Game theory approach for secured supply chain management in effective trade management

In the current digital era, trade management faces complexities and challenges due to the expansive network of partners and traders in the e-commerce platform. Ensuring security, integrity, and trust has become crucial in this environment. The Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) has revolutionised industries, offering enhanced productivity and service delivery. However, IIoT systems are susceptible to cybersecurity threats, jeopardising sensitive information, industrial controls, and product integrity. Applying supply chain technology has emerged as a viable solution to these challenges. It guarantees privacy and material provenance and facilitates machine-led maintenance. In this study, we propose a supply chain architecture explicitly designed for multi-factory environments, leveraging an Evolutionary Game Theory (EGT) approach. Our proposed approach introduces a fairness concept by including a subsystem that imposes taxes on supply chain nodes, promoting ethical conduct and discipline. Inspired by the ultimatum game, our solution employs a game mechanism that progressively penalises malicious actors, discourages fraudulent activities, enhances compensation systems, and reduces collusion. By adopting a game-theoretic model, we foster a sense of fairness and accountability among the participants. By leveraging the incentive structure of the supply chain, our proposed tool aims to establish a secure and trustworthy environment for industrial collaboration, addressing the critical need for increased trust among partners in industrial applications. Using the EGT approach, our supply chain architecture fosters a sustainable ecosystem wherein partners can engage in secure and reliable transactions, ensuring the integrity and trustworthiness of the entire network.