Research agenda and Guest editorial: Metaverse adoption and implementation in logistics and supply chain management: challenges, issues and opportunities

Metaverse is an immersive 3D Internet platform where programmable avatars of humans can interact with each other and software agents, mimicking the physical world and its experiences on the screen. Metaverse is one step ahead of “digital twins” as the former can influence the behaviour and processes of the physical entity (Dolgui and Ivanov, 2023). According to a report, 25% of people will spend at least one hour a day in the Metaverse for various activities including shopping, education and entertainment by 2026.Metaverse appears as a new operational model amalgamating extended, virtual, mixed and augmented reality for achieving superior customer and supplier experience (Li, 2020). A broad spectrum of technology platforms, including digital twin, neural computing, machine vision (virtual, mixed and augmented reality), networking, blockchain and natural language processing, form the backbone of Metaverse (Huynh-The et al., 2023). A blended experience of social platforms, digital products and smart stores will not only transform the customer's experience (Hoang et al., 2023; Tueanrat et al., 2021a, b) but also the operational processes and supply chain. Metaverse can unlock the way goods are perceived, designed, manufactured and transacted and how the interactions take place between suppliers, OEMs, retailers and customers (Dwivedi et al., 2022). Metaverse is expected to combine both physical and digital aspects of demand forecasting, procurement, manufacturing, maintenance, warehousing, supply chain and logistics in an unprecedented manner (Ivanov and Dolgui, 2020). A product may first be launched on the Metaverse platform followed by in a physical market or vice versa. The consumers’ preference for a product in Metaverse platform can be used to gauge the demand pattern, leading to data-driven decision-making in the supply chain (Gai et al., 2023). Firms can combine the real-time data provided by different physical and digital locations to have a more accurate Metaverse–physical collaborative forecast. Besides, supply chain resilience can be augmented by shifting the demand from physical space to the Metaverse to cope with uncertainties in demand. Gamification can also be used for better consumer experience and engagement (Thomas et al., 2023). Thus, immersive interaction at various stages of the supply chain can revolutionize the manufacturing, maintenance and logistics processes and facilitate informed decision-making (Li, 2020). Digital twin-aided warehousing and augmented reality-supported remote maintenance are going to add flexibility and resilience in manufacturing operations (Akbari et al., 2023; Maheshwari et al., 2023; Samadhiya et al., 2023).Metaverse is likely to have critical implications within the operations and supply chain domain, and these can appear in physical, digital and Metaverse supply chain formats. The Metaverse and its variants, such as the virtual world, 3D virtual environment, Second Life, extended reality, virtual reality, mixed reality and augmented reality, are going to present challenges and opportunities to different stakeholders of supply chains (Marabelli and Newell, 2022; Richter and Richter, 2023). However, in the domain of supply chain and logistics management, the clarity is still lacking about the potential and pitfalls of the Metaverse.The Metaverse encompasses a broad category of emerging technologies that create a new and unconventional business model. Like many other socio-technical phenomena, the Metaverse comes with an array of challenges for enterprises that require careful attention from academia, industry and policy-making bodies to achieve the intended goals (Zabel et al., 2023). As the Metaverse applications in operations and supply chain are still in their nascent stage, practical, social, ethical and technological issues need to be discussed and resolved (Richter and Richter, 2023; Yang, 2023). Along with this, it is also important to understand the opportunities that the Metaverse is going to offer in the supply chain and logistics domain.This special issue, containing nine focused articles as mentioned in Table 1, initiates a deliberation and debate on the prevailing status, challenges, issues and benefits of the Metaverse adoption across supply chain and logistics processes.Mishra and Singh (2026) combine a systematic review and expert insights on Metaverse applications in supply chain management (SCM), analysing 81 articles and 11 practitioner interviews. Using the context, intervention, mechanism and outcome (CIMO) framework, they identify key themes: enabling technologies (augmented reality (AR)/virtual reality (VR), blockchain and artificial intelligence (AI)), applications in SCM, organizational use cases for immersive supply chain practices and implementation considerations and maturity gaps. The study contributes a novel Metaverse capability framework and proposes future research directions with respect to theory, context and methodology.Zhang et al. (2026) present a comprehensive discussion of how the Metaverse can transform logistics and SCM. Utilizing a systematic literature review, the authors propose an enhanced seven-element framework (scope, task, people, organization, management, technology and modelling) to analyse Metaverse applications in LSCM. The relationship between these seven elements is highlighted in the discussion. The authors also introduce a feedback cycle within the modelling process (visualization, analysis, planning and control), which enables continuous improvement in Metaverse-enabled LSCM.Samadhiya et al. (2026) systematically review 161 journal articles to examine how prescriptive analytics (PA) can empower Metaverse for sustainable operations and supply chains. The authors utilize text mining, bibliometric analysis and structural topic modelling. Using structural topic modelling, four primary themes focusing on data analytics for industry performance optimization, business optimization modelling; operations optimization through Metaverse, analytics, decision optimization and operations revolution with advanced analytics and smart technologies were identified. The study also discusses the underexplored role of PA and Metaverse in fostering efficient, sustainable practices. The analysis highlights both the transformative potential and challenges of integrating PA in virtual environments to advance sustainability in logistics and operations management.Ramtiyal et al. (2026) investigate the factors influencing Metaverse adoption within the supply chains of small-scale enterprises in Asia, using a mixed-methods approach and the technology-organization-environment (TOE) framework. Through systematic literature review and common factor analysis, the authors identify enablers such as VR/AR, high-speed networks and AI, along with barriers including platform compatibility issues, data security and privacy concerns for small business supply chains. Interpretive structural modelling is used to identify the contextual relations among enablers and barriers. Findings show that effective Metaverse integration depends on technological investment, supportive organizational culture and proactive regulatory solutions.Ramkumar and Goswami (2026) empirically investigate Metaverse adoption in SCM using a technology-task fit (TTF) and perceived value framework, combining survey-based structural equation modelling (PLS-SEM) on responses from 164 Indian supply chain professionals. The results demonstrate that TTF and perceived value significantly drive Metaverse adoption intent. Key enablers include security, collaboration support, sustainability and readiness, while major barriers are costs, privacy issues and skill gaps. The findings emphasize strategic alignment of Metaverse features with SCM tasks and highlight that context determines the impact of features like interactivity and visualization. The study offers actionable insights for both researchers and practitioners.Bhardwaj et al. (2026) investigate the managerial challenges of Metaverse adoption in logistics and supply chain through a dynamic capability lens. Using a systematic literature review of 24 key papers and multiple case studies with top logistics executives from India and Europe, the authors identify 3 core managerial challenge themes: idiosyncratic, intra-organizational and contextual. These are integrated into a conceptual framework outlining three managerial action stages, i.e. enable, accelerate and mobilize, to address adoption barriers. The study highlights the critical role of sensing, seizing and reinforcing capabilities in managing technology integration, strategic alignment and resource allocation for Metaverse adoption in SCM.Kumar et al. (2026) examine the economic, social and environmental impacts of extended reality (XR) technologies, i.e. AR and VR, on SCM using a grounded theory approach. Based on 15 interviews with industry experts from India and Europe, the authors argue that XR enhances supply chain sustainability through cost reduction, risk management, employee well-being, collaboration, customer focus, resource efficiency and carbon footprint reduction. The study introduces a novel theoretical framework for XR-based sustainable SCM, offering practical insights for developers and managers.Rathore et al. (2026) analyse how Metaverse environments impact supply chain managers' decision-making using a public self-awareness lens. Employing four lab experiments with Newsvendor tasks and categorization exercises, the authors demonstrate that virtual proximity heightens the feeling of being observed, increasing public self-awareness and prompting decisions at a higher construal level. This shift reduces behavioural biases such as risk aversion and the pull-to-centre effect. The authors provide a novel behavioural explanation for the Metaverse's potential in SCM contexts, showing that immersive virtual environments can promote more rational and consensus-oriented decision-making.Saldanha et al. (2026) explore VR as an innovative socio-technical tool to enhance SCM education. Through a systematic literature review and a US-based case study involving 24 faculty and 565 students across 19 universities, the research identifies the potential affordances and barriers of VR in SCM pedagogy. Grounding the findings in the experiential learning cycle model, the authors propose six research propositions as a roadmap for implementing VR pedagogy for SCM. The results show that VR enriches learning, motivates students and offers immersive, low-risk, experiential learning opportunities, while its challenges include technology limitations and cost.Most of the studies begin with extensive literature reviews, using clear protocol-based article selection, followed by content and/or thematic analysis aiming to generate new or ratify existing theories. Several studies combine systematic reviews with case studies, semi-structured interviews and grounded theory-based thematic coding. This hybrid approach bridges the knowledge-practice gap and validates conceptual frameworks. Some studies also employ structured surveys, factor analysis and structural equation modelling to develop and validate structural models. Some of the authors have invoked various organizational theories and perspectives like “dynamic capability”, “technology-organization-environment (TOE)”, “technology-task fit (TTF)”, etc. for the theoretical underpinning of their observations.In a nutshell, the articles of this special issue cover the prevailing status, adoption challenges and impacts in the metaverse in the supply chain and logistics domain. Several papers identify both technical enablers (e.g. digital twins, advanced analytics and secure cloud infrastructure) and barriers (e.g. cost, interoperability, lack of digital literacy, regulatory ambiguity, cyberbullying, virtual identity theft and societal bias) for Metaverse adoption. Challenges are contextualized at organizational, group and individual (idiosyncratic) levels.One of the core themes found across studies is the integration of Metaverse and extended reality technologies into supply chains. These integrations enable immersive, real-time, data-rich environments, foster greater supply chain resilience, enhance transparency and allow a more collaborative model for managing supply and demand. Some studies focus on the managerial aspect of Metaverse adoption, analysing how digital immersion changes risk perception, group dynamics, public self-awareness and decision quality. The reduction of behavioural biases and enhancement of collectivist decision-making in virtual settings are also highlighted. Sustainability is another theme reflected thoroughly in the articles of this special issue. Several articles emphasize the impact of Metaverse adoption within the supply chain on the triple bottom line, i.e. economic, social and environmental sustainability. The link between Metaverse adoption and CO2 reduction, resource optimization and wider environmental-social-governance standards has been elucidated by the authors. The impact of extended reality on economic, social and environmental business practices and operational efficiency is also highlighted.This special issue underscores the emerging role of the Metaverse in reimagining supply chain and logistics management, offering insights into how AI, digital twins, blockchain and virtual platforms are paving the way for new business models and value creation across global supply chain and logistics networks. The articles demonstrate that the Metaverse has a decisive influence on marketing, procurement, manufacturing, logistics, maintenance and workforce training in transformative ways. However, integration of Metaverse technologies into supply chains and logistics introduces new challenges related to privacy, ethics, bias, data interoperability, cybersecurity, digital infrastructure, workforce readiness and sustainability that must be addressed to realize its full potential. Thus, a key future research agenda should revolve around creating virtual replicas of manufacturing and logistics networks for predictive and PA, workforce training, consumer interaction in an immersive environment, use of gamification to increase logistics productivity, etc. Besides, immersive collaboration between the supply chain partners should be explored to augment supply chain agility and resilience. By critically engaging with the Metaverse, the supply chain community can shape a future that is not only more networked but also more robust and resilient.