Analyzing the impact of digital technologies in supply chain management: a discrete event simulation-based case study

This paper presents a new approach based on a discrete event simulation to model and simulate the impacts of Digital technologies in supply chain management. A supply chain consists of different elements, like suppliers, distributors, manufacturers, retailers and customers. Based on situation, these elements interact with each other, which will generally increase the complexity of the system. To reduce the complexity, a discrete event-driven adaptation of the supply chain model is introduced in the integrated setting on RFID and blockchain technology which focuses on the consequences of digital intervention in inventory management and lead time reduction. A simulation model of the supply chain has been built with the object-oriented discrete event simulation framework without blockchain, and then compared to its counterpart using blockchain. The findings from our discrete event model indicate a significant improvement in supply chain lead time due to the implementation of blockchain technology. Additionally, key metrics such as the percentage of late orders and total orders have shown notable enhancements. Digitalization through blockchain and RFID technologies streamlined supplier lead times and improved product sell at the retail level, contributing to a more efficient supply chain. The proposed solution will help supply chain managers in opting for blockchain technology.