Big data supply chain analytics: ethical, privacy and security challenges posed to business, industries and society

Abstract

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.

Keywords:

• Big data
• business analytics
• Industry 4.0
• ethical issues
• supply chain management

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Nnamdi Johnson Ogbuke

Dr. Nnamdi Ogbuke is a researcher in Logistics and Supply Chain Management at University of Central Lancashire. He has published papers in areas of Agile and Sustainable Practices in industries, Big Data Supply Chain Analytics and Artificial Intelligence. He presented papers at international conferences around the world. Before entering academia, Nnamdi worked internationally in a biopharmaceutical industry as a process analyst and in UK retail sector.

Yahaya Y. Yusuf

Yahaya Yusuf is the Director of the Institute of Logistics and Operations Management. His main research interests are in agile manufacturing, supply chain agility, sustainable operations and supply chains and decision support systems. He has published in a number of well-established journals including the International Journal of Operations and Production Management, International Journal of Production Economics, and European Journal of Operational Research. His research has been supported by grants from the Engineering and Physical Science Research Council (EPSRC) and industry. He serves on the international advisory boards of a number of academic conferences. He was the founding Editor-in-Chief of the International Journal of Agile Systems and Management and currently on the editorial boards of the International Journal of Logistics Systems and Management, Benchmarking: An International Journal and a member of the EPSRC Peer Review College.

Kovvuri Dharma

Dharma Kovvuri is Dean of UCLan Burnley Campus and holds responsibility for developing UCLan's academic courses and business engagement in East Lancashire. He is also the Director of Business Development, International and Partnerships in Lancashire School of Business and Enterprise. Dharma has 25 years’ experience of working in Higher Education and held various roles in the Business School and was previously Dean of the Business School from 2008–2015. Prior to that he was Head of Undergraduate Programmes, before becoming Associate Dean (International) when he gained substantial experience in building international partnerships which he continues as an academic adviser to Sino-British Applied Industry Relevant programme in China.  More recently he has become involved in the development of degree apprenticeship programmes in a range of areas including business, professional and engineering sectors. He is working on the academic integration of UCLan and Training 2000 (apprenticeship training company). At a regional level Dharma is a committee member of the Institute of Directors, Lancashire Branch and leads on higher-level skills and integration with universities. At a national level he is the Vice-Chair for Degree Apprenticeship Working Group for Chartered Association of Business Schools. Dharma’s research interests include manufacturing and retailing logistics and adoption of new technologies especially Big Data and Business Analytics.

Burcu A. Mercangoz

Burcu Adiguzel Mercangoz was born in İstanbul in 1980. She got an Associate Professor of Quantitative Methods degree in May, 2018 from Inter-University Council in Turkey. She is a graduate of the Business Administration from Istanbul University. Then, Dr. A. Mercangoz began her master studies in Quantitative Methods in the Institute of Social Sciences at Istanbul University in 2003 and has held a master degree with a dissertation of ‘The Effective Usage of Logistics Information Systems in the Logistics Firms’ in 2005. While doing her master, Dr. A. Mercangoz commenced her academic career as a research and teaching assistant for the Faculty of Transportation&Logistics at Istanbul University in 2004. Following her master’s graduation, Dr. A. Mercangoz began her Ph. D. studies in Quantitative Methods at the same University in 2005. She has held a Ph.D. with a dissertation of ‘Network Models and An Application in Supply Chain Network Optimization’ since 2010. Dr. A. Mercangoz, now she is a faculty member of Istanbul University Faculty of Transportation & Logistics. Her main research interests are optimization, multi-criteria decision making and information systems. Dr. A. Mercangöz speaks English. She is married and has two children.