The Influence of Technologies in Increasing Transparency in Textile Supply Chains

<i>Background:</i> In the current political discourse, supply chain transparency is seen as a key to improving the working and environmental conditions within textile supply chains. Additionally, the use of technology is increasingly being regarded as a means of reducing complexity and i...

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Main Authors: Caterina Hauschild, Angelica Coll
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2023-08-01
Series:Logistics
Subjects:
Online Access:https://www.mdpi.com/2305-6290/7/3/55
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author Caterina Hauschild
Angelica Coll
author_facet Caterina Hauschild
Angelica Coll
author_sort Caterina Hauschild
collection DOAJ
description <i>Background:</i> In the current political discourse, supply chain transparency is seen as a key to improving the working and environmental conditions within textile supply chains. Additionally, the use of technology is increasingly being regarded as a means of reducing complexity and increasing transparency within these supply chains. While much research has been conducted to understand the impact of the textile industry on sustainability and the impact of technology on the overall performance of the textile supply chains, little attention has been placed on the following question: How do technologies affect transparency within the textile supply chains? <i>Methods:</i> We conducted seven interviews with actors from the textile industry. Based on these collected data, the relevance of selected technologies for improving transparency is established and the challenges of their implementation and impact on the industry are assessed. <i>Results:</i> Digital technologies, such as blockchain, the Internet of Things and dialog platforms, are promising instruments for transparency, even though their current implementation is not ideal. Furthermore, great skepticism on platforms for reporting (audits and complaint systems) is still prevalent. <i>Conclusions:</i> Since the influence of transparency on sustainability is conditioned by the goal orientation with which the technologies are implemented and used, we propose a framework for the implementation of the selected technologies that account for the interaction between said technologies in the textile supply chains.
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spelling doaj-art-4d8b76148cc94d60832b14704a86a4082025-08-20T03:34:26ZengMDPI AGLogistics2305-62902023-08-01735510.3390/logistics7030055The Influence of Technologies in Increasing Transparency in Textile Supply ChainsCaterina Hauschild0Angelica Coll1Independent Researchers, 13347 Berlin, GermanyChair of Logistics, Technische Univeristät Berlin, 10623 Berlin, Germany<i>Background:</i> In the current political discourse, supply chain transparency is seen as a key to improving the working and environmental conditions within textile supply chains. Additionally, the use of technology is increasingly being regarded as a means of reducing complexity and increasing transparency within these supply chains. While much research has been conducted to understand the impact of the textile industry on sustainability and the impact of technology on the overall performance of the textile supply chains, little attention has been placed on the following question: How do technologies affect transparency within the textile supply chains? <i>Methods:</i> We conducted seven interviews with actors from the textile industry. Based on these collected data, the relevance of selected technologies for improving transparency is established and the challenges of their implementation and impact on the industry are assessed. <i>Results:</i> Digital technologies, such as blockchain, the Internet of Things and dialog platforms, are promising instruments for transparency, even though their current implementation is not ideal. Furthermore, great skepticism on platforms for reporting (audits and complaint systems) is still prevalent. <i>Conclusions:</i> Since the influence of transparency on sustainability is conditioned by the goal orientation with which the technologies are implemented and used, we propose a framework for the implementation of the selected technologies that account for the interaction between said technologies in the textile supply chains.https://www.mdpi.com/2305-6290/7/3/55logisticssupply chain managementtextile industrydigital technologiesdigitalizationtransparency
spellingShingle Caterina Hauschild
Angelica Coll
The Influence of Technologies in Increasing Transparency in Textile Supply Chains
Logistics
logistics
supply chain management
textile industry
digital technologies
digitalization
transparency
title The Influence of Technologies in Increasing Transparency in Textile Supply Chains
title_full The Influence of Technologies in Increasing Transparency in Textile Supply Chains
title_fullStr The Influence of Technologies in Increasing Transparency in Textile Supply Chains
title_full_unstemmed The Influence of Technologies in Increasing Transparency in Textile Supply Chains
title_short The Influence of Technologies in Increasing Transparency in Textile Supply Chains
title_sort influence of technologies in increasing transparency in textile supply chains
topic logistics
supply chain management
textile industry
digital technologies
digitalization
transparency
url https://www.mdpi.com/2305-6290/7/3/55
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