Eduardo Machado

This study fills a crucial gap in the research on Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs), with the main objective of proposing a framework to support the integration of Industry 4.0 (I4.0) and sustainability into the supply chains of MSMEs. This integration is accomplished by people, process, and technology (PPT) mechanisms, all while adopting the triple bottom line (TBL) perspective. A mixed-method approach was employed for this study, which included a scoping review of 147 publications, expert panels, focus groups, and a survey with 55 valid responses. The findings identified 32 key indicators linked to the primary barriers and enablers of I4.0 and sustainability integration (S-I4.0) in MSMEs’ supply chains. This study also highlighted the dominant barriers and enablers within the PPT mechanisms and TBL dimensions, and their causal relationships and influences. The results were synthesized into a novel S-I4.0 framework, separately applied to Micro and Small Enterprises (MSEs) and Medium Enterprises (MEs) due to company size-related variations. This study offers valuable insights for academics and provides practical guidelines to assist MSMEs in integrating I4.0 and sustainability into their supply chains. An important contribution concerns to the need to treat MSEs and MEs differently. These research results provide relevant and novel guidance for MSEs and MEs to accelerate the S-I4.0 adoption process, with an immediate impact on their supply chains.

The integration of Industry 4.0 (I4.0) and sustainability in supply chains emerged as a relevant topic and, therefore, has attracted the interest of academics and practitioners. Many barriers challenge this integration, and enablers to overcome these barriers need to be understood. Micro, Small & Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) have many difficulties to overcome these barriers and successfully implement this integration. Moreover, solutions for larger enterprises do not necessarily fit MSMEs, which reinforces the need to investigate the topic further. Within this context, the goals of this paper are: (i) to identify the main barriers and enablers to integrate I4.0 and sustainability in supply chains of MSMEs and (ii) to analyze the influence among these barriers and enablers, identifying the most prominent ones. A convergent parallel multimethod approach is adopted, first embracing a scoping review to identify main barriers, enablers, and associated categories. Then, conducting a panel of experts with 25 specialists in two rounds to refine and classify the identified barriers and enablers towards the perspective of MSMEs. Finally, two focus group discussions are added using the fuzzy logic and DEMATEL methods to obtain the inter-relationship of barriers and enablers for MSMEs. Research findings reveal eight barriers, eight enablers, and their respective cause-effect relationship, which are expected to help MSMEs managers and decision-makers better understand and implement the integration between I4.0 and sustainability in their supply chains. Results are discussed in eleven research propositions and four propositions for practitioners and policymakers.

Goal: the main goal of this article is to offer a preliminary Context Mechanism Outcome (CMO) model for sustainable logistics incorporating the HTO (Human, Technological and Organizational) dimensions. Design / Methodology / Approach: The research is based on a scoping review following a well-known five step approach: identification of the research question and of relevant studies, selection of studies; results´ analysis and grouping, summarizing, and presenting the results. Results: The relationships between the HTO dimensions, as well as their interplay, proved to be important for the success of sustainable logistics, in addition to providing relevant contributions to the economic, social and environmental performance of companies. The results generated from the HTO interactions, within the context of sustainable logistics, are ecological and environmental performance, economic financial performance and social performance. Research findings also indicate the lack of studies in logistics that incorporate the HTO dimensions, from the perspective of Triple Bottom Line (TBL). Limitations of the investigation: The scoping review is based on two data bases (Scopus and Web of Science) with a limited number of combinations of themes and search keywords. Practical implications: The proposal of a sustainable logistics management artifact can encourage practitioners to implement this practice towards making sustainable logistics a tool capable of creating value for their organizations. Originality / Value: The research aids the development of sustainable logistics management artifacts to encourage the dissemination of the incorporation of HTO dimensions, from the perspective of TBL, to incentive further research and practical implementations in real-life settings.