Blockchain Technology and its Role in Enhancing Supply Chain Integration Capability and Reducing Carbon Emission: A Conceptual Framework

Most current blockchain and carbon emission studies are from engineering and sciences disciplines. By incorporating blockchain technology into supply chain integration capabilities, the firms are be able to work collaboratively with each other to enhance the supply chain integration and simultaneously reduce the carbon emission in a supply chain. This paper presents a conceptual framework to understand the role of blockchain in a low carbon supply chain management. Applying the Socio-Technical Theory and Resource-Based View, the research propositions between blockchain, supply chain integration capability and carbon emission are proposed in the research framework. The results indicate that the blockchain technology may be viewed as a strategic management approach to enhance supply chain integration and reduce the carbon emissions. In addition, it may be adopted as an operational tool to track carbon footprint, streamline processes and improve efficiency of carbon management to minimize the overall emissions in supply chains. The paper contributes to the blockchain literature and its applications in low carbon supply chain management and provides recommendation for future research.