ICTMT 2025 | International Journal of Research and Innovation in Social Science (IJRISS)
ISSN: 2454-6186 | DOI: 10.47772/IJRISS
Special Issue | Volume IX Issue XXVIII November 2025
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Next-Generation Inventory Management: Blockchain Solutions for
Industry 4.0 Supply Chains
Nurshamimah Samsuddin
1*
, Maliza Mohd Nor
2
, Masri Sulaiman
3
1
Fakulti Pengurusan Teknologi dan Teknousahawanan, Universiti Teknikal Malaysia Melaka
2
Multimedia Universiti
3
Honda Malaysia Sdn Bhd
*Corresponding Author
DOI: https://dx.doi.org/10.47772/IJRISS.2025.92800042
Received: 11 November 2025; Accepted: 18 November 2025; Published: 20 December 2025
ABSTRACT
The evolution of Industry 4.0 has reshaped global supply chains through the intesssgration of advanced
technologies such as the Internet of Things (IoT), Artificial Intelligence (AI), and Big Data analytics, with
inventory management remaining a central determinant of efficiency, resilience, and competitiveness.
Conventional inventory systems often face challenges including limited visibility, fragmented data, and
susceptibility to human error, resulting in inefficiencies and higher operational risks. Blockchain technology
has emerged as a transformative enabler to address these challenges by providing decentralized, transparent,
and tamper-resistant data management. This study examines the role of blockchain in revolutionizing
inventory management within Industry 4.0 supply chains, with particular focus on its contextual significance in
enhancing traceability, enabling real-time monitoring, and fostering stakeholder trust. The research further
explores how blockchain can be integrated with IoT-enabled sensors and AI-driven analytics to improve data
accuracy, predictive capabilities, and operational agility. Smart contracts are highlighted as a powerful
mechanism to automate procurement, replenishment, and compliance processes, thereby minimizing manual
intervention, reducing delays, and enhancing coordination across supply chain actors. Beyond operational
efficiency, blockchain is also recognized for its potential contribution to sustainable supply chain practices by
enabling full product lifecycle visibility, reducing waste, and ensuring regulatory compliance in global
operations. Drawing on contemporary literature and industry case applications, this study provides a
comprehensive understanding of blockchain-enabled inventory management and its alignment with Industry
4.0 principles, while acknowledging technical, financial, and organizational barriers to adoption. The findings
suggest that blockchain-driven solutions present unprecedented opportunities for creating agile, resilient, and
sustainable supply chains, thereby positioning blockchain as a next-generation inventory management
framework that redefines traditional reactive models into intelligent, data-driven, and trust-based operations
tailored for the complexities of Industry 4.0.
Keywords: Blockchain Technology, Inventory Management, Industry 4.0, Smart Contracts, Supply Chain
Resilience.
INTRODUCTION
Industry 4.0 is ushering in a new era of supply chain operations where interconnected systems, automation,
digital data streams, and real-time responsiveness are essential. Traditional inventory management methods are
increasingly misaligned with the complexities of modern supply networks, which include numerous stock
keeping units (SKUs), multiple sourcing points, fluctuating customer demand, and significant delays or errors
in information transfer. Such inefficiencies lead to overstocking, stockouts, high holding costs, and poor
service levels. Recent literature has documented these challenges clearly. For example, companies face
information silos and lack of end-to-end visibility, which erode decision-making quality and resilience.
Blockchain technology has emerged in response as a promising solution to many of these issues. Its distributed
ledger structure ensures immutable, transparent records; smart contracts can automate inventory replenishment,
procurement, and compliance tasks; and integration with IIoT (Industrial Internet of Things) devices enables
ICTMT 2025 | International Journal of Research and Innovation in Social Science (IJRISS)
ISSN: 2454-6186 | DOI: 10.47772/IJRISS
Special Issue | Volume IX Issue XXVIII November 2025
Page 428
www.rsisinternational.org
real-time tracking of goods, their status, and their movement across supply chain tiers. Recent review studies
indicate blockchain and IIoT as a strong combination for sustainable supply chain management, improving
traceability, enabling environmental monitoring, and supporting real-time updates.
However, despite its promise, full adoption of blockchain in inventory management remains limited. Key
barriers include scalability such as transaction throughput, latency, interoperability among multiple
blockchains and legacy systems, high implementation costs, regulatory and privacy concerns, and lack of
digital maturity in many firms especially SMEs.
Given this context, this research seeks to investigate how blockchain can be effectively deployed for next-
generation inventory management in Industry 4.0 supply chains. It will examine what architectural frameworks
are most viable, how smart contracts and real-time data integrations can be operationalized, what trade-offs are
involved cost vs. performance as well as privacy vs. transparency and under what organizational and
regulatory conditions adoption is feasible. By doing so, the study aims to contribute both theoretically by
clarifying the design and constraints of blockchain solutions in inventory contexts and practically by offering
guidance for firms seeking to modernize their supply chain inventory processes.
Problem Statement
Blockchain technology has been widely recognized as a disruptive enabler for supply chain management,
offering features such as immutability, traceability, smart contracts, and real-time data sharing. However,
despite the growing conceptual discourse, empirical evidence on blockchain’s actual impact on inventory
management performance remains scarce. Existing studies largely focus on theoretical discussions or adoption
intention models, but they fall short of demonstrating how blockchain directly improves inventory accuracy,
turnover, carrying costs, or resilience. This creates a significant knowledge gap, particularly in understanding
blockchain’s role beyond adoption, in delivering measurable and sustainable performance outcomes.
Furthermore, most current research examines blockchain in isolation rather than as part of the broader Industry
4.0 ecosystem. The lack of studies integrating blockchain with complementary technologies such as IoT and
artificial intelligence limits the understanding of its synergistic potential in enhancing visibility, traceability,
and predictive capabilities for inventory control. This narrow scope reduces the ability of both scholars and
practitioners to conceptualize blockchain as part of an interconnected digital supply chain strategy.
The contextual bias in the literature further compounds this issue. Research is predominantly conducted in
developed economies and among large multinational corporations, leaving small and medium-sized enterprises
(SMEs) in developing contexts, such as Malaysia, underexplored. Given SMEs’ resource constraints and
unique operational challenges, the factors influencing blockchain adoption such as knowledge sharing, trading
partner pressure, and regulatory clarity may differ significantly, as may the resultant impacts on inventory
efficiency. The omission of such contexts reduces the generalizability of existing findings and weakens their
practical utility for SMEs in developing economies.
Finally, critical mechanisms and boundary conditions that shape blockchain’s effectiveness remain
underexplored. Mediators such as supply chain transparency and inter-partner trust, and moderators such as
firm size, regulatory support, and digital readiness, are often assumed but not empirically tested. This omission
prevents a nuanced understanding of how blockchain adoption translates into operational outcomes. Without
addressing these gaps, the literature cannot provide robust theoretical models or practical frameworks to guide
firms in leveraging blockchain for inventory optimization under Industry 4.0.
Research Objectives
1 To examine the influence of blockchain features and technology adoption determinants on inventory
management performance in Industry 4.0 supply chains.
2 To investigate the mediating role of supply chain transparency and inter-partner trust in the relationship
between blockchain adoption and inventory outcomes.
ICTMT 2025 | International Journal of Research and Innovation in Social Science (IJRISS)
ISSN: 2454-6186 | DOI: 10.47772/IJRISS
Special Issue | Volume IX Issue XXVIII November 2025
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3 To analyze the moderating effects of firm size, regulatory support, and technology readiness on
blockchain’s impact in inventory management.
4 To contextualize blockchain adoption and performance outcomes within SMEs in Malaysia as a
developing-economy case.
Research Questions
1 How do blockchain features and technology adoption determinants affect inventory management
performance in Industry 4.0 supply chains?
2 To what extent do supply chain transparency and inter-partner trust mediate the relationship between
blockchain adoption and inventory performance?
3 How do firm size, regulatory support, and technology readiness moderate the relationship between
blockchain adoption and inventory outcomes?
4 What are the contextual implications of blockchain-enabled inventory management for SMEs in
Malaysia?
LITERATURE REVIEW
Recent literature on inventory management under Industry 4.0 reveals growing evidence that blockchain
technology offers significant benefits especially when integrated with digital technologies such as IoT, big data
analytics, and automated systems to improve traceability, information sharing, and operational efficiency.
Studies such as Inventory Management and Information Sharing Based on Blockchain Technology (2023)
present structural frameworks in which blockchain enables end-to-end traceability, real-time updates, faster
asset transfers, and contract automation, showing measurable improvements in supply chain responsiveness.
Inventory Management and Supply Chain Performance
Many recent studies posit Supply Chain Performance (SCP), Supply Chain Transparency, Supply Chain
Resilience, Financial Performance, and Operational Efficiency as key dependent variables. For example,
Inventory Management and Information Sharing Based on Blockchain Technology (2023) examines how
structural changes enabled by blockchain in real-time updates, contract automation, asset transfer which leads
to improvements in cost, time, and resilience in supply chains. In the healthcare industry, research shows that
blockchain’s features such as traceability, smart contracts and data quality significantly affect transparency and
resilience in supply chains. Also, in the SME context, blockchain adoption is reported to enhance Supply
Chain Efficiency and Export Performance, though its direct effect on Financial Performance was less clear in
one study. These works establish on the outcomes researchers are trying to influence with blockchain and
related innovations.
Blockchain Features
Blockchain’s core features are central to its application in inventory and supply chain management, serving as
strong independent variables in research frameworks. Immutability ensures that once data is recorded, it cannot
be altered, thereby enhancing the reliability of inventory records and reducing the risk of fraud or manipulation
(Casino et al., 2019). Traceability allows supply chain actors to monitor product movement across stages,
improving visibility and compliance with regulatory standards (Saberi et al., 2019). Smart contracts, as
programmable agreements, automate inventory transactions and replenishment, reducing manual intervention
and minimizing delays. Additionally, consensus mechanisms guarantee accuracy by validating transactions
across distributed nodes, while real-time data sharing enhances collaboration between stakeholders
(Kouhizadeh et al., 2021). These features collectively strengthen trust, transparency, and efficiency, thus
forming the technological foundation for blockchain-enabled inventory management.
Technology Adoption Determinants
In addition to inherent blockchain features, determinants of technology adoption significantly shape the extent
to which blockchain can be deployed in inventory systems. Factors derived from the Unified Theory of
ICTMT 2025 | International Journal of Research and Innovation in Social Science (IJRISS)
ISSN: 2454-6186 | DOI: 10.47772/IJRISS
Special Issue | Volume IX Issue XXVIII November 2025
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Acceptance and Use of Technology (UTAUT), such as performance expectancy, effort expectancy, social
influence, and facilitating conditions, have been widely applied to explain user intention to adopt blockchain in
supply chain operations (Queiroz & Fosso Wamba, 2019). For instance, performance expectancy relates to the
perceived benefits of blockchain in enhancing accuracy and efficiency, while effort expectancy reflects the
perceived ease of integrating blockchain with existing enterprise systems. Facilitating conditions, including
organizational readiness and IT infrastructure, also influence adoption decisions, particularly in small and
medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) with limited resources (Raimo et al., 2023). Social influence, including
pressure from partners and regulators, further drives adoption. These determinants act as independent variables
by shaping behavioral intention and organizational willingness to invest in blockchain technologies.
Immutability
As a distinct blockchain feature, immutability refers to the inability to alter or delete records once they are
validated, making it a critical independent variable for inventory integrity. In practice, immutability ensures
that stock entries, shipment records, and audit trails remain tamper-proof, thereby reducing errors and
fraudulent reporting (Casino et al., 2019). This creates confidence among supply chain partners, especially in
industries prone to counterfeiting or compliance risks, such as pharmaceuticals and electronics. Recent studies
highlight that immutable records enhance accountability and facilitate smoother audits, thus improving
transparency and trust across global supply chains (Biswas & Gupta, 2019).
Traceability
Traceability has emerged as a prominent blockchain feature that enhances inventory visibility across the
supply chain network. It enables stakeholders to track goods in real time from production to consumption,
which is particularly vital in managing recalls, ensuring food safety, and meeting sustainability requirements
(Saberi et al., 2019). Traceability as an independent variable has been linked with outcomes such as customer
trust, compliance with green supply chain standards, and improved operational resilience. Recent studies also
suggest that blockchain-driven traceability reduces information asymmetry among partners, creating
competitive advantage (Kouhizadeh et al., 2021).
Smart Contracts
Smart contracts are automated, self-executing agreements coded on blockchain that streamline inventory
management processes. By eliminating intermediaries, smart contracts facilitate automated order
replenishment, payments, and compliance verification, which significantly reduce lead time and administrative
costs (Queiroz et al., 2020). In research, smart contracts are considered an independent variable that drives
operational efficiency, responsiveness, and agility within Industry 4.0 supply chains. For instance, in the
healthcare industry, smart contracts have been shown to increase transparency and resilience by ensuring that
suppliers adhere to pre-set delivery and quality standards (Morkunas et al., 2019).
Data Quality and Real-Time Data Sharing
Data quality and real-time data sharing are additional blockchain-related independent variables that influence
inventory management performance. High-quality, accurate, and tamper-proof data provided by blockchain
ensures reliable demand forecasting, production planning, and inventory control (Saberi et al., 2019). Real-
time data sharing further enhances collaboration by enabling simultaneous visibility of transactions, thereby
reducing information delays and bullwhip effects (Wamba & Queiroz, 2020). Together, these factors improve
decision-making, reduce redundancies, and optimize resource allocation, making them central predictors of
blockchain’s impact on supply chains.
Adoption Drivers: Knowledge Sharing and Partner Pressure
Beyond technical features, external pressures and organizational practices also act as significant independent
variables driving blockchain adoption. Knowledge sharing among partners enhances collective learning and
increases trust in the adoption of new digital technologies (Queiroz & Fosso Wamba, 2019). At the same time,
trading partner pressure and regulatory requirements push organizations to integrate blockchain in order to
ICTMT 2025 | International Journal of Research and Innovation in Social Science (IJRISS)
ISSN: 2454-6186 | DOI: 10.47772/IJRISS
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remain competitive and compliant. These determinants influence how effectively blockchain technologies are
implemented and scaled within supply chain networks, ultimately impacting overall performance (Raimo et al.,
2023).
Research Gaps
Although blockchain technology has attracted substantial attention in supply chain management, its application
to inventory management within Industry 4.0 remains underexplored. Much of the existing literature remains
conceptual, focusing on features such as immutability, traceability, and smart contracts, but offering limited
empirical validation of their impact on inventory outcomes like stock accuracy, turnover, and carrying costs.
Similarly, many studies emphasize adoption intention through frameworks such as UTAUT or TOE, yet
neglect to assess whether blockchain implementation translates into measurable operational improvements.
This creates a lack of practical evidence to justify blockchain investments for inventory optimization.
Another key limitation lies in the narrow technological and contextual scope of current research. Blockchain is
often studied in isolation, despite Industry 4.0 requiring integration with technologies such as IoT, AI, and
cloud computing to enhance real-time visibility and predictive forecasting. Moreover, existing studies are
largely centered on developed economies, offering little insight into SMEs in developing contexts such as
Malaysia, where resource constraints, organizational readiness, and partner pressures may shape both adoption
decisions and performance outcomes. These gaps restrict the broader applicability and relevance of existing
findings.
Finally, the literature seldom investigates mediating and moderating mechanisms that condition blockchain’s
impact, such as supply chain transparency, inter-partner trust, firm size, or digital maturity. Its potential
contributions to sustainable and resilient inventory management, including waste reduction and recovery from
disruptions, remain under-researched. Compounding these issues, most studies rely on conceptual or cross-
sectional designs, with few longitudinal or cross-industry investigations to track blockchain’s dynamic effects
over time. Together, these shortcomings highlight the need for empirical, contextual, and integrative research
that connects blockchain adoption to tangible inventory outcomes, particularly within emerging economies
navigating Industry 4.0 transformation.
Proposed Conceptual Framework for the studies
(Proposed Conceptual Framework)
ICTMT 2025 | International Journal of Research and Innovation in Social Science (IJRISS)
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METHODOLOGY
Research Design
This study adopts a quantitative, deductive research approach, grounded in the positivist paradigm. The
deductive approach is suitable because the study develops testable hypotheses from existing theories,
specifically Technology-Organization-Environment (TOE) and Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of
Technology (UTAUT), and empirically validates the relationships between blockchain adoption determinants,
mediating mechanisms, and inventory management performance.
Research Type
The research is designed as an explanatory study that seeks to establish causal relationships between
blockchain features, adoption determinants, mediating factors (supply chain transparency and inter-partner
trust), and inventory management performance. The study also incorporates moderation analysis to assess
contextual influences such as firm size, regulatory support, and technology readiness.
Population and Sampling
The population for this study consists of manufacturing firms in Malaysia, a sector that is both a cornerstone of
the national economy and central to the adoption of Industry 4.0 technologies. Malaysian manufacturers face
mounting pressures to enhance supply chain efficiency, inventory optimization, and digital integration, making
them an appropriate context for investigating blockchain’s role in inventory management. The unit of analysis
is organizational, with respondents drawn from supply chain managers, inventory managers, and IT decision-
makers, as these roles are directly responsible for technology adoption and inventory-related decision-making,
ensuring the relevance and accuracy of responses. Furthermore, to capture variation across firm types, a
stratified random sampling method will be used to ensure adequate representation of both SMEs and large
firms, as firm size is recognized as a potential moderating factor influencing blockchain adoption and
performance outcomes. Consistent with structural equation modelling (SEM) requirements, a minimum of 300
responses will be targeted (Hair et al., 2020), with over 500 questionnaires distributed to account for
anticipated non-responses. This approach strengthens the reliability of subgroup comparisons, such as multi-
group analysis (MGA), while enhancing the generalizability of findings to the wider Malaysian manufacturing
sector.
Data Analysis
The data analysis for this study will adopt a quantitative approach, leveraging structural equation modeling
(SEM) as the primary analytical technique. SEM is chosen due to its capability to simultaneously examine
multiple relationships between independent, dependent, moderating, and mediating variables, while also
accounting for measurement errors. This makes it suitable for testing the complex theoretical framework of
blockchain adoption, supply chain transparency, and inventory management performance within Industry 4.0
manufacturing contexts. The analysis will follow a two-stage process: first, the assessment of the measurement
model to ensure validity and reliability, and second, the evaluation of the structural model to test the
hypothesized relationships.
In the measurement model phase, confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) will be conducted to assess construct
reliability, convergent validity, and discriminant validity. Internal consistency will be tested using Cronbach’s
alpha and composite reliability, while convergent validity will be measured through average variance extracted
(AVE). Discriminant validity will be established using Fornell-Larcker criterion and HTMT ratios. These tests
are essential to ensure that blockchain features, adoption determinants, mediators, and inventory performance
are accurately represented by their respective measurement items.
The structural model analysis will involve testing the direct, indirect, and moderating effects proposed in the
framework. Path coefficients will be examined to determine the strength and significance of relationships
between blockchain features, adoption determinants, and inventory performance outcomes. Mediation analysis
ICTMT 2025 | International Journal of Research and Innovation in Social Science (IJRISS)
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will be employed to assess the role of supply chain transparency and inter-partner trust, while moderation
effects will be tested for firm size, regulatory support, and technology readiness. Bootstrapping methods with
resampling will be used to generate robust standard errors and confidence intervals, enhancing the accuracy of
hypothesis testing.
Finally, model fit will be evaluated through multiple indices, including the comparative fit index (CFI),
Tucker-Lewis index (TLI), root mean square error of approximation (RMSEA), and standardized root mean
square residual (SRMR). These indices will provide evidence of whether the proposed theoretical framework
adequately represents the data. Additionally, multi-group analysis (MGA) will be conducted to explore
potential differences between SMEs and large firms in blockchain adoption and its impact on inventory
performance. This comprehensive data analysis strategy ensures both rigor and depth, enabling robust testing
of the proposed hypotheses and offering valuable insights for both academia and industry.
Ethical Considerations
Ethical considerations play a crucial role in ensuring the integrity and credibility of this research. Given that
the study involves data collection from supply chain managers, inventory managers, and IT decision-makers in
Malaysian manufacturing firms, informed consent will be obtained from all participants prior to their
involvement. Respondents will be provided with a clear explanation of the research purpose, procedures,
expected duration, and their right to withdraw at any stage without consequences. This approach ensures
transparency and respects participants’ autonomy in line with established ethical research standards.
Additionally, ethical approval will be sought from the relevant institutional research ethics committee prior to
data collection. This step provides an additional layer of oversight and assurance that the study complies with
established academic and professional ethical guidelines. By upholding the principles of beneficence, non-
maleficence, and respect for participants, the research will contribute meaningful insights to both academia and
industry while maintaining the highest standards of ethical responsibility.
CONCLUSION
This conceptual research highlights the transformative potential of blockchain technology in reshaping
inventory management within the broader framework of Industry 4.0 supply chains. By integrating blockchain
features such as immutability, traceability, real-time data sharing, and smart contracts with established
technology adoption determinants, the study presents a comprehensive framework for understanding how
blockchain adoption can enhance transparency, trust, and ultimately inventory performance. The inclusion of
mediating variables, such as supply chain transparency and inter-partner trust, and moderating variables,
including firm size, regulatory support, and technological readiness, strengthens the theoretical lens through
which blockchain’s role in inventory optimization is examined.
The proposed framework advances the academic discourse by bridging gaps in existing literature that often
treat blockchain adoption and supply chain performance in isolation. It provides an integrative model that
captures the multi-dimensional impact of blockchain adoption on inventory outcomes, offering a platform for
future empirical validation. For practitioners, the study provides insights into how blockchain-enabled
digitalization can support resilience, efficiency, and competitive advantage in a rapidly evolving
manufacturing landscape.
In conclusion, this paper contributes to both theory and practice by extending the understanding of blockchain
adoption in inventory management systems and positioning it as a catalyst for supply chain innovation under
Industry 4.0. Future research should empirically test the proposed framework using robust methodologies such
as structural equation modeling across diverse industrial settings, thereby validating the conceptual arguments
and uncovering sector-specific dynamics. By doing so, this line of inquiry has the potential to inform both
academic scholarship and managerial strategies, driving the next generation of sustainable and digitally
empowered supply chains.
Future research and implications
Future research should focus on empirically validating the proposed framework through large-scale
ICTMT 2025 | International Journal of Research and Innovation in Social Science (IJRISS)
ISSN: 2454-6186 | DOI: 10.47772/IJRISS
Special Issue | Volume IX Issue XXVIII November 2025
Page 434
www.rsisinternational.org
quantitative studies across different manufacturing sectors. Structural equation modeling (SEM) can be
employed to test the relationships among blockchain features, adoption determinants, and inventory
management performance. Comparative studies between SMEs and large firms would also offer valuable
insights into how organizational size and resource availability moderate blockchain adoption and its outcomes.
Such empirical validation would help refine theoretical assumptions and enhance the generalizability of
findings.
From a policy perspective, this research emphasizes the need to align blockchain adoption with Malaysia’s
Industry4WRD national strategy, which seeks to accelerate digital transformation in the manufacturing sector.
Policymakers should establish clearer regulatory frameworks to support blockchain deployment, particularly in
critical areas such as data governance, digital contract enforcement, and cross-border trade compliance. In
addition, government-driven initiatives such as financial incentives, tax exemptions, and targeted grants can
play a crucial role in reducing the adoption barriers faced by both SMEs and large firms. Embedding
blockchain into the broader Industry4WRD roadmap will not only enhance manufacturing competitiveness but
also ensure inclusivity, enabling SMEs to participate actively in the digitalization journey. By prioritizing
blockchain adoption as a strategic enabler of transparency and resilience, Malaysia can strengthen its position
as a regional hub for smart manufacturing and digital supply chains.
From a managerial standpoint, blockchain adoption should be viewed not merely as a technological upgrade
but as a strategic initiative that enables greater efficiency, trust, and resilience in inventory management
systems. Manufacturing managers are encouraged to approach adoption incrementally, starting with pilot
projects in areas such as inventory tracking and smart contracts before scaling to enterprise-wide integration.
Building organizational capability is essential; therefore, firms should invest in workforce training, digital
supply chain analytics, and blockchain literacy programs to close existing skill gaps. Managers should also
foster collaboration and knowledge-sharing with supply chain partners, as blockchain’s value is maximized
when multiple actors participate. Furthermore, integrating blockchain with complementary Industry 4.0
technologies including IoT, AI, and big data analytics can unlock synergies that enhance real-time visibility,
predictive forecasting, and sustainable practices. Such initiatives will not only align with Industry4WRD
priorities but also enable Malaysian firms to compete effectively in global markets by meeting demands for
transparency, sustainability, and resilience.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
The authors wish to extend their deepest appreciation to the Faculty of Technology Management and
Technopreneurship (FPTT), Universiti Teknikal Malaysia Melaka (UTeM) for sponsoring this research and
supporting its presentation at the 4
th
International Conference on Technology Management and
Technopreneurship (ICTMT 2025). This support has been instrumental in advancing the dissemination of our
findings and contributing to scholarly dialogue in the field.
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