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Process of innovation knowledge increase in supply chain network from the perspective of sustainable development

Dan Zhang (School of Business and Administration, Zhejiang University of Finance & Economics, Hangzhou, China)
Ching-Hsin Wang (Institute of Project Management, National Chin-Yi University of Technology, Taichung City, Taiwan)
Dengpan Zheng (School of Management, Hangzhou Dianzi University, Hangzhou, China)
Xianyun Yu (School of Management, Hangzhou Dianzi University, Hangzhou, China)

Industrial Management & Data Systems

ISSN: 0263-5577

Article publication date: 14 May 2018

726

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to extend prior supply chain research by describing the process of innovation knowledge increase in supply chain network. More specifically, this study investigates the role of network density, and views the knowledge increase as the process of knowledge diffusion and knowledge innovation.

Design/methodology/approach

A multi-agent model, which demonstrates the process of knowledge increase in supply chain network, was established, and simulated by using NetLogo simulation platform.

Findings

The results indicate that the network density will promote the knowledge increase of the supply chain when it is high or low. In the meantime, these results show that the inhibition of knowledge diffusion and knowledge innovation will appear when network density is moderate.

Originality/value

Although previous research has identified the importance of knowledge increase in promoting sustainable development of supply chain, far less attention was given to the study of the effect of network structure on the knowledge increase in supply chain. This study thus fulfills the research gap by providing a description of the process of knowledge increase with the consideration of network density. The conclusion is of great significance for the choice of network density for sustainable development of supply chain.

Keywords

Acknowledgements

This research has been sponsored by NSFC (No. 71402160; 71502046; 71273078).

Citation

Zhang, D., Wang, C.-H., Zheng, D. and Yu, X. (2018), "Process of innovation knowledge increase in supply chain network from the perspective of sustainable development", Industrial Management & Data Systems, Vol. 118 No. 4, pp. 873-888. https://doi.org/10.1108/IMDS-06-2017-0243

Publisher

:

Emerald Publishing Limited

Copyright © 2018, Emerald Publishing Limited

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