Post-pandemic supply chains embrace digital transformation and sustainability

The analysis highlights that while operational efficiency was the main driver of digital transformation pre-2020, the pandemic forced a shift toward resilience, agility, and sustainability. Approximately two-thirds of organizations studied significantly increased investments in digital tools during the pandemic, transitioning from isolated technological deployments to integrated digital ecosystems.

Digitization is no longer optional; it has become a strategic imperative. In the context of global supply chains, digitization accelerated rapidly between 2020 and 2024, propelled by the COVID-19 pandemic, with sustainability emerging as a key priority. A bibliometric analysis "Digital Transformation and Sustainability in Post-Pandemic Supply Chains: A Global Bibliometric Analysis of Technological Evolution and Research Patterns (2020–2024)" published in Sustainability provides the first comprehensive, large-scale overview of research trends, technological advancements, and regional collaborations in post-pandemic supply chain digitization.

Led by Gary Farfán Chilicaus and colleagues across Latin American institutions, the study analyzed 500 academic papers from Scopus, Web of Science, and ScienceDirect using the PRISMA protocol and VOSviewer for bibliometric mapping. It found that technologies such as big data, artificial intelligence (AI), blockchain, and the Internet of Things (IoT) played a pivotal role in the post-pandemic adaptation of logistics networks.

The analysis highlights that while operational efficiency was the main driver of digital transformation pre-2020, the pandemic forced a shift toward resilience, agility, and sustainability. Approximately two-thirds of organizations studied significantly increased investments in digital tools during the pandemic, transitioning from isolated technological deployments to integrated digital ecosystems.

Sustainability emerged as the most influential keyword in the literature. Researchers documented a conceptual shift from environmental concerns to broader frameworks that include operational and systemic efficiency. From optimizing energy use in digital infrastructure to reducing emissions through algorithmic route planning, sustainability has become a strategic imperative.

Three major clusters were identified in the co-citation network: the green cluster, led by Gunasekaran and Angappa, focused on digital maturity and supply chain management; the red cluster, led by Rahman and Muhammad Saddiq, addressed the practical implementation of 4.0 technologies; and the blue cluster, under Calatayud and Rodriguez, explored innovation and organizational adaptation.

A temporal analysis of keywords revealed a clear evolution in thematic focus. In 2020–2021, research was dominated by terms related to crisis response and resilience. In 2022–2023, sustainability, blockchain, and IoT gained traction. By 2023–2024, the focus had matured to encompass the circular economy and AI integration, reflecting an increasingly strategic outlook.

The study also exposed critical gaps. Only 15% of blockchain-related studies included empirical evidence, with 85% remaining theoretical. There is a notable underrepresentation of research from emerging markets, a lack of longitudinal studies on digital impact, and an absence of standardized methods for evaluating sustainability in digitized supply chains.

In response, the authors proposed an integrative framework across three dimensions: technological (adoption and integration), organizational (change management and competence development), and sustainable (impact metrics and resource optimization). They also introduced an evaluation rubric measuring methodological rigor (30%), thematic relevance (25%), data quality (25%), and field contribution (20%).

Geographically, China, the United States, and India formed the dominant triangle in global research output, while institutions in Germany, Denmark, Vietnam, and India led in sustainability and AI integration. Latin America showed growing participation through nodes in Brazil, Mexico, and Peru, but Africa and the Middle East remained largely absent.

Collaboration intensity was highest between China and the U.S., followed by the UK-China and Germany-U.S. dyads. European countries displayed dense intra-regional connections. Asia showed both regional cohesion and global outreach. India emerged as a rising node, indicating strategic investment in global partnerships.

Industry-specific evidence pointed to successful AI and Industry 4.0 implementations in manufacturing, logistics, and retail. Firms that adopted phased, holistic transformation strategies showed higher success rates. Factors such as leadership support, infrastructure investment, and organizational competence were key enablers.

In terms of publisher influence, journals focusing on engineering, logistics, forecasting, and enterprise systems dominated the co-citation landscape. Publications related to sustainability and electronics journals were also central nodes, underscoring the multidisciplinary nature of digital transformation.

The researchers called for future studies to address cybersecurity in interconnected supply chains, deepen AI and machine learning applications in sustainable logistics, and enhance human-centric approaches to change management. They emphasized the importance of international collaboration and equitable research representation.

While the post-pandemic push toward digitization has laid a solid foundation, the authors warn that uneven implementation, lack of empirical depth, and regional research gaps could limit global resilience and adaptability. The field, they conclude, is maturing into one where digital innovation and sustainability are inseparable.