Blockchain Technology in the field of Supply Chain Management

Abstract

The blockchain is an emerging technology which has recently been generalized to many areas with huge potential. Its operating mode fits perfectly in the supply chains, regardless their sector. Normally, they comprise all the procedures and activities from the picking of the raw material to the final delivery of the product. Some of the worries are the traceability of products, inventory management, quality control and deadline fulfillment. The solution to many of the problems in these areas can be found in the use of the blockchain technology, as it permits not only improving the velocity of the products delivery to the client, but also assure the traceability, to ensure an excellent quality control, a good data transference and information security. This research assignment focuses in the study and knowledge of the functions and potentialities of the blockchain technology and shows which business procedures can enjoy the potential underlying the technology. To answer the questions suggested in this paper, it was analysed study cases by sectors, business procedures and the potential of the application of the blockchain technology in the management of the supply chain. In the evaluation of this potential, it was used the SCOR model to understand the existing procedures and, later, it was made an individual study to the categories and their procedures to analyse the difficulties and necessities. After that, the difficulties and necessities of each processes category were studied. Thus, it was possible to qualify the importance and carry out a matching between the difficulties and/ or necessities of each process and the potential of using the blockchain technology. In the end, it was concluded that the blockchain technology can act on different sectors, companies and business procedures. After a reflection on the analysis made and the conclusion that each company presents procedures with different importance, it was made a simulator, so that any company which is organised with the SCOR model can analyse its processes and reflect on the potential of using the blockchain technology