Untangling the role of blockchain technology in shaping supply chain concentration from the contingency and configuration perspectives

Jinxin ZHANG; Xiaoyan GUO; Zhenyu FAN; Linguo CHEN; Sen LIU; Xuejian YANG

doi:10.1038/s41598-025-33335-6

Untangling the role of blockchain technology in shaping supply chain concentration from the contingency and configuration perspectives

Jinxin ZHANG
, Xiaoyan GUO
, Zhenyu FAN
, Linguo CHEN
, Sen LIU^*
, Xuejian YANG

^*Corresponding author for this work

FACULTY OF BUSINESS

Research output: Journal Publications › Journal Article (refereed) › peer-review

Abstract

This study presents an empirical exploration of the relationship between blockchain technology (BT) and supply chain concentration (SCC) from contingency and configuration perspectives by using a panel dataset of 147 Chinese enterprises that applied blockchain technology from 2019 to 2023. Multiple regression analysis (MRA) results indicate that BT is essential for the two dimensions of SCC: supplier concentration (SC) and customer concentration (CC). Additionally, we find that R&D investment, listed years, and industry type strengthen the BT-SCC relationship. A fuzzy-set qualitative comparative analysis (fsQCA) further reveals that none of the aforementioned variables independently lead to a high level of SCC; rather, SCC requires a combination of these variables alongside BT adoption. These findings highlight alternative pathways through which different enterprises can achieve high levels of SCC by utilizing BT, a topic that has not been explored in prior research.

Original language	English
Article number	3315
Journal	Scientific Reports
Volume	16
Issue number	1
Early online date	23 Dec 2025
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-025-33335-6
Publication status	E-pub ahead of print - 23 Dec 2025

Bibliographical note

Publisher Copyright:
© The Author(s) 2025.

Funding

This work was supported by The National Natural Science Foundation of China (No.72372143); The Yunnan Fundamental Research Key Project (No. 202401AS070020); Yunnan Provincial Science and Technology Research Project of China National Tobacco Corporation (No.2025530000241028); The Yunnan Philosophy and Social Sciences Innovation Team under grant number 2025CX17; and the Yunnan Xingdian Talent Support Program.

UN SDGs

This output contributes to the following UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

SDG 9 Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure

Access to Document

10.1038/s41598-025-33335-6Licence: CC BY-NC-ND

https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-025-33335-6

Cite this

@article{a896598472a64027ab100a747b375fa1,

title = "Untangling the role of blockchain technology in shaping supply chain concentration from the contingency and configuration perspectives",

abstract = "This study presents an empirical exploration of the relationship between blockchain technology (BT) and supply chain concentration (SCC) from contingency and configuration perspectives by using a panel dataset of 147 Chinese enterprises that applied blockchain technology from 2019 to 2023. Multiple regression analysis (MRA) results indicate that BT is essential for the two dimensions of SCC: supplier concentration (SC) and customer concentration (CC). Additionally, we find that R\&D investment, listed years, and industry type strengthen the BT-SCC relationship. A fuzzy-set qualitative comparative analysis (fsQCA) further reveals that none of the aforementioned variables independently lead to a high level of SCC; rather, SCC requires a combination of these variables alongside BT adoption. These findings highlight alternative pathways through which different enterprises can achieve high levels of SCC by utilizing BT, a topic that has not been explored in prior research.",

author = "Jinxin ZHANG and Xiaoyan GUO and Zhenyu FAN and Linguo CHEN and Sen LIU and Xuejian YANG",

note = "Publisher Copyright: {\textcopyright} The Author(s) 2025.",

year = "2025",

month = dec,

day = "23",

doi = "10.1038/s41598-025-33335-6",

language = "English",

volume = "16",

journal = "Scientific Reports",

issn = "2045-2322",

publisher = "Nature Research",

number = "1",

}

TY - JOUR

T1 - Untangling the role of blockchain technology in shaping supply chain concentration from the contingency and configuration perspectives

AU - ZHANG, Jinxin

AU - GUO, Xiaoyan

AU - FAN, Zhenyu

AU - CHEN, Linguo

AU - LIU, Sen

AU - YANG, Xuejian

PY - 2025/12/23

Y1 - 2025/12/23

N2 - This study presents an empirical exploration of the relationship between blockchain technology (BT) and supply chain concentration (SCC) from contingency and configuration perspectives by using a panel dataset of 147 Chinese enterprises that applied blockchain technology from 2019 to 2023. Multiple regression analysis (MRA) results indicate that BT is essential for the two dimensions of SCC: supplier concentration (SC) and customer concentration (CC). Additionally, we find that R&D investment, listed years, and industry type strengthen the BT-SCC relationship. A fuzzy-set qualitative comparative analysis (fsQCA) further reveals that none of the aforementioned variables independently lead to a high level of SCC; rather, SCC requires a combination of these variables alongside BT adoption. These findings highlight alternative pathways through which different enterprises can achieve high levels of SCC by utilizing BT, a topic that has not been explored in prior research.

AB - This study presents an empirical exploration of the relationship between blockchain technology (BT) and supply chain concentration (SCC) from contingency and configuration perspectives by using a panel dataset of 147 Chinese enterprises that applied blockchain technology from 2019 to 2023. Multiple regression analysis (MRA) results indicate that BT is essential for the two dimensions of SCC: supplier concentration (SC) and customer concentration (CC). Additionally, we find that R&D investment, listed years, and industry type strengthen the BT-SCC relationship. A fuzzy-set qualitative comparative analysis (fsQCA) further reveals that none of the aforementioned variables independently lead to a high level of SCC; rather, SCC requires a combination of these variables alongside BT adoption. These findings highlight alternative pathways through which different enterprises can achieve high levels of SCC by utilizing BT, a topic that has not been explored in prior research.

UR - https://www.scopus.com/pages/publications/105028760454

U2 - 10.1038/s41598-025-33335-6

DO - 10.1038/s41598-025-33335-6

M3 - Journal Article (refereed)

C2 - 41436552

SN - 2045-2322

VL - 16

JO - Scientific Reports

JF - Scientific Reports

IS - 1

M1 - 3315

ER -

Untangling the role of blockchain technology in shaping supply chain concentration from the contingency and configuration perspectives

Abstract

Bibliographical note

Funding

UN SDGs

Access to Document

Other files and links

Fingerprint

Cite this