daesik Hur and Jaeyoung Oh
Systems 2025, 13(9), 772; https://doi.org/10.3390/systems13090772 - 3 Sep 2025
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 2004
Abstract
This study explains how integrating with foreign suppliers fortifies a buying firm’s supply-chain resilience, captured here as heightened market responsiveness. Drawing on information-processing theory, we argue that supplier integration equips buyers with richer, faster information flows that enable timely adaptation to market shocks. [...] Read more.
This study explains how integrating with foreign suppliers fortifies a buying firm’s supply-chain resilience, captured here as heightened market responsiveness. Drawing on information-processing theory, we argue that supplier integration equips buyers with richer, faster information flows that enable timely adaptation to market shocks. Extending value-congruence theory, we posit that this resilience dividend depends on simultaneous cultural alignment at two levels—national and organizational. Survey data from 174 manufacturing firms engaged in international buyer–supplier relationships across East Asia, North America, Latin America and Europe were analyzed via hierarchical regression. Results confirm that foreign supplier integration has a positive main effect on market responsiveness. Crucially, a significant three-way interaction (integration × national-culture congruence × organizational-culture congruence) reveals that the responsiveness—and thus resilience—payoff materializes only when both cultural layers are highly congruent; congruence at just one layer is insufficient. By demonstrating the contingent, multilevel nature of resilience benefits, this research advances the global supply-chain literature in three ways: (1) it unites information-processing and value-congruence perspectives to clarify when integration generates adaptive capability; (2) it positions dual-level cultural fit as a prerequisite for resilient performance; and (3) it offers region-spanning evidence that guides managers in designing culturally attuned integration strategies to withstand market turbulence. Full article
Show Figures

Figure 1

30 pages, 1095 KB  
Article
Unraveling the Drivers of ESG Performance in Chinese Firms: An Explainable Machine-Learning Approach
by Hyojin Kim and Myounggu Lee
Systems 2025, 13(7), 578; https://doi.org/10.3390/systems13070578 - 14 Jul 2025
Cited by 7 | Viewed by 3181
Abstract
As Chinese firms play pivotal roles in global supply chains, multinational corporations face increasing pressure to ensure ESG accountability across their sourcing networks. Current ESG rating systems lack transparency in incorporating China’s unique industrial, economic, and cultural factors, creating reliability concerns for stakeholders [...] Read more.
As Chinese firms play pivotal roles in global supply chains, multinational corporations face increasing pressure to ensure ESG accountability across their sourcing networks. Current ESG rating systems lack transparency in incorporating China’s unique industrial, economic, and cultural factors, creating reliability concerns for stakeholders managing supply chain sustainability risks. This study develops an explainable artificial intelligence framework using SHAP and permutation feature importance (PFI) methods to predict the ESG performance of Chinese firms. We analyze comprehensive ESG data of 1608 Chinese listed companies over 13 years (2009–2021), integrating financial and non-financial determinants traditionally examined in isolation. Empirical findings demonstrate that random forest algorithms significantly outperform multivariate linear regression in capturing nonlinear ESG relationships. Key non-financial determinants include patent portfolios, CSR training initiatives, pollutant emissions, and charitable donations, while financial factors such as current assets and gearing ratios prove influential. Sectoral analysis reveals that manufacturing firms are evaluated through pollutant emissions and technical capabilities, whereas non-manufacturing firms are assessed on business taxes and intangible assets. These insights provide essential tools for multinational corporations to anticipate supply chain sustainability conditions. Full article
Show Figures

Figure 1

Review

Jump to: Research

24 pages, 1681 KB  
Review
From Smart Ports to Sustainable Port Ecosystems: The Transformative Role of Artificial Intelligence
by Marcela Castro, Maria Rosilene Sabino, Maria do Rosário Cabrita, Ana Mendes and Tiago Pinho
Systems 2026, 14(2), 187; https://doi.org/10.3390/systems14020187 - 9 Feb 2026
Cited by 7 | Viewed by 2701
Abstract
Ports are critical nodes in global supply chains and play a central role in sustainability transitions in trade and logistics. This study investigates how Artificial Intelligence (AI) contributes to sustainable innovation within port ecosystems, focusing on efficiency, transparency, resilience, and environmental performance. To [...] Read more.
Ports are critical nodes in global supply chains and play a central role in sustainability transitions in trade and logistics. This study investigates how Artificial Intelligence (AI) contributes to sustainable innovation within port ecosystems, focusing on efficiency, transparency, resilience, and environmental performance. To address the research question—how has AI supported sustainability in maritime ports?—we conducted a systematic screening combined with bibliometric performance analysis and science mapping. A total of 80 peer-reviewed articles published between 2019 and 2025 (Scopus) were analysed. The results show a strong acceleration of publications in 2025, alongside a citation–time lag for recent studies. The findings indicate three dominant application streams: (1) operational efficiency and optimisation (terminal operations, forecasting, routing, scheduling); (2) digital and smart-port enablement through IoT and data infrastructures; and (3) governance, risk, and compliance (e.g., Port State Control, inspection analytics, cyber-resilience). The mapping also evidences increasing convergence of AI with complementary technologies—particularly IoT and, in a smaller but visible subset, blockchain—to enhance trust, accountability, and interoperability. By synthesising the field’s intellectual structure and thematic evolution, this study outlines research gaps and proposes future directions toward integrated frameworks for sustainable port ecosystems and Sustainable Commerce 4.0. Full article
Show Figures

Figure 1

Back to TopTop