Supply Chains

Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) is the most commonly used methodology for evaluating the environmental impacts of a product or a service. The life cycle of a product or a service consists of raw material extraction and preparation, the process and manufacturing of the product, the product’s distribution to the final user, usage of the product, and finally the waste treatment of the product. Supply chain management (SCM), is the process of managing the flow of goods and services to and from a business. SCM includes the first steps of a product’s life cycle, from raw material extraction and the production of the product to the transportation of the product to its final user. LCA can be utilized to assess the environmental impacts caused in the supply chain of any product or service. By applying the LCA methodology, environmental hotspots in the supply chain can be identified. Based on the results of LCA, decisions can be made so the supply chains’ environmental performance can improve, and finally, environmental certification can be acquired. However, all LCA software that are currently available in the market, relies on static data and Life cycle inventory (LCI) with average, and sometimes outdated data, for the calculation of impacts for any given production process. To that end, in the framework of the “Real-time, environmental assessment of agricultural and agrifood production for the support of certification schemes” project, a real-time, online LCA Engine is being developed, focusing on the agrifood industrial sector, where certification is highly demanded. The tool, which can improve the environmental performance of the agrifood sector SCM, apart from exploiting data from available LCI databases, also utilizes real-world data, sourced from sensors. The first step in the development of the tool was to identify the potential end-users requirements for such a software. To do so, a survey was conducted. In this study, the key findings of the survey are presented. The key outcomes of the user requirements survey will be used for those to be “translated” into functional requirements of the LCA Engine. The work is funded within the framework of the Operational Programme “Central Macedonia” of the PA 2014–2020, Innovative Investment Plans, and co-financed by the Greek State and the European Union and, in particular, by the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) (project code: ΚΜΡ6–0078501).

In the pursuit of sustainable production and supply chains, integrating Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) within digital platforms has been identified as a critical strategy for industries aiming to reduce their environmental footprint. As an example, the integration of LCA and other key tools within eMT Cluster’s Metaplatform tailored for diverse sectors, provides a holistic strategy for assessing and ameliorating the environmental performance throughout the complete value and supply chains of products.

Metaplatform enables this integrated approach through its advanced digital architecture, which is distinguished by interoperability, automation, and a suite of Industry 4.0 technologies, such as Internet-of-Things (IoT), data analytics, Artificial Intelligence (AI), and machine learning. This comprehensive framework facilitates a thorough environmental impact assessment from the extraction of raw materials to the end-of-life of products, directing stakeholders across different industries towards more sustainable and circular practices. Specifically, the platform supports the identification of efficient and environmentally friendly product designs, the optimization of production processes, and the enhancement of supply chain operations.

The integration of components such as Metaplatform with LCA enhances their effectiveness, fostering sustainability and circularity throughout the production and supply chain. This approach provides significant environmental benefits, including the monitoring of greenhouse gas emissions, waste, and resource use. Such advancements significantly contribute to the development of more sustainable industrial ecosystems.

Progressing plastics circularity and its associated benefits can provide advantages to both practitioners and the broader environment. As technology continues to evolve and various industries increasingly embrace the principles of the circular economy, additive manufacturing cannot remain detached. The widespread utilization of additive manufacturing can be a valuable asset for reprocessing recycled plastics, for reuse as secondary life products. This study investigates the reuse of Low-density PolyEthylene (LDPE) in additive manufacturing via a robust, customized, low-cost pellet extruder 3D printing system. The system underwent evaluation through mechanical tests of 3D printing specimens and Finite Element Analyses (FEA). Four mixtures were created using different fractions of neat and recycled LDPE and tensile specimens were fabricated and tested under quasi-static tests, according to ASTM D638. The corresponding FE materials models were developed to create a numerical tool for the evaluation of LDPE 3D printed components. The tensile strength tests showed that specimens developed with 100% recycled LDPE performed 70.06% better in elastic modulus, 18.18% better in ultimate tensile strength (UTS), and 17.74% better in yield strength compared to specimens consisting of 60% recycled and 40% virgin LDPE, which exhibited the best mechanical properties among the tested mixtures. However, they exhibited a 14.34% reduction in elongation at break. The outcomes of this study established a sustainable and fully functional proof-of-concept of the developed 3D printing system to address the reduction, reuse and recycling of plastic waste under the Sustainable Plastic Strategy.

Towards a sustainable future and aiming to reduce pressure on natural resources, circular economy and recycling play a crucial role. Therefore, it is essential to develop methods for recycling non-recyclable materials with remarkable physio-mechanical properties. One category of such materials is automotive tire waste, composed of synthetic and natural rubber, chemical additives, fabrics, etc. Automotive end-of-life tires are discarded in large numbers (over 1 billion) annually and consist of non-recyclable materials with significant environmental hazards. In this context, the current study aims to present a sustainable method for utilizing automotive tire waste by employing robust recycling systems and additive manufacturing technologies. Automotive end-of-life tires were shredded into a powder form and mixed with Acrylonitrile Butadiene Styrene (ABS) pellets to create distinct mixtures with various compositions. These mixtures were processed through a robust recycling system to develop printable filaments made of composite materials with a polymeric matrix and tire particles as reinforcement. The produced filaments, as secondary life products, were used for Fused Filament Fabrication (FFF) of tensile and compression 3D printed specimens. These specimens were designed and tested under quasi-static tensile and compression loading, according to ISO 527 and 604, in order to be evaluated in terms of structural integrity and repeatability. The results of this study indicate a sustainable process for utilizing automotive tire waste via additive manufacturing with the ultimate objective of reusing and remanufacturing in a more circular way valorizing the tire industry and reducing the impacts of human economic activities on the environment.

Active packaging plays a crucial role in the preservation and quality maintenance of food products throughout the supply chain. Active packaging solutions have been developed to extend the shelf life of perishable foods, including antimicrobial films, oxygen scavengers and moisture absorbers. A newly synthesized silver(I) complex, underwent screening for antibacterial and antioxidant activities, demonstrating its potential as an antimicrobial and antioxidant agent for packaging applications. Plastic films were produced with or without the inclusion of Ag(mbtt)₃ using a twin-screw extruder and a blow film extruder. Two types of films were fabricated: a) an 80 μm film of Linear Low Density Polyethylene (LLDPE), and b) an 80 μm film comprising 99.5% LLDPE with 0.5% added complex. The LLDPE/Ag complex showed remarkable antimicrobial activity for the bacterium X. campestris compared to that which did not carry the complex. Both films were analyzed regarding water vapor permeability, thermal and mechanical properties and compared. In terms of thermal properties, the presence of Ag(mbtt)₃ led to a slight increase in the melting temperature (Tm, °C) during heating, as well as in the crystallization enthalpy (ΔHc, J/g) of LLDPE. However, the mechanical properties of the films remained unaffected by the inclusion of the complex. Additionally, crystallinity and water vapor permeability showed no significant changes with the addition of the complex. These findings indicate that the synthesized complex could effectively serve as an active packaging agent in various applications, contributing to the extension of the shelf life and preservation of the quality of packaged products.

This study presents a comprehensive bibliometric analysis exploring the multifaceted aspects of establishing and operating an international freight logistics hub. Our research methodology encompasses four core components: network analysis, co-occurrence analysis, thematic mapping, and conceptual structure examination. This paper presents a comprehensive bibliometric analysis to explore the possibilities, legal, and technical prerequisites for establishing and operating an International Freight-Logistic Hub. Drawing on data from 2003 to 2023, the study analyses 241 documents from various sources, indicating a substantial and growing body of research in this field. The findings highlight a robust annual growth rate of 13.46% in scholarly output, significant international collaboration (21.16% of documents) and a diverse authorship base of 646 contributors. Key methodologies employed include network analysis, thematic mapping, co-occurrence analysis, and conceptual structure mapping using the Biblioshiny tool. The network analysis reveals influential authors and research clusters essential for policy engagement and strategic collaborations. Thematic mapping identifies crucial areas such as “containers,” “port terminals,” and “railroad yards and terminals” as Motor Themes, indicating their centrality and extensive research in hub operations. Co-occurrence analysis underscores the importance of supportive legal frameworks and technological advancements. At the same time, conceptual structure mapping highlights the role of specific technical aspects and geographical considerations in logistic hub operations. Our findings elucidate the critical legal and technical prerequisites for establishing a thriving hub and potential challenges and opportunities. The study provides valuable insights for policymakers and practitioners, emphasising the need to foster advanced technologies, comprehensive legal regulations, and international collaborations to enhance the efficiency and effectiveness of International logistics hubs. This bibliometric approach is crucial in understanding and shaping the evolving landscape of international freight logistics, with practical implications for developing and managing logistics hubs.

Increasing globalization, unpredictable crises, increasing competitiveness and increasingly specific customer demands have brought to the fore the dominant role of logistics services in reducing operational and non-operating costs, in customer-supplier relationships, as well as in the shift to a more sustainable and resilient environment. Amidst all this, the logistics industry is forced to constantly adapt and precisely implement technologies from Industry 4.0 such as IoT, Cloud and Big Data analytics, Blockchain, etc. As far as Greece is concerned, the logistics industry is slow to innovate and adopt technologies in an effective way. From what has been observed, most Greek logistics companies do not have the appropriate resources and a clear orientation towards change and innovation. Of course, this whole situation is due to ignorance of the role and contribution of organizational culture. The organizational culture shapes the values of the companies, the abilities and the dedication of the employees, the relations with the customers-suppliers, but also with the local society. The present study aims to identify the influence of organizational culture and employee participation in the transformation process towards innovation and the successful adoption of new technologies in Greek logistics. The methodology followed to conduct this research is a literature review by searching sources in the Google Scholar academic content database. The results of this research prove that the concept of organizational culture has very limited contact with Greek logistics. The type of organizational culture desired by Greek employes is one that promotes teamwork and is reflected in the “Clan” type of culture. The contribution of the study is both practical and theoretical. In practical application, the need to cultivate an organizational culture for Greek logistics companies that will have a positive relationship and balance between Adhocracy and Clan culture is highlighted, in order to effectively achieve the shift towards modernization. At a theoretical level, the need to conduct future studies on the relationship between organizational culture and modern logistics in Greece is emphasized.

Accessibility problems often prevent people with special needs from enjoying facilities and services in tourist destinations. It is an institutional obligation, as well as a social necessity, to “open the doors” of tourism for everyone, within the concept of tourism-for-all concept. Moreover, accessible tourism is considered an important economic opportunity for touristic destinations, taking also into account the ageing of population over the last decades. In order to strengthen the touristic brand of the Pieria Region and promote the area as an “Accessible Tourist Destination”, an online platform has been developed under the responsibility of the Pieria Organization for Tourism Development and Promotion, with the scientific and technical support of the International Hellenic University. The platform provides complete information on accessibility infrastructure in respect to route accessibility (obstacles in pavements, ramps, etc.) accessibility issues for points of cultural and tourist interest (PoIs). In this paper, the key functionalities of the platform are presented through the case of Platamonas, Greece, where the platform has been tested and results have been validated.

Considering the socio-ecological transition of Europe 2030, and towards a more resilient and informed community, focusing on the forests that are near wildfire risk, TREEADS project aims to build upon state-of-the-art high TRL (Technology Readiness Level) products and unite them in a Holistic Fire Management Platform that optimize and reuse per phase the available socio-technological resources in all three main phases of wildfires. For the prevention and preparedness, TREEADS project proposes the use of a real-time risk evaluation tool that can receive multiple classification inputs and work with a new proposed neural network-powered Risk Factor Indicator. TREEADS uses a variety of technological solutions such as the Copernicus infrastructure, and a swarm of small drones customized for accurate forest supervision. In the area of detection, TREEADS proposes a variety of toolsets that will accommodate most needs, stemming from virtual reality for the training, wearables for the protective equipment of the emergency responders to UAV (drones), UAG and airships for improving capacity in temporal and spatial analysis as well as to increase the inspected area coverage. The TREEADS technologies and services will be validated in 8 complex pilot implementations (6 EU countries, 1 Associate Country and Taiwan). EFB will provide pilots with the OpenStreetMap (OSM)-based Mapping Tool, which is a cross-platform compatible app that visualizes static and dynamic information fetched from relevant REST APIs. It is designed to display points of interest (POIs), events, and directions or suggestions based on simulated scenarios in natural environments such as forests and gorges. The tool combines the OSM database with the OpenLayers and/or Leaflet libraries and the OpenRouteService and/or OSRM and/or Mapbox map services. By combining these powerful tools, OSM-based Mapping Tool offers a comprehensive solution for visualizing geographic data in an intuitive and user-friendly way. All the processed data stored by OSM-based Mapping Tool will be available to be used by the other components, involved in the TREEADS project.

This study aims to examine the causal relationship between constructs by focusing on the effects of heritage destination image, tourist motivation, experience, and satisfaction on revisit intention. Analyzed through the use of partial least squares structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM), the data was collected from 361 tourists who visited heritage sites in Hue City, a world cultural heritage tourism destination in Central Vietnam. The results indicated that heritage destination image, tourist experience, and satisfaction had a significantly positive and direct effect on tourists’ intentions to revisit heritage sites. Among these factors, tourism experience was considered a key determinant of revisit intention. The findings of this study revealed that tourist experience and satisfaction are key moderators between destination image and revisit intention in most of the relationships, contributing to a better understanding of tourists’ intentions to revisit cultural heritage tourism destinations.

Modern logistics networks, even under normal operating conditions intrinsically face a multitude of issues, which become even more daunting in the event of disasters and emergencies, which either disrupt existing networks by exerting extra strain or necessitate the formation of ad-hoc humanitarian logistics networks for disaster management, to alleviate the impacted areas and deliver aid to the victims. Although it is not feasible to entirely avert all disasters, it is well recognized that utilizing advanced digital technologies, including drones, big data analytics, the Internet of Things, machine learning and more, can significantly revolutionize humanitarian logistics operations implemented prior to, amidst, and following a disaster’s occurrence. This paper delves into the realms of user interface design within the humanitarian logistics domain, emphasizing the pivotal role of drone and other digital technologies in refining disaster response mechanisms. It introduces an innovative humanitarian logistics platform, advocating for a design philosophy that merges scalability and modularity with user-centric navigation for diverse disaster scenarios. Through a user interface journey that evolves from conceptual designs to user-validated interfaces, this study highlights the balance between technological infrastructure and user engagement. The contribution of this research lies in its holistic design approach, blending offering a new perspective on developing humanitarian logistics platforms that are technologically advanced and closely attuned to humanitarian goals.

The rapid advancement of digital technologies has significantly impacted the field of humanitarian logistics and disaster management, prompting a paradigm shift in addressing emergencies. In this paper, a literature review is conducted, drawing on grey literature, reports, case studies, operational updates and European research projects. The review delves into the transformative impact of unmanned aerial vehicles and other digital innovations on disaster response strategies. Through an analysis of real-life implementations, the study underscores the essential role of technology in enhancing situational awareness, facilitating rapid responses, and ensuring robust communication during crises in practice. By examining the deployment of drones, machine learning, the Internet of Things, and other digital technologies, this review expands the humanitarian logistics’ community comprehension of the dynamic humanitarian aid and disaster relief landscape. This research reveals that these technologies offer unmatched capabilities in monitoring, assessment, and aid delivery, reshaping traditional disaster management mechanisms. Nonetheless, despite noteworthy progress, the review uncovers a persistent gap in the creation of a holistic system covering the entire disaster management cycle, mirroring concerns highlighted in academic literature. This gap underscores the critical need for integrated solutions that address mitigation, preparedness, response, and recovery, i.e., the four disaster management stages, comprehensively. In essence, this research distinguishes itself by juxtaposing real-life project outcomes with scholarly insights and validates the identified gap in holistic solutions, underlining the necessity for developing a future-oriented unified framework that leverages digital technologies to meet the complex demands of disaster management, closely aligned with humanitarian objectives.

This work presents a bibliographic review on sustainability indicators for tourist destinations, using the Scopus database to identify pertinent papers. A comprehensive statistical analysis is carried out using the Scopus online analysis tool and the VOSviewer software. The analysis includes 321 scientific papers published from 2001 to 2024. A citation analysis reveals the temporal evolution of publications and subject areas studied over this period, identifying distinct time periods and a noteworthy surge in relevant publications in recent years. Additionally, co-citation analysis unveil the organizational structure of the scientific field, highlighting networks and groupings that constitute the knowledge base in tourism sustainability. Moreover, a co-occurrence term analysis determines the conceptual structure and anticipates future cognitive trends in this discipline.

The growing concern regarding food loss and waste (FLW) has taken the world by storm. Academic studies over the years have been conducted to analyse waste along the entire food supply chain (FSC), revealing various reasons behind causes of waste. Despite this, waste at storage locations is a topic of quite high interest, but it is discussed at a relatively lesser degree compared to others. This research unifies previous studies and provides recommendations to reduce food waste at storage locations along the FSC, excluding the consumer end. The study shows that lack of adaptability of technologies is the main cause of food waste at storage locations. The problem is escalated further in developing countries and the authors highlight the effects of FLW on the three pillars of sustainability. To tackle the issue, various technologies, preservation methods, and solutions, such as temperature monitoring devices, have been provided based on the systematic literature review. The study makes several theoretical and managerial contributions The findings can be used by industry experts to implement these technologies in their storage facilities, while researchers could also benefit as the study can serve as a reference starting point for their research.

In recent years, the consumption of honey has attracted increasing interest among consumers due to its beneficial health properties. Greek honey is prized in the Mediterranean diet and has gained global recognition for its unique quality. The significance of consumers within the honey supply chain is vital since their preferences play a pivotal role in the entire industry. The choices made by consumers for high-quality, safe, and sustainable honey significantly influence producers’ decisions regarding transparency in the supply chain. Consumer centricity in the honey supply chain is indispensable, as it establishes a strong connection between supply chain stakeholders and end-users. Consumer demand for high-quality, safe, and sustainable honey drives producers to adhere to these standards, resulting in effective supply chains that meet customer needs. The current study examines the drivers influencing consumers to choose honey and analyses the impact of those drivers end-to-end in the supply chain. Producers and traders must understand consumer drivers to align their offerings with expectations to increase satisfaction and loyalty.

Honey has been considered a nutritious and healthy component of the human diet for centuries. Honey has become increasingly popular as a nutritious and healthy food alternative. Its numerous health benefits have made it a go-to choice for people looking for healthier food options. Despite the broad consumption of honey globally, there are limited efforts in introducing supply chain perspectives and addressing the role and contribution of supply chain management. The current turbulent external environment has introduced significant complexity to the supply chain landscape. This complexity has had a notable impact on the operations of all actors involved in the supply chain and its overall orientation. This study aims to identify and discuss all the major challenges in the honey supply chain from production to consumption and propose ways to overcome these barriers through supply chain interventions. To accomplish this objective, a thorough analysis of the available limited academic literature, along with the relevant grey literature, has been conducted.

Innovation capacity is broadly seen as an essential component of firm’s competitiveness and many scholars have emphasized the importance of different forms of innovation in fostering the performance of firms. While there is a general acknowledgment of the significance of innovation within any organization, the debate persists regarding the factors that determine innovation at the firm level. Also, studies on the impacts of innovation capacity on the performance of agricultural firms in Vietnam context still very limited. The aim of this study is to investigate the impacts of innovation capacity on the performance of agricultural firms in Vietnam from the survey data of 195 respondents in the central Vietnam. The results of this study shown that four types of innovation that significantly impact on the firm performance are arranged sequentially, from high to low as follows: marketing innovation, process innovation, product innovation and organizational innovation. The study results suggest that agricultural firm’s managers should focus on practices that enhance the effectiveness of marketing, product innovation to improve the firm performance.

The work presents the results of a life cycle analysis study for the case of organic wine production at a local winery in Pieria. The aim of this study is to determine the impacts associated with the entire process of wine production at “Ktima Kourtis” winery. The boundaries of the system incorporate the annual cultivation of the vineyard and includes all phases of the product’s life cycle until its disposal after consumption. Comprehensive calculations of inputs and outputs for a 750 ml bottle (the operational unit in the LCA study) are performed. In order to quantify the impacts, the LCArt Simulations Engine is used. The LCArt Simulations Engine is employed for impact quantification, functioning as a web application developed under the KYKLOS 4.0 project that was funded by the EU Horizon 2020 Programme. The analysis utilizes both real data from the winery and information available in the Ecoinvent database.

The sustainability issue has been acknowledged as a universal contemporary challenge. Green agrifood supply chains are increasingly attracting research interest, as the agrifood sector is considered as one of the leading sectors worldwide. The wine sector has grown considerably in recent years and this has resulted in significant impact on the environment. The use of various environmental certification schemes has been already applied, aiming to the application of greener practices as well to inform consumers working also as a marketing tool. In any way, the field of sustainability in the wine industry appears as a breeding ground for exploiting new practices and measures in both forward and reverse supply chains regarding the production process, and the more efficient use of by-products and wastes. It is noticed that this industry has shown historically exceptional innovative capability and flexibility, for climate privileged quality products in East Mediterranean region. One of the critical prerequisites for applying solutions towards the way to sustainability is the sufficient understanding and documented estimation of the supply chain environmental footprint, as a basis for comparing current situation with the scenarios/alternatives to be applied. In this context, this main paper goal is to provide a concrete framework for the environmental footprint assessment in the wine supply chain with the use of analytical LCA measurements met in the literature. An empirical case study in an organic farm of 4ha in the island of Tinos, reveals the impact of the various resources used in the farming, production and distribution process to the environmental footprint. More specifically, the assessment highlighted that the most significant proportion of environmental impact derives from the bottling phase followed by the distribution of wines in Tinos, Athens and three EE countries. The findings of this paper are expected to enrich the available knowhow and provide meaningful guidance for assessing the environmental impact in the wine supply chain as wineries are becoming increasingly aware of exploiting all available resources for attaining sustainable performance.

This study investigates the environmental impact of cherry production of the “Agios Loukas” Agricultural Cooperative of Rachis Pieria. For the quantification of the impact, the Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) methodology is used. The key objective of the work is to comprehensively document all stages of cherry production and associated processes in order to assess different environmental impacts’ indicators. In brief, LCA assesses how the entire life cycle of a product influences the environment. The impact quantification employs the LCArt Simulations Engine, a web application developed under the KYKLOS 4.0 project, funded by the EU Horizon 2020 Programme. The methodology follows ReCipe 2016 v1.03 midpoint (H). Data for the year 2022 were sourced, with actual field data provided by cooperative executives and management. Data collection involved interviews with both the cooperative’s scientific staff and its members.

Contract farming (CF) is considered a relevant measure to supply chain governance. Empirical studies indicate that CF positively affected economic performance of rice production and household welfare. However, there was a low rate of farmers’ CF participation, the CF breaks and breaches still happened regularly. While a main stand of literature investigates factors affecting farmers’ participation in CF, a few focusses on CF enforcement. This study utilized household survey data by multistage stratified random sampling to address this research gap. Data were analyzed by the Tobit model to determine factors affecting CF enforcement of farmers in rice production in Vietnam. The results highlight that CF enforcement was affected by the characteristics of household heads and households, some contract attributes, and farmers’ evaluation on transparency and mutual benefits of CF agreement. Therefore, the relevant design of contract attributes and their levels, improving the transparency and mutual benefits of CF agreements among the stakeholders need to be considered.

The automotive industry is undergoing a profound shift toward electric vehicles (EVs), driven by technological advancements and environmental consciousness. This transformation not only impacts the vehicles, but also redefines automotive development and workforce dynamics. Focusing on Mercedes-Benz’s strategy in transitioning to EVs, this paper explores the challenges and strategies related to managing cross-functional teams and transforming the workforce. Beginning with a comprehensive literature review, the work traces the historical evolution of EVs, emphasizing technical aspects, market trends, and policy factors. The study delves into Mercedes-Benz’s ‘Ambition 2039’ strategy for a carbon-neutral vehicle fleet by the year 2039. Employing qualitative research, including interviews with professionals at Mercedes-Benz, the research uncovers key themes, such as talent integration, workforce role shifts, challenges faced, and future technologies. The findings reveal a dual strategy for talent integration and up-skilling, diverse effects on employee roles, challenges, and a forward-looking focus on emerging technologies. This work contributes to the academic understanding of automotive industry strategies in transitioning to EVs and provides valuable insights for organizations undergoing similar shifts, emphasizing the synergy of technological progress, market adaptability, and sustainability.

The aim of this study is to explore the perceptions of managers towards the adoption and use of enterprise information systems and Industry 4.0 technologies in Greece, through a quantitative research in companies from various sectors of the economy. The results show that, although the use of enterprise information systems such as ERP, CRM etc. is quite widespread, the adoption of Industry 4.0 technologies is currently very low. However, most managers show intention to implement and adopt Industry 4.0 technologies and systems in the near future. Organizational and personal factors, such as awareness of Industry 4.0, seem to influence the perceived benefits and challenges of Industry 4.0 adoption and intention to use. Our study provides results which can be used by researchers to study and explore Industry 4.0 adoption in a national context and to question or validate results from similar empirical studies in international context and other countries.

This research provides the results of an empirical study among Greek consumers on their perception and adoption of Internet of Things (IoT) applications in everyday life. The theoretical framework is based on the Technology Acceptance Model (TAM) to investigate consumers’ intention to use IoT applications. The empirical data of this study came from a sample of 814 consumers in Greece via an online survey. The research findings suggest that attitude toward IoT is primarily determined by individuals’ innovativeness and only secondarily by the perceived usefulness of the technology. Moreover, future use of IoT depends mainly on performance expectancy. It appears that the success of IoT products depends on appealing to individuals with high perceived technology usefulness, high self-efficacy, and high personal innovativeness. Such consumers are more likely to have high expectations of IoT offerings and consequently intend to use them.

The present study aims to explore the issue of sustainability and short food supply chains, focusing on the attitudes and perceptions of consumers towards them. The objectives of the research are to identify and measure the perceptions of consumers about the social, economic, environmental and cultural sustainability dimensions of SFSCs and to explore the relationship between these perceptions and purchase behavior. This is attempted through quantitative research on a sample size of 768 Greek consumers with the use of an online survey, based on previous relevant studies found in the literature. The findings show that consumers’ attitude towards short food supply chains is positive, although the purchase frequency is not very high and the amount of money spent is rather small. Moreover, consumers agree that SFSCs have sustainability dimensions, with more evident the economic, followed by cultural. Finally, the perceptions of consumers about sustainability dimensions influence positively their attitudes towards SFSCs, but they do not seem to influence significantly their purchasing behavior yet. The outcomes of the research contribute to the scientific knowledge on a field that is gaining attention and importance among academics and consumers.

In the rapidly evolving landscape of global supply chains, integrating digital technologies is a key factor in enhancing operational efficiency, ensuring product traceability, and capturing consumer sentiment. This research delves into the transformative potential of blockchain, Non-Fungible Tokens (NFTs), and advanced sentiment analysis in redefining supply chain management practices. By harnessing these technologies, the study proposes a novel framework to achieve real-time visibility, end-to-end traceability, and a deeper understanding of consumer preferences. The methodology encompasses the deployment of digital passports and NFTs for securing product information, alongside utilising natural language processing techniques to analyse customer feedback across various platforms. Through case studies in food safety, pharmaceuticals, and retail, the paper shows how integrating digital strategies mitigates risks, boosts transparency, and enhances customer engagement. The findings reveal significant improvements in supply chain resilience, operational transparency, and customer satisfaction. The research outlines challenges such as data security, technological complexity, and workforce upskilling for adopting digital tools. Conclusively, this paper underscores the critical importance of digital innovation in supply chains, advocating for further research and development to overcome existing barriers. The future focuses on digitalised supply chains enhancing efficiency and value creation via customer insights and sustainable methods.