Formalising product deletion across the supply chain: blockchain technology as a relational governance mechanism

Abstract

Companies manage their product portfolios to create value. Products and associated materials are important flows that link supply chains entities from upstream to downstream. Product deletion is a critical decision in product portfolio management. Current product management literature has predominantly targeted product proliferation, growth, and extension. Product deletion research is relatively and severely limited. Product deletion decisions are less appealing to managers; often due to significant operational changes and disruptions deletion creates within the firm and along the supply chain. Quality information and data can support sound product deletion decision making. Blockchain technology is a valuable tool that can effectively address information governance challenges in supply chains. To this end, we theoretically position blockchain technology as a governance mechanism supporting supply chain relational governance using relational view theory. This paper provides insights into the practice of blockchain and product deletion within a supply chain context. Theoretical and managerial implications are provided as we seek to link supply chain-related product deletion decision processes within blockchain technology supported information governance. There are promising potentials in both fields, Additional research development is needed to effectively manage in this environment and has broader implications for product portfolio management in the supply chain.

KEYWORDS:

• Product deletion
• supply chain governance
• blockchain technology
• relational view
• product rationalization

Disclosure statement

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

Data availability statement

Data sharing is not applicable to this article as no new data were created or analyzed in this study.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Qingyun Zhu

Qingyun Zhu is an Assistant Professor of Management Science in the College of Business at the University of Alabama in Huntsville. She holds a Ph.D. in Operations Management from Worcester Polytechnic Institute. Her research focuses on sustainable supply chain management, product elimination/deletion and blockchain technology. She is a member of the Academy of Management, the Decision Sciences Institute, and the Production and Operations Management Society.

Mahtab Kouhizadeh

Mahtab Kouhizadeh is an Assistant Professor of Supply Chain Management in the College of Business at the University of Rhode Island. She holds a Ph.D. in Operations Management from Worcester Polytechnic Institute. Her research focuses on Supply Chain Management, Blockchain Technology, Network Optimization, and Sustainability. She has authored several peer-reviewed journal publications, book chapters and conference proceedings. She is a member of the Academy of Management, the Institute for Operations Research and the Management Sciences, Production and Operations Management Society, and Decision Sciences Institute.

Joseph Sarkis

Joseph Sarkis is a Professor in the Business School at Worcester Polytechnic Institute. His research and teaching are in the areas of operations, supply chain, technology, and sustainability management. He has been a highly cited scholar for many years with over 500 publications. He is also an international scholar at the Hanken School of Economics.