Supply Chain 4.0 Hub
About
The Supply Chain 4.0 Hub aims to advance cutting-edge research on how emerging technologies are transforming global supply chains. The Hub explores key research themes such as how 3D printing is shortening global supply chains and bringing manufacturing closer to the consumer.
We investigate how BlockChain technology is enhancing the traceability of end-to-end supply chains; providing firms with visibility of unethical supply chain practices such as the use of modern slavery and conflict minerals. Other research streams include the use of data analytics and Big Data to enhance forecast accuracy and reduce inventory holding.
The Hub works closely with industry partners including companies in pharmaceuticals, automotive and aerospace to develop robust supply chain solutions that capitalise on Industry 4.0 technologies.
Research themes
Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning in Supply Chains: Royston Morgan
Additive Manufacturing and the re-distribution of production: Sam Roscoe
Automated and Flexible Manufacturing Systems: Maria Holgado
Frugal Innovation and the Disruption of Healthcare: Maria Restuccia, Piera Morlacch and Dimitra Petrakaki
Environmental and Social Innovation in the Supply Chain (Sussex Sustainability Research Programme): Anthony Alexander and Izabela Delabre.
Projects
We’re involved in these projects:
The Re-Distributed Manufacturing in Healthcare Network
Education Partnership for Promoting High-Value Manufacturing Supply Chain Systems
Featured research on Supply Chain 4.0 topics
- 2022
Consultation response submitted to the DEFRA consultation on due diligence for forest risk commodities
Anthony Alexander (March 2022)
European Space Agency grant on data systems for supply chain traceabilityAnthony Alexander
Industry Dive PodcastSam Roscoe
Discussed how Covid-19 has disrupted SME supply chains and the importance of working capital and liquidity in global supply chains (Jan 15th, 2022). Podcast in partnership with American Express.
Forthcoming PublicationAlexander, Walker, and Delabre (2022) A decision theory perspective on wicked problems, SDGs and stakeholders: the case of deforestation, Journal of Business Ethics (forthcoming).
- 2021
Can digital technology prevent supply chain disruptions?
Sam Roscoe
(Oct 7th, 2021)
Journal Publication - Scopus CiteScore 6.05 - Top 95% - 4 on the ABS listFosso Wamba, S, Queiroz, M. Roscoe, S., Phillips, W., Kaplieta, D. Azadegan, A (2021) “" – Special Issue Guest Editorial International Journal of Operations and Production Management, DOI 10.1108/IJOPM-07-2021-0481.
- 2020
Innovation driven by necessity – Why flexibility and transformation are key for manufacturers to deliver in uncertain times
Sam Roscoe provided the Preface for the Research Insight Report
Delaware Consulting Research insight report (July 7th, 2020)
The future of UK supply chains in a disrupted world: Brexit and Covid-19Sam Roscoe
(19 May 2020)
Supply Chain 4.0 – How emerging technologies are reconfiguring global supplySam Roscoe
(24 February 2020)
Engaging in supply chain horizontal collaboration to alleviate the disruptive impact of COVID-19 on food and medical supply chainMohammed Talal M Alnashri
(24 June 2020)
Members
Senior Lecturer in Operations Management at the ÄûÃÊÊÓƵ Business School (USBS)
His research interests are related to how 3D printing is reconfiguring global supply chains and bringing manufacturing closer to the consumer. Samuel has conducted research projects on additive manufacturing development and implementation at Rolls-Royce and in the Pharmaceutical Industry with GSK, AstraZeneca, Pfizer and Merck Serono. Samuel has published on the topic of Re-distributed Manufacturing in Production Planning and Control and has a publication forthcoming on Digital Manufacturing in the Journal of Operations Management
Professor of Operations and Logistics Management & Supply Chains at the ÄûÃÊÊÓƵ Business School.
Nachi has secured and successfully completed projects worth of £408,370, including food, automotive, transport and service sectors, in the UK, Turkey, China, and India. His recent project on food supply chain investigated the role of blockchain to reduce food loss among stakeholders in Turkey. Nachi’s research areas are technology-enabled operations and marketing interface, sustainable supply chains, risk and resilience and performance measurement. His media article on delivery drones published by China Daily and LSE Business Review blog on Social media and successful retail operations in the hyper-customisation era are quite popular.
Professor in Operations Management at the ÄûÃÊÊÓƵ Business School and Associate Dean Research.
In addition, he’s the part-time endowed Kronos Group Chair in Strategic Sourcing at UCLouvain, Belgium. Constantin works on emerging innovations in the supply chain context, specifically in the field of sourcing. This includes using technology for managing supply chain risks and sustainability along multi-tier supply chains (e.g. conflict minerals), but also the opportunity to leverage supplier innovation. Constantin is also Co-Editor in Chief of the International Journal of Operations & Production Management and co-owner of two tech companies that create innovative solutions in the supply chain arena ( and ).
Senior Lecturer in Operations Management with a strong research focus on Sustainable Supply Chain Management.
His work includes the consideration of new technologies to increase the traceability and transparency in global supply chains and to enhance due diligence for sustainability and corporate social responsibility. His study on due diligence in the area of conflict minerals has been published in the top-ranked Journal of Business Ethics. Besides, he has been working on compensated research projects for Global Witness on conflict minerals (£15k) and for the WWF on animal wildlife trafficking in maritime supply chains ($30k). Together with Constantin Blome, he is currently working on a compensated research project for the OECD on sharing the costs and value of supply chain due diligence in the case of conflict minerals (€15k).
Lecturer in Operations Management and former ESRC Research Fellow for Sustainable Supply Chain Management.
Work on new technology as an enabler of sustainability and ethics includes blockchain in pharmaceutical logistics, smart city applications, satellite applications and agricultural supply chains, and analytics for closed-loop supply chains. His work on complexity in decision analysis has been published in the top-ranked International Journal of Operations and Production Management. He is currently leading a £65k project on supply chains and deforestation, with Dr Izabela Delabre, including exploration of mobile for development and citizen science.
Lecturer in Operations Management at the ÄûÃÊÊÓƵ Business School (USBS).
Her work concerns innovations in operations and supply chains for more sustainable and better performing products and services. She investigates how technologies, such as internet of things (IoT), 3D printing, big data, and cyber-physical systems (CPS) can enable higher value opportunities for the creation and delivery of industrial products and services, and how to integrate environmental and social aspects in technology opportunity evaluations.
Professor of International Business, and Director of Research & Knowledge Exchange, in the Department of Strategy & Marketing.
He is a former President of the European International Business Academy (EIBA). His research focuses on four main areas of International Business: the effects of corporate governance factors on foreign direct investment (FDI) decisions and upon firm performance; the determinants of MNE subsidiary location; the reasons for, and the implications of, the growing trend towards the outsourcing of primary activities and the ‘externalisation of production’ in global value chains; and the impact of new digital technologies on international business theory and practice. He is an Associate Editor of the International Business Review and a Senior Editor of the Asia Pacific Journal of Management.
Lecturer in Marketing at the ÄûÃÊÊÓƵ Business School (USBS)
Her research interests are in Business-to-Business Marketing, at the interface between innovation and channel management. Maria has published on the role of distribution intermediaries in innovation in the Journal of Product Innovation Management.
- Iu Tusell
Phd Student in Operations Management at the ÄûÃÊÊÓƵ Business School
His PhD research, supervised by Dr. Martin C. Schleper and Prof. Constantin Blome, focuses on power imbalances in Multi-Stakeholder Initiatives and how these can lead to sustainability risks along the supply chain. He also has interest in Corporate Social Responsibility, Conflict Minerals and Modern Slavery and collaborates with different organisations concerned about conflicts between Multinational Companies and Human Rights.