What the study found
The study found that digitalisation is positively associated with circular-economy adoption and supply chain resilience. It also found that resilient supply chains are strongly associated with improved sustainability performance.
Why the authors say this matters
The authors conclude that integrated digital and circular policy frameworks may help enhance resilience and advance sustainable development in emerging economies. The study suggests that sustainability outcomes come from building capabilities in sequence rather than from digital tools alone.
What the researchers tested
The researchers examined 32 emerging economies from 2010 to 2023 using a balanced panel dataset. They used fixed-effects panel regressions, mediation analysis, and structural equation modelling, drawing on indicators from the World Bank, OECD, UN SDG Database, and UNIDO.
What worked and what didn't
Digitalisation was positively associated with circular-economy adoption and with supply chain resilience. Circularity further strengthened resilience, and resilience was strongly associated with better sustainability performance. The serial mediation results suggested a cumulative capability-building pathway rather than isolated technological effects.
What to keep in mind
The abstract does not describe specific limitations beyond the study's focus on emerging economies and the 2010 to 2023 period. The summary also does not provide information on individual country differences or other potential constraints.
Key points
- Digitalisation was positively associated with circular-economy adoption.
- Digitalisation was also positively associated with supply chain resilience.
- Circular-economy practices further strengthened supply chain resilience.
- Resilient supply chains were strongly associated with improved sustainability performance.
- The authors describe the pathway as cumulative capability-building rather than isolated technological effects.
Disclosure
- Research title:
- Digitalisation and circularity support supply chain resilience
- Authors:
- Puja Sunil Pawar, Bayan A. Alsedais
- Institutions:
- Princess Nourah bint Abdulrahman University, Qassim University, University of Business and Technology
- Publication date:
- 2026-01-30
- DOI:
- 10.3390/su18031393
- OpenAlex record:
- View
Get the weekly research newsletter
Stay current with scholarly research without reading academic papers — one filtered digest, every Friday.