Removing the blinders: A literature review on the potential of nanoscale technologies for the management of supply chains

• Current and potential application of nanosensor to supply chain is reviewed.
• Nanosensors improve the complex technical issues that supply chains need.
• Nanosensors may bring revolutionary changes to supply chains.
• Nanosensor will overcome the resistance of elements in supply chain.

Supply chain management requires more intelligent technology in the future; however, the current sensor technology is causing a bottleneck in the development of an intelligent supply chain. The emergence and development of nanosensors provide a good opportunity to improve the complex technical issues that supply chains need and may bring revolutionary changes to supply chains in the future. This paper reviews the current and potential application of nanosensors to every aspect of supply chains, including the SCM system, packaging, storage and distribution, supply chain safety, tracking and tracing. The particular focus will be on removing the blinders to the true potential technologies on the nanoscale for the future, not just for the management of supply chains but for firms seeking to become more competitive. This review will shed light on the profound impact nanotechnologies could have in augmenting or replacing the existing radiofrequency identification (RFID) tags or bar-code technologies.