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Industry 4.0 Technologies Impact on Supply Chain Sustainability
2. Systematic literature review
2.3 Content analysis
Network analysis can be used to perform a wide range of design tasks for green distribution processes including facility location and routing. These design tasks are essential to creating a sustainable and green distribution system, where the optimal location of distribution centers has a great impact on the energy efficiency and green- house gas emission of transportation processes [19, 20]. The greening process can be influenced both on the managerial and operational levels [21].
The risk evaluation plays an important role in the operation of green distribution networks because in an uncertain environment the performance of the distribution processes can be influenced by the results of forecasting and super positioning of customers’demands and other system parameters. This importance of risk evaluation is discussed in the case of agricultural products in a cold chain logistics solution, where the perspective of the ecological economy is taken into consideration [22] and it is shown, that the logistics mechanism of distribution processes can be improved by permanent improvement and supervision of logistics intermodal mechanism. Fuzzy models are also used to solve design and operation problems of green distribution problems in an uncertain environment [23].
The coordinated optimization of the complex system of green distribution networks shows a suitable way to take a wide range of influencing factors into consideration while optimizing the green supply chain because the complex model of the green supply chain defines different layers such as a layer of distributors, producers, and customers, and the coordinated optimization model plays the parameters and influencing factors of these players of the distribution network into consideration [24].
The analysis of action mechanism of cross-border supply chain solutions shows, that in the case of large geographical area the establishment of green supply chain models for green distribution has remarkable importance for the implementation and development of the green supply chain [25].
The design and operation of green distribution systems can be also described as an optimization problem of inventory routing problems, where the bi-objective optimi- zation of both inventory costs and fuel consumption using mixed-integer linear pro- gramming can lead to an efficient green distribution [26]. Another approach focuses on a stochastic model, which takes profit, service level, and environmental impact as green criteria into consideration [5]. This is a new way of solving inventory routing problems because in recent decades these problems were focused only on economic performance and service level, shortages, delivery delays, and environmental foot- print were not considered.
Investigations focusing on the relationships between proactive environmental strat- egy, green supply chain solutions, and performances of logistics providers show, that the environmental impact can be positively influenced by eco-efficiency and eco-branding through green distribution, inventory management, and reverse processes [27, 28].
Research results show, that e-tailers, third party service providers, and consumers have a great impact on the greening process of distribution, therefore it is important to involve all of these players in the optimization process of distribution networks and build a close communication between them [29], and strengthen green supply chain coordination system [30].
Cities as major population centers represent supply chain solutions with a high density of distribution operations, therefore in urban regions, the greening of last- mile logistics operations is especially important, especially from the health of resi- dents’point of view [31]. Another approach to greening distribution processes in the field of urban planning focuses on the assessment of the impact of the urban intelli- gent transportation system on the success of the green supply chain management
system. The study validated the hypothesis that an urban intelligent transportation system, knowledge of manufacturers, and business processes have a great positive impact on the success of green supply chain management (green distribution) in the case of agricultural products [32].
The interconnection and hyperconnection of supply chains represent a special problem for supply chain management because transferring products between the centers of different supply chains can cause waiting queues and high environmental pollution. Research focusing on the design of forward and reverse logistics of
hyperconnected supply chains shows, that the integrated optimization of queuing problems and transportation networks can lead to the reduction of environmental impact [3]. Other integrated approaches for the optimization of distribution processes focus on the multi-echelon location routing problem, where genetic algorithm and dynamic island model-based heuristics is used to minimize the energy costs associated with transportation [33]. Using a mixed-integer programming model to solve a large- scale integrated location-routing problem with genetic algorithm and particle swarm heuristics, it is possible to optimize the number and location of cross-docking facilities in green distribution processes [34].
The application of just-in-time philosophy can improve the efficiency of both manufacturing systems and whole supply chains. As research results in the case of return vehicle supply chains show, the just-in-time model can support the greening processes of conventional solutions to improve environmental awareness and reduce environmental impact of distribution processes [35].
The practices of green supply chain management influence not only the environ- mental effect of distribution processes, but they have a great impact on organizational performance. The study based on the results of questionnaire-related research
describes a theoretical model, which explains the analytical relationships between green supply chain processes and organizational performance [36].
Enhancing stock efficiency and environmental sustainability goals in direct distri- bution logistic networks can be improved using lean management and green manage- ment principles within logistics to reduce the environmental impact of distribution processes [37].
The partner selection process is also an important influencing factor for green supply chain solutions, as in the case of the optimization of a reverse logistics network the results of integrated fuzzy-artificial immune optimization heuristics-based
solutions show [38].
The success of green distribution processes is also based on emission measuring operations and estimation of carbon footprint including capturing, calculation, and management of emissions across the transportation and distribution network [39, 40]. The performance evaluation can be based on logistics performance indicators and environmental performance indicators, and these can be integrated into a green logistics performance indicator [4]. Benchmarking is also a suitable tool to support evaluation and process improvement in green distribution networks [11].
For the solution of green supply-chain-related optimization problems, a wide range of integrated optimization and process improvement methods can be used:
game theory [7], spanning-tree based genetic algorithm [9], Lagrangian heuristics [10], path analysis [16], integrated CPU-GPU heuristic inspired on variable neigh- borhood search [41], fuzzy genetic algorithm [42], simulation [43], analytical hierar- chy process [44], decision making trial and evaluation laboratory for the identification of cause-effect chain components of distribution systems [45, 46]. Other heuristic
algorithms, such as quantum particle swarm optimization are also suitable for the solution of multi-objective optimization of multi-echelon supply chain and distribu- tion, where a wide range of constraints can be considered including capacity, produc- tion cost, transportation and material handling cost, greenhouse gas emissions, and time window [47].
Several scenarios and case studies related to the design and operation of green supply chain and green distribution were assessed and evaluated to compare the effects of technology, logistics, human resources, and policies on the efficiency, reli- ability, and availability of environmental impact of green supply chain solutions. The most important fields of case studies are from general distribution processes [6, 48], but valuable case studies were published in the field of food industry [2], air condi- tioner manufacturers [7], third party logistics providers [8], motorcycle industry [17], healthcare [28], direct distribution logistic networks [37], electronic equipment and instruments manufacturing companies [38], distribution of fruits and vegetables [49], automotive industry [50], power networks [51], agri-food supply chain [52] and disrupted supply chain solutions in the pandemic era [53]. The methodological framework and main research directions of green distribution networks, including methods, objective functions, case studies and special conditions, and constraints are shown inFigure 8.