Big Data Supply Chain Analytics (BDSCA): Ethical, Privacy and Security challenges posed to business, industries and society

This study conducted a comprehensive review of big data supply chain analytics (BDSCA). The paper explored the application of big data in supply chain management and its benefits for organisations and society. The paper also examined the ethical, security, privacy and operational challenges of big data techniques, as well as the potential reputational damages to businesses. The review outlined four principal facets, namely: Big data analytics, applications, ethics and privacy issues, and how organizations employed this emerging tool to anticipate and even predict the future and direct their operations. These principle facets are built across the multiple levels and unique conceptual standpoints indicated by 7 themes and 14 sub-themes. These themes were generated based on 120 articles (2005−2020) drawn mainly from leading academic journals. Overall, there is a considerable consensus across current literature that big data analytics extend far beyond just reinventing the supply chain. It has the potential to support more responsive next-generation of global companies who are operating in an increasingly challenging and uncertain environment

Agile Manufacturing: an evolutionary review of practices

Academics and practitioners have long acknowledged the importance of agile manufacturing and related supply chains in achieving firm sustainable competitiveness. However, limited, if any, research has focused on the evolution of practices within agile manufacturing supply chains and how these are related to competitive performance objectives. To address this gap, we reviewed the literature on agile manufacturing drawing on evolution of manufacturing agility, attributes of agile manufacturing, the drivers of agile manufacturing, and the identification of the enabling competencies deployable for agile manufacturing. Our thesis is that agile manufacturing is at the centre of achieving sustainable competitive advantage, especially in light of current unprecedented market instability coupled with complex customer requirements. In this regard, the emphasis which agile manufacturing places on responsive adaptability would counter the destabilising influence of competitive pressures on organisations performance criteria. We have identified five enabling competencies as the agility enablers and practices of agile manufacturing, that is, transparent customisation, agile supply chains, intelligent automation, total employee empowerment and technology integration, and further explored their joint deployment to create positive multiplier effects. Future research directions were also provided with respect to operationalisation of the five identified enablers and the potential for emergent technologies of big data, blockchain, and Internet of Things to shape future agile manufacturing practices

Data-Driven Technologies for Global Healthcare Practices and COVID-19: Opportunities and Challenges

This paper discusses the applications of data-driven technologies in managing healthcare data services and information systems, as well as how they stimulate innovations to bring major improvements in the industry. The study explores the novel applications of digital technologies such Big Data, AI, 3D Printing, and Blockchain and the most challenging parts of data security, privacy, and interoperability in healthcare organisations. Whilst the number of articles on this subject have been steadily increasing owing to the sweeping health crisis of COVID-19 Pandemic, there is absence of systematic literature review that comprehensively explored the existing and potential applications of these digital data-driven innovations in response to the pandemic, and in handling healthcare data services. The review outlined six principal facets namely: hospitals practices, clinical services, patients’ home, nursing homes, rural areas, and anywhere, which provided the useful insights and the journey involved in the emergence of data-driven technologies for healthcare Practices. These facets are built across the multiple levels and unique conceptual standpoints indicated by 10 sub-themes. These themes were generated based on 77 articles (2010-2022) drawn from 40 leading Journals. Overall, there is a considerable consensus across current literature that digital data-driven technologies extend far beyond mitigating the significant impacts of coronavirus on healthcare industry. They have the potential to support and provide more responsive digital solutions to the data management crises that industry has been characterised, such as high demands of rising aging populations with chronic diseases, child mortality and potential impacts of pandemics

Data-driven technologies for global healthcare practices and COVID-19: opportunities and challenges

This paper discusses the applications of data-driven technologies in managing healthcare data services and information systems, as well as how they stimulate innovations to bring major improvements in the industry. The study explores the novel applications of digital technologies such as Big Data, AI, 3D Printing, and Blockchain and the most challenging parts of data security, privacy, and interoperability in healthcare organisations. Whilst the number of articles on this subject have been steadily increasing owing to the sweeping health crisis of COVID-19 Pandemic, there is absence of systematic literature review that comprehensively explored the existing and potential applications of these digital data-driven innovations in response to the pandemic, and in handling healthcare data services. The review outlined six principal facets namely: hospitals practices, clinical services, patients’ home, nursing homes, rural areas, and anywhere, which provided the useful insights and the journey involved in the emergence of data-driven technologies for healthcare Practices. These facets are built across the multiple levels and unique conceptual standpoints indicated by 10 sub-themes. These themes were generated based on 77 articles (2010–2022) drawn from 40 leading Journals. Overall, there is a considerable consensus across current literature that digital data-driven technologies extend far beyond mitigating the significant impacts of coronavirus on healthcare industry. They have the potential to support and provide more responsive digital solutions to the data management crises that industry has been characterised, such as high demands of rising aging populations with chronic diseases, child mortality and potential impacts of pandemics

A study of the diffusion of agility and cluster competitiveness in the oil and gas supply chains

In the oil and gas industry, pressures persist on organisations to master and profit from the energy and allied environmental challenges facing the world. This can be achieved through enhanced operational efficiency, responsiveness, resilience and reliability characteristic of an agile organisation. These issues as well as the role of clusters as a strategy for economic exploitation of oil and gas resources are explored in this paper. Further, the paper looks at the diffusion of agility in the oil and gas industry and examines, empirically, the agility advantage, competitiveness gain and performance benefits of cluster members over non-members. Our results suggest that clusters enhance and enable higher levels of agile practices. However, whilst prior studies seem to suggest that clusters have positive impacts on competitiveness and performance, our findings indicate that there is no strong empirical basis to make a direct link between clusters and competitiveness, at least in the oil and gas industry. It follows from this that the universality of the attribution of competitiveness to clusters as espoused by the proponents of cluster theory is questionable and empirical evidence certainly does not support their position in the context of the oil and gas clusters