Setting a Research Agenda for the Application of Industry 4.0 in the Supply Chain

TL;DR: In this paper , the authors examined the conceptual and intellectual structure of Industry 4.0 research in the supply chain in the current literature using a bibliometric analysis performed by VOSviewer software.

Abstract: Industry 4.0 has revolutionised supply chain management by facilitating the digitisation of processes and smart decision-making. The role of Industry 4.0 in supply chain management has attracted research attention in recent years. This study examines the conceptual and intellectual structure of Industry 4.0 research in the supply chain in the current literature using a bibliometric analysis performed by VOSviewer software. The items “Industry 4.0” and “supply chain” are connected by co-occurrence, citation or co-citation linkages, providing visualization of scientific maps. Based on the significant increase in the number of papers since 2018, the most relevant clusters and the most cited articles have been analysed. Among the most researched topics, we found the relationship of Industry 4.0 in the development of a more sustainable supply chain, highlighting its relationship with the circular economy. It has also delved into the implementation of the same through smart technologies such as Blockchain. Industry 4.0 has not only improved the exchange of information between actors in the supply chain, but also facilitated the extraction of value from this information. This paper provides insights to understand the scientific literature on the field to help researchers in future studies, taking into account the main contributions to the topic and its main limitations.