International Journal of Information and Operations Management Education (5 papers in press)

Regular Issues

• Attributing responsibility in AI-assisted supply chain management decisions: the impact of outcomes on locus of control  
  by Alessia Dorigoni 
  Abstract: This study examines responsibility attribution in AI-assisted decision-making in supply chain management, focusing on how decision outcomes (success or failure) influence perceptions of accountability between the AI system and the human manager. Using a between-subjects experimental design, 160 participants evaluated AI-assisted decision scenarios with positive or negative outcomes. Specifically, participants were asked to assign the responsibility for the outcome achieved by the firm to both the AI and the manager. The study shows an outcome-based asymmetry in responsibility attribution: success is attributed to AI, while failure is blamed on the manager, suggesting managerial oversight could mitigate AI errors. These findings emphasize the need for transparent, accountable AI systems in organizations to balance human oversight and responsibility and they provide valuable educational insights for managers, equipping them with a deeper understanding of the risks and responsibilities involved when leveraging AI in supply chain management.
  Keywords: artificial intelligence; decision-making; accountability; educational insights.
  DOI: 10.1504/IJIOME.2025.10070390
   
  
• Integrating sustainability in supply chain finance education: enhancing learning and organisational competitiveness  
  by Gerardo Bosco, Alessia Sciarrone, Raffaele D'Amore, Mario Calabrese 
  Abstract: This paper explores the evolution of supply chain finance (SCF) as a collaborative financial management approach, and its role in addressing the growing importance of sustainability and ESG (environmental, social, and governance) principles. It focuses on sustainable supply chain finance (SSCF) as a strategic link between financial and operational practices and sustainability goals, emphasising its potential to transform global supply chains. The adoption of SSCF practices offers significant opportunities to improve business efficiency, accountability, and resilience. The paper provides an overview of strategies and challenges in SSCF, while also discussing the crucial role of education and professional training in advancing its adoption. Embedding SSCF into academic curricula and lifelong learning programs equips professionals with the skills needed to align financial performance with sustainability. Combining academic literature and sector insights, this study aims to deliver a comprehensive perspective on the convergence of sustainability and SCF, offering actionable strategies to overcome implementation barriers.
  Keywords: supply chain finance; SCF; sustainable supply chain finance; SSCF; green supply chain finance; supply chain management education.
  DOI: 10.1504/IJIOME.2025.10070986
   
  
• Sustainability and higher education: exploring ESG drivers of university performance through a multi-stakeholder lens  
  by Federico Schimperna, Maria Schimperna, Sara Gigli, Alberto Manzari 
  Abstract: During the last two decades, sustainability and environmental, social and governance issues have gained considerable attention. In the current scenario, universities play a pivotal role in transitioning to a sustainable society, providing students with knowledge about sustainability and contributing to achieving the sustainable development goals of the 2030 UN Agenda. In light of the previous considerations, this research aimed to understand if and how the ESG factors can affect the performance of universities. Our analysis considered only the Italian universities for which there are Times Higher Education Index for 2022-2023 as a tool for assessing the sustainability score of universities. We carried out a multi-stakeholder analysis to understand if there is a correlation between the percentage variation of this index during the selected period and economic variables related to the students and professors. The findings showed a moderate positive correlation only with the percentage variation in the number of enrolled students.
  Keywords: university; environmental; social and governance; ESG; corporate social responsibility; CSR; sustainability; disclosure; non-financial report; innovation; teaching; research; students.
  DOI: 10.1504/IJIOME.2025.10071881
   
  
• The limits to growth for AI  
  by Gordon Rugg, Jennifer D. Skillen 
  Abstract: This invited opinion piece is structured as follows. First, we discuss current AI in relation to the literature on innovation. We conclude that the core concepts of current artificial intelligence (AI) technologies stabilised decades ago, and are near their limits to growth. We argue that significant recent developments in AI have involved increased scale, rather than qualitative change. These increases in scale have opened up new possibilities, and it is not yet clear how far their effects will spread. One key issue is popular beliefs about AI, particularly regarding error, expert performance, and real world situations. We argue that AI successes have typically involved constrained problems, and that the structure of current AI systems is a major limiting factor. We conclude that AI-only approaches face significant limits, but that a hybrid approach combining AI with human expertise has better prospects.
  Keywords: artificial intelligence; growth; knowledge; human error; diffusion of innovation; expertise; knowledge infrastructure; human values; human computer interaction; HCI.
  DOI: 10.1504/IJIOME.2025.10071969
   
  
• Introducing blockchain technology concepts in supply chain management teaching  
  by Gangaraju Vanteddu 
  Abstract: Blockchain technology (BCT) is a key constituent of Industry 4.0 manufacturing practices. Despite the natural alignment of key BCT capabilities enabled by its distributed and decentralised network architecture with the supply chain management (SCM) focus areas, BCT is not attracting requisite attention as an important enabling technology in undergraduate (UG) level SCM courses on account of a variety of reasons including the lack of understanding about this novel technology and the associated misconceptions. In this research, an attempt has been made to address the issue of appropriateness of incorporating BCT relevant aspects in teaching a generic UG level SCM course. Alignment of the key BCT characteristics and the associated capabilities with the SCM focus areas and the relevant application areas as outlined in this research hopefully will act as a catalyst in incorporating the key features of this novel technology in teaching a generic UG level SCM course.
  Keywords: blockchain technology; BCT; shared database; peer-to-peer network; supply chain management; SCM; undergraduate course; logistics management; information management; supply chain disruptions.
  DOI: 10.1504/IJIOME.2025.10071970