Charting the Evolution of Information Systems in Supply Chain Management: A Narrative Review of Three Competitive Eras

Abstract

The strategic role of Information Systems (IS) in supply chain competitiveness (SCC) has undergone a profound, yet inadequately synthesized evolution. This narrative review addresses this gap by proposing a 3-era framework that charts the coevolution of IS and SCC, revealing a fundamental paradigm shift in competitive logic. The analysis identifies: (1) the Internal Efficiency Era, where IS established cost leadership through automation and intra-firm integration (e.g., ERP and MRP); (2) the Inter-Organizational Coordination Era, where digital connectivity redefined advantage as dyadic reliability, enabling practices like VMI and CPFR (e.g., via EDI, RFID; (3) the Network-Wide Intelligence Era, where converging technologies (e.g., AI, IoT, and blockchain) are fostering ecosystem-wide resilience and adaptive decision-making. The review contributes a coherent conceptual framework that argues IS has progressively reconfigured the source of competitive advantage. This synthesis provides scholars and practitioners with a robust lens for understanding the historical progression and future trajectory of digitally driven supply chains.