This article has been reviewed according to Science X's editorial process and policies. Editors have highlighted the following attributes while ensuring the content's credibility: Businesses hoping AI will solve their supply chain problems risk wasting their investment unless they first fix weaknesses in their data, skills and management, according to new research published in the Benchmarking: An International Journal. The study, led by the University of East London (UEL), found that advanced technology can help companies forecast demand and respond more quickly when supply chains are disrupted.
But the researchers warn that simply investing in artificial intelligence (AI), big data systems, cloud computing and the Internet of Things (IoT) does not guarantee better results. Instead, businesses need the right people, reliable data, clear management systems and the ability to turn information into decisions. The researchers, from the Royal Docks School of Business and Law and the University of Hertfordshire, examined more than 500 academic studies published over a decade on the use of big data in supply chains and business operations.
They found that even sophisticated technology has little value if its information is not trusted, understood and used by the people making decisions. Godfried Adaba, lecturer in supply chain management, said, "The message for businesses is that buying the latest AI or data technology is not enough. These tools can help businesses, but only if the foundations are already in place.
"Businesses need reliable data, people with the right skills, clear responsibility for decisions and managers who understand and trust the information they are being given. If those things are missing, advanced technology can become an expensive system that delivers little real value." The authors recommend that businesses strengthen their data governance, analytical skills and decision-making processes before expanding their use of advanced analytics. They also point to the importance of teams that bring together technical and operational expertise.
Adaba et al, Big data analytics value creation in operations and supply chain management: a review of capabilities, conditions and constraints, Benchmarking: An International Journal (2026). DOI: 10.1108/bij-03-2026-0172 Bachelor's in mathematical biology, Master's in creative writing. Well-traveled with unique perspectives on science and language.
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