Blockchain Mechanisms for Supply Chain Resilience: A Systematic Review of Post-2020 Applications in High-Risk Industries
Abstract
Blockchain technology serves as a veritable tool that enhances resilience in supply chains amidst disruptions, as failure can affect human life, public health, and national security. This study reviewed and synthesized articles on blockchain mechanisms for supply chain resilience in high-risk industries post-2020. The Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) framework was adopted for the study, and narrative synthesis was employed for the analysis. The analysis showed that research on blockchain applications has increased since 2020, with the highest publications in 2025. The results revealed that the dominant blockchain mechanisms enhancing supply chain resilience are smart contracts and distributed ledger technology. It was also revealed that trust and compliance, traceability and sustainability, and security and fraud prevention are the impacts of blockchain on supply chain resilience in high-risk industries. For the cross-sector analysis, smart contracts are mostly used in the food, energy, healthcare, and pharmaceuticals industries, while distributed ledger is deployed in the aviation sector. Adoption and organisational, technical limitations, and interoperability and standards are the major barriers hindering blockchain adoption in the supply chain. The review presents blockchain as a trust infrastructure that experts can adopt in high-risk industries for supply chain resilience and operational continuity.
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