Title: A bibliometric analysis of artificial intelligence in supply chain research: A comparative analysis between Slovenia and the United States of America (BI-US-24-26-052)
Head of the research group: izr. prof. dr. Tatjana Stanimirović ( from 1. 7. 2024 to 30. 6. 2026)
The emergence of artificial intelligence has significantly transformed how businesses gather and analyze real-time data, enabling more informed decisions in supply chain management. Artificial intelligence extends the potential of other disruptive technologies like the internet of things and blockchain technology. The internet of things enables the real-time collection and transmission of data on supply and demand, inventory levels, production planning, and operational challenges, offering invaluable insights for making timely decisions that improve operational efficiency. Similarly, blockchain technology enhances visibility and transparency across supply chains with a secure, digitally distributed ledger system that supports smart contracts and provides strong protection against financial threats. Alongside big data analytics, artificial intelligence plays a crucial role in enhancing the data processing capabilities of a firm, enabling quick responses to disruptive events and ensuring a more resilient supply chain. Therefore, artificial intelligence is revolutionizing supply chain management by automating complex decision-making processes and predictive analytics. Thus, artificial intelligence has become a pivotal focus, particularly in enhancing supply chain resilience, ensuring sustained competitive advantage, and signaling a new era of operational excellence and innovation in the business world.
The main aim of the research is to conduct a bibliometric analysis of artificial intelligence in supply chain research, focusing on a comparison between Slovenia and the United States of America. The operationalization of the research aim will be achieved systematically throughout three main research phases. The first phase involves identifying all scientific documents in the Scopus database based on a search query that includes all relevant keywords on artificial intelligence in supply chain research. The second phase involves a manual examination of the obtained scientific documents by checking and screening the abstract, title, and keywords to ensure the substantive adequacy of all scientific documents taken into bibliometric analysis. In the third phase, the application of numerous bibliometric approaches will follow. The specific objectives of the bibliometric analysis on artificial intelligence in supply chain research are the following: 1) to examine basic or descriptive indicators; 2) to identify the most relevant and impactful countries, journals, documents, and authors; 3) to examine collaboration between authors; and 4) to identify research topics that have disappeared and those currently in vogue. The analysis will be performed with sophisticated bibliometric tools such as Python (Pandasand Matplotlib), the Biblioshiny application, and VOSviewer. Hence, this project provides an unprecedented in-depth examination of artificial intelligence in supply chain research while alsoserving as an important source for the identification of related research gaps.
The project tries to help strengthen the knowledge of policymakers in Slovenia and the United States of America. Moreover, the project embeds the important elements of scalability, as theresults will provide a framework for further empirical studies that are transferable to the international context. The exchange of specific knowledge and experience represents the added valueof the collaboration between researchers from Slovenia and the United States of America. The main aims of collaboration are the following: 1) to combine the theoretical and empiricalperspective of the presented research topic; 2) to establish a basis for future collaboration in research projects; and 3) to enhance/include collaboration between young scholars andexperienced researchers. All researchers involved in this project are experts in their corresponding fields. The proposed research will contribute systematically and comprehensively to thegeneral literature with new theoretical and empirical evidence. The empirical analysis will be embedded into a profound theoretical and methodological background. The results of thisresearch will contribute to academic and practical knowledge and will be helpful to researchers and practitioners in this field when exploring the further implications in both theory andpractice. Joint contributions are planned for selected international conferences. The outcome of the cooperation is also planned to be visible in the form of scientific papers published insome highly indexed (ISI) journals.
Duration (from/to):
from 1. 7. 2024 to 30. 6. 2026
Contracting Authority:
Slovenian Research and Innovation Agency
Project Partner:
College of Charleston
Financing:

Memebers of the research group:
izr. prof. dr. Tatjana Stanimirović (vodja)
prof. dr. Aleksander Aristovnik
Members of the research group in the partner country:
dr. Rafael Teixeira
Objectives of bilateral cooperation activities
The main objectives of the cooperation are:
1) to combine the theoretical and empirical perspectives of the presented research topic;
2) to establish a basis for future cooperation on research projects; and
3) to strengthen/include cooperation between young and experienced researchers.
All the researchers involved in this bilateral cooperation activity are experts in their fields. The proposed research will contribute to the general literature with new theoretical and empirical evidence in a systematic and comprehensive way. The empirical analysis will be embedded in an in-depth theoretical and methodological background. The results of this research will contribute to academic and practical knowledge and will help researchers and practitioners in the field to conduct research in theory and practice. Complementarity will be exercised by combining theoretical and empirical questions. In addition, the bilateral cooperation activity is a good opportunity to involve young researchers in international cooperation, as both partners involve selected young PhD students or postdoctoral researchers in their research work. Students from both institutions will also benefit, as both leaders of the bilateral cooperation activity plan to present the main results of the research during their guest lectures at the partner institutions.Joint contributions to selected international conferences are foreseen. The outcome of the collaboration should also be visible in the form of scientific articles published in some highly indexed (ISI) journals.