New Possibilities, New Responsibilities: Ethical Challenges and Guidance for Location Tracking Device-based Research in Supply Chains

Abstract

This study explores the use of location tracking devices (LTDs) as a method for generating independent, geospatially grounded data to enhance transparency in global supply chains. While LTDs offer promising alternatives to self-reported data, their application introduces complex ethical challenges. Through a developmental literature review, this work synthesizes how LTDs have been empirically employed and how ethical concerns – such as consent, fairness, and data protection – have been addressed. Drawing on these insights, it proposes a practical ethics framework tailored to LTD-based studies in supply chain contexts. The findings contribute to geographic information systems (GIS) research by promoting the integration of geospatial data into opaque domains and support the Green IS agenda by advancing responsible, sustainability-oriented research design.