# Leveraging the Internet of Things and Blockchain Technology in Supply Chain Management
## 7 Conclusions, Limitations, and Further Research  
In this conceptual paper, we have shown how the combination of Blockchain technology with IoT can trigger new opportunities to enhance supply chain integrity and improve operational performance. Simultaneously, the technologies can potentially yield new problems. For example, a Blockchain provides the benefit of immutability, which is seen as a core feature. However, immutability can be viewed as a negative feature for various reasons which are now drivers of a renewed interest in creating'mutable' Blockchains. Thus, additional academic research is therefore needed to explore, explain and predict different application scenarios rigorously. This includes the application of academic theories, which might help to gain further insights on why specific phenomena occur. It is important to note that there are several limitations and challenges concerning Blockchain integration in an IoT environment [70]. The heightened increase in the complexity of IoT infrastructure puts the Blockchain at the front of managing growing amounts of data that require high scalability. Privacy and scalability issues can be mitigated by the use of permissioned Blockchains, which are less resource-intensive and the concept of 'Blockchain pruning' (i.e., deleting unnecessary data or obsolete transactions) has been suggested as a possible solution. Nevertheless, these alternatives fuel the discussion over the immutable nature of Blockchains and the monopolistic approach of consortium ledgers that creates barriers to entry and hinders innovation [135]. Beyond geographical boundaries, the combination of Blockchain with IoT can be delayed by both regulatory uncertainties and the lack of industry standards [136]. Although Blockchain technology could enhance peer-to-peer connectivity between supply chain exchange partners, the integration of Blockchain and IoT challenges some of the institutional assumptions common in international business [137]. Indeed, harmonization (or 'equivalency' between sovereign states) of data protection laws remains a problem, while stronger industry self-regulation to govern and control the access to data and organize their transmission both nationally and globally is a requirement [138; 139; 140]. It is still unclear how disparate Blockchain technologies and systems will interoperate with each other and integrate with other technological artifacts. This is compounded by the existence of unreliable and inefficient transmission standards and protocols that clog the arteries of information sharing between the exchange partners. Additionally, an IoT environment is inherently dynamic, unpredictable and affected by the ever-changing laws and regulations related to security and other \begin{table}
\begin{tabular}{p{142.3 pt} p{142.3 pt}} \hline \hline
**Proposition** & **Area** \\ \hline RP 1: Blockchain technology positively impacts the scalability of IoT solutions. & Scalability \\ \hline RP2: Blockchain technology positively impacts the security of IoT solutions. & Security \\ \hline RP3-1: The immutability of Blockchain technology positively impacts the auditing of IoT solutions. & Immutability \& Auditing \\ \hline RP3-2: Mutable Blockchain technology creates new application scenarios for IoT usage and management. & \\ \hline RP4: Blockchain technology positively impacts the effectiveness, efficiency and integrity of information flows in IoT solutions. & Effectiveness and efficiency of information flow \\ \hline RP5: Blockchain technology positively impacts the traceability and interoperability of IoT solutions. & Traceability and interoperability \\ \hline RP6: Blockchain technology positively impacts the quality and integrity of IoT solutions. & Quality \\ \hline \hline \end{tabular}
\end{table} 
Table 2: Summary of Research Propositions. interoperability requirements [141; 142]. Such sudden variability and chaotic nature necessitate new laws and regulations urgently [143].