Blockchain and the Supply Chain: Concepts, Strategies and Practical Applications

Blockchain can transform companies, if it is successfully integrated into existing supply chain ecosystems and practices. Some of the key benefits are dispute resolution, foolproof track and trace, event management, operational as well as financial transparency, speed to market, visibility, elimination of heavy reliance on intermediary, integration of IoT technology, machine learning, and artificial intelligence.

Blockchain and the Supply Chain highlights how blockchain can enable opportunities within the end-to-end supply chain. The team of authors look at the evolution of the network, systems and finance, as well as basics of blockchain such as peer-to-peer transactions, consensus based algorithms and smart contracts. They include cases which highlight the opportunities within the different nodes of systems, sales and operations planning and provide practical examples from specific supply chains, such as the movement of temperature controlled goods, dry goods and precious commodities, as well as general cargo flow. Blockchain and the Supply Chain examines the business case for blockchain, including increased efficiency of transactions. It also covers the broader set of technologies relevant to supply chain, such as IoT, Big Data and Cyber Security basics and the capabilities they offer.