Digital Transformation and Sustainability in Global Supply Chains: Insights from Recent Literature

Abstract

Global Supply Chains have withstood far-reaching transformations across the last few decades, driven by technological breakthroughs, sustainability needs, and global disruptions. The current research presents a structured literature review on the Sequential development of supply chains from Industry 3.0 and 4.0 to the new paradigms of Industry 5.0 and 6.0. With the help of adopting the PRISMA methodology, this study identified, screened, and examined 26 high-quality studies to trace the chronological and conceptual evolution of supply chain management.The outcomes suggest a clear progression in supply chain structures from conventional methods to a digitally connected, intelligent, and human-centric supply chain. Industry 3.0 laid the foundation with digital automation, and Industry 4.0 empowered organizations to make data-centric decisions by integrating IoT, big data, and advanced analytics. Industry 5.0 emphasises human–AI partnership, guided by ethical governance, and a strategic focus on sustainability, while Industry 6.0 pictures autonomous, adaptive, and circular supply chain ecosystems.  Artificial Intelligence (AI) assumes a pivotal role in advancing agility, forecasting, and real-time optimization, underpinned by blockchain and cloud technologies for transparency. Despite these developments, research has exposed notable deficiencies in empirical validation, cross-sector adoption, and integrated governance of AI-driven supply chains. This study indicated a possible pathway for global supply chain management and offered perspectives for academicians and industries to navigate digital and sustainable SCM transformation in the Industry Revolution and beyond.