Evaluating challenges to Industry 4.0 initiatives for supply chain sustainability in emerging economies Abstract: Industry 4.0 initiatives can influence whole business system via transforming the means the products are designed, produced, delivered and discarded. Industry 4.0 is relatively novel to developing nations, especially in India and needs a clear definition for proper understanding and practice in business. This paper aims to recognize key challenges to Industry 4.0 initiatives and analyze the identified key challenges to prioritize them for effective Industry 4.0 concepts for supply chain sustainability in emerging economies by taking Indian manufacturing industry perspective. Industry 4.0 initiatives can help industries to incorporate environmental protection and control initiatives as well as process safety measures in supply chains towards sustainable supply chains. However, adoption of Industry 4.0 initiatives are not so easy due to existence of many challenges. Therefore, the present research identifies 18 key challenges to Industry 4.0 initiatives for developing supply chain sustainability using an extensive literature review. These challenges were analyzed through 96 responses received from Indian manufacturing sector using a questionnaire based survey. Explanatory Factor Analysis results classified identified challenges into four key dimensions of challenges. Analytical Hierarchy Process further ranks the identified dimensions of challenges and related challenges. Findings of the study revealed that Organizational challenges holds the highest importance followed by Legal and ethical issues, Strategic challenges, and Technological challenges. This work is very useful for practitioners, policy makers, regulatory bodies and managers to develop an in-depth understanding of Industry 4.0 initiatives and eradicate the potential challenges in adopting Industry 4.0 initiatives for supply chain sustainability.

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Circular supply chain emphasizes surge in application of reuse, recycling and remanufacturing and thereby promotes the transformation of manufacturing characteristics from linear ('take-produce-utilize-dump') to circular model of flow of products, by-products and waste. Supply chains of manufacturing industries have become global in last few decades. Products manufactured in developing nations like India and China are being sent to developed nations for consumption in higher volumes. Developed nations have the regulatory policies, technological knowhow and modern infrastructure to adopt circular supply chain model. Their counterpart is trailing in these aspects. In literature, limited research work has been performed on identifying challenges of implementing circular supply chain management in developing nations and their contextual association. In this article, based on thorough literature review and feedback received from experts, sixteen important barriers were identified to circular supply chain management adoption in Indian context. The listed barriers were then analysed using an integrated Interpretive Structural Modelling-MICMAC approach. This study attempts to identify the contextual interactions among identified barriers and to examine their hierarchical levels in effective adoption and implementation of circular supply chain management. The findings of this research will contribute in transforming supply chains in terms of bringing economic prosperity, addressing global warming issues and generating numerous employment opportunities. Finally, some crucial policy measures and recommendations are proposed to assist managers and government bodies to adopt and manage the concepts of circular supply chains effectively in Indian context.

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The global production and supply chain system is mostly disrupted due to widespread of the coronavirus pandemic (COVID-19). Most of the industrial managers and policymakers are searching for adequate strategies and policies for revamping production patterns and meet consumer demand. Form global supply chain perspectives, the majority of raw materials are imported from China and other Asian developing nations. The COVID-19 pandemic has broken the most of transportation links and distribution mechanisms between suppliers, production facilities and customers. Therefore, it is imperative to discuss sustainable production and consumption pattern in the post-COVID-19 pandemic era. Most of the prominent economies around the world enforced a total lockdown, and the focus has since shifted to surge in demand for essential products and services. This has led to a decline in demand for some nonessential products and services. The production and operations management challenges of the pandemic situations are discussed and adequately proposes policy strategies for improving the resilience and sustainability of the system. This paper also discusses the different operations and supply chain perspectives for handling such disruptions in the future.