Chapter 1 Introduction
1.1 CONTEXT OF THE RESEARCH
Technological advancement in the last decade is experiencing maturity at a breakneck speed. Technology advancements such as the Internet of Things (IoT), Cloud Computing, and Artificial Intelligence (AI), Cyber-Physical Systems (CPS), Physical Internet, to name a few, have pervaded all sectors of businesses contributing to improving the standard and quality of human existence. One cannot discuss the latest and advancement of technology in the last decade without the mention of blockchain technology.
Supply chain efficiency is one of the most talked-about topics in supply chain management literature, and blockchain has been described as a technology that has the potential to enhance supply chain performance in areas including transparency, accountability, trust management, protection, and cost management.
Current implementation of blockchain-based supply chain management frameworks is deficient in terms of addressing the integrity of product data stored on the blockchain. Also, traceability functions implemented in existing frameworks exclude the end consumer hence, not satisfying the need of product origin traceability of end consumers. It is therefore expedient that blockchain-based supply chain management frameworks consider the integrity of product data on chain and provide traceability capabilities for the end consumer.
In this research work, a general purpose blockchain-based supply chain management framework is proposed that guarantees product data integrity backed up with digital certification and ensures traceability functions for the end consumer.
.....................
1.2 INSPIRATION FOR THE RESEARCH
Blockchain is slowly but steadily infiltrating all areas of life and enterprise, and Logistics and Supply Chain Management industry is no exception. The supply chain business oversees transporting a wide variety of goods from one location to another. The recent covid19 pandemic has exposed the shortcomings of existing supply chain management frameworks being plagued with issues of inconsistencies, information asymmetry, lack of full visibility, and transparency.
For its disruptive tendencies and benefits of being secured, immutable, transparent, and decentralized, blockchain in the logistics and supply chain management field is gaining popularity in academia and among industry practitioners. Blockchain's inherent properties make it an excellent match for the logistics and supply chain industries. However, in the supply chain industry, one big factor that has been overlooked is the question of data authenticity and integrity of the product data anchored on-chain.
The data immutability feature of blockchain though an advantage to the logistic and supply chain sector raises the concern of how the data can be trusted knowing that once data gets uploaded to the blockchain it cannot be deleted. Therefore,&nbs
