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Purpose Blood cold chain (BCC) represents a system for preserving the blood during its journey from the donor to the ultimate transfusion site. Existing BCCs have many drawbacks related to information transparency and information security. Secured and real-time information sharing in BCC can bring several benefits. The purpose of this paper is to summarise the issues in typical BCCs and to explore the scope of blockchain in the management of BCCs. Design/methodology/approach Issues in the existing BCCs are identified through a narrative review. To explain the potential of blockchain in mitigating these issues, a blockchain-based traceability solution is demonstrated with respect to a particular BCC scenario. The BCC management system discussed in this study makes use of the Ethereum blockchain’s smart contract feature and internet of things (IoT) technology. The smart contract is written in the solidity programming language and tested and validated using the Remix integrated development environment. Findings BCCs are concerned with several issues both from technical and non-technical perspectives. Blockchain technology is capable of troubleshooting the issues in the existing BCCs. Combining blockchain and IoT technology enables real-time information sharing among the entities. The demonstration presented in this work depicts how the blockchain-based smart contract can support operations in a typical BCC. Research limitations/implications This paper explores the scope of blockchain in BCCs through a demonstration. To get insights into its technical and economical feasibilities, further investigations are needed. Originality/value Blockchain-based traceability system presented in this work can be adopted in BCCs to ensure the quality of blood or blood products. Blockchain-based smart contracts can aid the BCCs to achieve a proper balance between blood shortage and outdating.

PurposeThis paper aims to introduce, conceptualize and demonstrate a software tool named “Blockchain-Enabled Beer Game” (BEBG) for familiarizing the application of blockchain in inventory management, one of the critical components of supply chain management.Design/methodology/approachThis paper follows a methodology of design-based research and develops a software tool in the form of a role-play simulation game. The proposed game adopts the theme of the traditional beer distribution game to establish a blockchain-enabled scenario for inventory management. A decentralized application (DApp) was prototyped on the Ethereum blockchain to demonstrate the tool.FindingsThe proposed software tool is effective in teaching and training the application of blockchain in inventory management. While interacting with BEBG, players witness how each inventory-related transaction gets secured with blockchain. A basic understanding of the fundamentals of blockchain is a prerequisite for using this tool. BEBG is not self-explanatory, and an instructor is essential for assisting the players.Originality/valueSoftware tools currently available to familiarize with blockchain technology cannot convey its practical applications. Addressing this gap, BEBG allows the users to experience the application of blockchain in inventory management. Academic institutions, especially business schools, can use this tool to teach the students the practical use of blockchain technology. Industries can adopt BEBG for training the employees. The research community can devise BEBG to infer the impact of blockchain in supply chain management.

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