Mapping Digital Innovations in Supply Chain Finance: A Hybrid Review of Trends, Barriers, and Future Research

Abstract

This paper presents a comprehensive mapping and critical evaluation of the contemporary research on how digital technologies are being deployed within supply chain finance (SCF). A bibliometric systematic literature review (B-SLR) was conducted on 122 peer-reviewed papers published between 2003 and 2024. The methodology including co-word, citation, and content analyses were combined to trace research trajectories, identifying thematic clusters, dominant theories, enablers and barriers, and implementation pathways. The findings reveal five overarching themes that currently define SCF scholarship and practice. Amongst the technological innovations evaluated, AI, blockchain, the IoT, and ML stand out as the most widely adopted and impactful technologies, each enabling streamlined transactions, reduced transaction costs, greater efficiency, and enhanced collaboration across supply chain partners. The study is original and unique in its consolidation of disparate streams of SCF digital technology research into an integrated, theory-driven framework.