International Journal of Production Research

Managing Live-Streaming Supply Chains in the Digital Era

With the rapid development of the live-streaming selling (LSS), more and more supply chain members sell their products through the live-streaming channel. They even consider LSS as a crucial component of their digital transformation efforts in the supply chain (Leong et al., 2023). LSS encompasses various forms, including Key Opinion Leader (KOL)-led and merchant-hosted live-streaming selling. With the advancement of technology, an increasing number of supply chain members are also integrating AI-powered virtual avatars as presenters to promote products (Zheng et al., 2024). It is foreseeable that the global live-streaming e-commerce market will continue to expand, gradually becoming one of the primary avenues for businesses to showcase products. Consequently, many researchers have begun to explore the interplay between LSS and various aspects of operations and supply chain management (OSCM), making it an emerging stream OSCM research (Wamba et al., 2024; Dolgui and Ivanov, 2023).

As an innovative business model, the development of LSS has expanded the concept of digital retailing and brought new challenges to retail channel planning (Liu et al., 2022; Xu et al., 2023). On the one hand, LSS acts as a novel channel bridging supply and demand, speeding up the digitalization of supply chains and boosting their efficiency. For instance, Cui et al. (2023) observed potential shifts in end-demand market structures due to live-streaming sales. Li et al. (2023) propose that live-streaming e-commerce empowers manufacturers to gather more personalized and interactive data, signaling a promising digital marketing approach. On the other hand, the adoption of live-streaming sales by retailers hinges on their ability to mitigate consumer product uncertainty (Zhang et al., 2023). This adoption could also impact supply chain decisions regarding resale and agency sales models (Hao and Yang, 2023; Liu et al., 2023).
Given these advancements, further research is needed to delve into LSS operations, aiming to strengthen the theoretical foundations essential for decision-making. One significant challenge facing the live-streaming e-commerce industry is effectively managing the shift in demand brought about by LSS (Pan et al., 2022), which heightens the risks associated with product demand forecasting and inventory control (Jackson et al., 2024). Moreover, supported by digital technology, the diversity of LSS patterns is increasing (Huang et al. 2022). This evolving landscape intensifies market competition while also highlighting opportunities to enhance supply chain efficiency and reduce information asymmetry. Therefore, the industry must address the challenge of aligning production and sales amidst fierce competition. In addition, it is crucial to emphasize the low entry barrier and lack of professionalism in the LSS sector. Inexperienced practitioners may compromise product or service quality, thereby impacting the industry’s sustainability.

This special issue aims to delve into the expansive domain of live-streaming e-commerce and its capacity to propel the digital transformation of supply chains. We invite submissions that develop innovative theories grounded in prevalent industry practices in live-streaming e-commerce, and meticulously validate such theories using rigorous methodologies. Furthermore, we encourage the submission of high-quality empirical papers addressing the challenges encountered in live-streaming e-commerce.

Topics of interest

• Examining the role and impact of LSS in the digital transformation of supply chains;
• Investigating novel models of LSS in the digital transformation of supply chains;
• Developing dynamic inventory strategies to address demand fluctuations in LSS models;
• Evaluating return policies and distribution strategies in live-streaming e-commerce;
• Delving into sustainable innovations in the live-streaming e-commerce industry, including the integration of AI, big data, and other disruptive technologies;
• Addressing the challenges for sustainable development confronting the live-streaming e-commerce industry and the influence of competition on sustainable operations;
• Generating insights from real-world experiences and case studies of live-streaming supply chains;
• Application of digital live-streaming ecommerce.

References

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