Blockchain-based Traceability: A bibliometric and lexicometric analysis for knowledge graph

Abstract

There is rising adoption of traceability solutions in blockchain-based applications. Blockchain appropriately meets supply chain using traceable distributed records. We integrate a bibliometric study (869 articles) and a lexicometric study (135 articles) analyzing knowledge paths and communities based on previous research to guide its development. The bibliometrics illustrates the holistic evolution with co-citation analysis: influential researchers and countries, discipline composition, knowledge development trends, and emerging frontiers. The lexicometric identifies the concept structure of epistemic communities with a textual approach. From the knowledge graphs, we found that blockchain traceability research began in 2016 and emerged a surge from 2019. There are three chronological phases: 2016-2017 technological embryonic stage, 2018-2019 emerging establishment stage, 2020-Now ecological optimization stage. Blockchain traceability interconnects with IoT for intelligent tracking. It mainly applies in food and agriculture supply chain nowadays, waiting for further large-scale application in automobile manufacture and carbon emission. Blockchain and supply chain mutually transform as sensemaking theory. Traceability solutions have been popularized in business scenarios.