Körsgen, H., Rabe, M.: Blockchain Subnets for Track & Trace within the Logistics System Landscape. In: Terzi, S.; Madani, K.; Gusikhin, O.; Panetto, H. (Hrsg.): Innovative Intelligent Industrial Production and Logistics. Cham: Springer Nature 2023, S. 165-181.

The advantages of track & trace solutions to enterprises that move physical goods are widespread. Yet, track & trace solutions are not a standard component of an enterprise’s system landscape. While mostly being triggered by customer requests, track & trace initiatives are often siloed. Seldomly, the entire enterprise and even more rarely the enterprise’s network are considered. The reasons for a siloed implementation of track & trace software are manifold. Different business priorities, adverse data sharing policies, lack of knowledge, and a missing structured approach are a few to mention. Starting with the structured approach of the digital enterprise architecture (DEA) is a first remedy to these issues. From a technological perspective, embracing a blockchain subnet gives enterprises access to solutions for data ownership, validity, and integrity impediments. The blockchain-based subnet is compatible with a bimodal enterprise architecture. This allows enterprises to connect to their supply chain partners’ logistics systems differently than to their own one. Several steps need to be considered to achieve a functional supply-chain-network-wide track & trace solution. From finding consensus among the blockchain peers to designing the track & trace block, academic input is combined to render the implementation of a blockchain-based track & trace solution possible. From business perspective linking the requirement catalogue with the purposeful use of the latest technology follows an end-to-end approach.