Abstract
In today’s volatile information ecosystem, the proliferation of fake news and misinformation presents a new and underexplored risk to global supply chain operations. With supply chain decisions increasingly dependent on digital signals, market trends, and geopolitical narratives, inaccurate or deliberately misleading information can lead to poor procurement choices, supplier disengagement, inventory misalignments, and panic-driven disruptions. This paper conceptualizes the phenomenon of misinformation as a form of "informational contamination" within supply chain networks. Drawing on sensemaking theory and contingency theory, the paper develops a framework that traces how misinformation originates, propagates, and ultimately influences global supply chain decision-making. The proposed framework introduces constructs such as the misinformation source, transmission channels, organizational interpretation mechanisms, and the resulting strategic or operational responses. This study contributes to the literature on supply chain risk management by extending current frameworks to include informational asymmetry and digital signal reliability, while also offering guidance for mitigating misinformation risks through verification protocols, digital media monitoring, and cross-functional communication resilience.
Keywords
- Misinformation Search this journal for Misinformation (opens in a new tab)
- Fake News Search this journal for Fake News (opens in a new tab)
- Supply Chain Decisions Search this journal for Supply Chain Decisions (opens in a new tab)
- Sensemaking Theory Search this journal for Sensemaking Theory (opens in a new tab)
- Risk Management Search this journal for Risk Management (opens in a new tab)
- Informational Disruptions Search this journal for Informational Disruptions (opens in a new tab)
- Digital Signals Search this journal for Digital Signals (opens in a new tab)
- Information Contamination Search this journal for Information Contamination (opens in a new tab)
References
- Ahmed, W., Vidal-Alaball, J., Downing, J., & López Seguí, F. (2020). COVID-19 and the 5G conspiracy theory: Social network analysis of Twitter data. Journal of Medical Internet Research, 22(5), e19458. https://doi.org/10.2196/19458
- Ali, S. N. R., Rajagopal, P., Sundram, V. P. K., Saihani, S. B., & Noranee, S. (2020). ERP system implementation in a leading LED manufacturing company in Malaysia: A supply chain perspective. International Journal of Supply Chain Management, 9(2), 104.
- Bazerman, M. H., & Moore, D. A. (2012). Judgment in managerial decision making (8th ed.). Wiley.
- Blome, C., Schoenherr, T., & Eckstein, D. (2014). The impact of knowledge transfer and complexity on supply chain flexibility: A knowledge-based view. International Journal of Production Economics, 147, 307–316. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijpe.2013.02.028
- Bovet, A., & Makse, H. A. (2019). Influence of fake news on Twitter during the 2016 US presidential election. Nature Communications, 10(1), 7. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-018-07761-2
- Choi, T. M. (2021). Fighting against COVID-19: What operations research can help and the sense-and-respond framework. Annals of Operations Research, 309(1), 1–16. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10479-021-03982-5
- Choi, T. M., Wallace, S. W., & Wang, Y. (2018). Big Data analytics in operations management. Production and Operations Management, 27(10), 1868–1889. https://doi.org/10.1111/poms.12838
- Chowdhury, M. M. H., & Quaddus, M. (2017). Supply chain resilience: Conceptualization and scale development using dynamic capability theory. International Journal of Production Economics, 188, 185–204. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijpe.2017.03.020
- Christopher, M. (2016). Logistics & supply chain management (5th ed.). Pearson Education.
- Croson, R., Schultz, K., & Siemsen, E. (2013). Behavioral operations. Production and Operations Management, 22(4), 711–722. https://doi.org/10.1111/poms.12018
- Daft, R. L., & Lengel, R. H. (1986). Organizational information requirements, media richness, and structural design. Management Science, 32(5), 554–571. https://doi.org/10.1287/mnsc.32.5.554
- Del Vicario, M., Bessi, A., Zollo, F., Petroni, F., Scala, A., Caldarelli, G., ... & Quattrociocchi, W. (2016). Echo chambers in the age of misinformation. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 113(3), 554–559. https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.1517441113
- Donaldson, L. (2001). The contingency theory of organizations. Sage Publications.
- Donaldson, L. (2006). The contingency theory of organizational design: Challenges and opportunities. In R. M. Burton et al. (Eds.), Organizational design: The evolving state-of-the-art (pp. 19–40). Springer. https://doi.org/10.1007/0-387-34173-0_2
- Dubey, R., Bryde, D. J., Blome, C., Roubaud, D., & Giannakis, M. (2021). Facilitating artificial intelligence-powered supply chain analytics through alliance management during the pandemic crises in the B2B context. Industrial Marketing Management, 96, 135–146. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.indmarman.2021.04.004
- Ecker, U. K. H., Lewandowsky, S., & Chadwick, M. (2020). Can corrections spread misinformation to new audiences? Testing for the elusive familiarity backfire effect. Cognitive Research: Principles and Implications, 5(1), 41. https://doi.org/10.1186/s41235-020-00241-6
- Friggeri, A., Adamic, L. A., Eckles, D., & Cheng, J. (2014). Rumor cascades. In Proceedings of the International AAAI Conference on Web and Social Media, 8(1), 101–110. https://ojs.aaai.org/index.php/ICWSM/article/view/14533
- Ghosh, S., & Scott, J. (2018). Fake news and misinformation: Impacts on the public sector. Public Administration Review, 78(3), 323–329. https://doi.org/10.1111/puar.12932
- Gino, F., & Pisano, G. P. (2008). Toward a theory of behavioral operations. Manufacturing & Service Operations Management, 10(4), 676–691. https://doi.org/10.1287/msom.1070.0205
- Ginsberg, A., & Venkatraman, N. (1985). Contingency perspectives of organizational strategy: A critical review of the empirical research. Academy of Management Review, 10(3), 421–434. https://doi.org/10.5465/amr.1985.4278958
- Handra, T., & Sundram, V. P. K. (2023). The effect of human resource information systems (HRIS) and artificial intelligence on defense industry performance. IAIC Transactions on Sustainable Digital Innovation (ITSDI), 4(2), 155–163.
- Ibrahim, I., Sundram, V. P. K., Omar, E. N., Yusoff, N., & Amer, A. (2017). The determining factors of green practices adoption for logistics companies in Malaysia: A case study of PKT Logistics Group Sdn. Bhd. Journal of Emerging Economies & Islamic Research, 7(1), 1–10.
- Ivanov, D. (2021). Supply chain viability and the COVID-19 pandemic: A conceptual and formal generalisation of four major adaptation strategies. International Journal of Production Research, 59(12), 3535–3552. https://doi.org/10.1080/00207543.2021.1890852
- Ivanov, D., & Dolgui, A. (2020). A digital supply chain twin for managing the disruption risks and resilience in the era of Industry 4.0. Production Planning & Control, 32(9), 775–788. https://doi.org/10.1080/09537287.2020.1768450
- Kahneman, D., & Tversky, A. (1979). Prospect theory: An analysis of decision under risk. Econometrica, 47(2), 263–291. https://doi.org/10.2307/1914185
- Kwon, S., Cha, M., Jung, K., Chen, W., & Wang, Y. (2017). Rumor detection over varying time windows. PLOS ONE, 12(1), e0168344. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0168344
- Lawrence, P. R., & Lorsch, J. W. (1967). Organization and environment: Managing differentiation and integration. Harvard University Press.
- Lazer, D. M. J., Baum, M. A., Benkler, Y., Berinsky, A. J., Greenhill, K. M., Menczer, F., ... & Zittrain, J. L. (2018). The science of fake news. Science, 359(6380), 1094–1096. https://doi.org/10.1126/science.aao2998
- Liao, T. W., Hong, P., & Rao, S. S. (2010). Supply management, supply flexibility, and performance outcomes: An empirical investigation of manufacturing firms. Journal of Supply Chain Management, 46(3), 6–22. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1745-493X.2010.03195.x
- Maitlis, S., & Christianson, M. (2014). Sensemaking in organizations: Taking stock and moving forward. Academy of Management Annals, 8(1), 57–125. https://doi.org/10.5465/19416520.2014.873177
- Maitlis, S., & Sonenshein, S. (2010). Sensemaking in crisis and change: Inspiration and insights from Weick (1988). Journal of Management Studies, 47(3), 551–580. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1467-6486.2010.00908.x
- March, J. G., & Simon, H. A. (1958). Organizations. Wiley.
- Marwick, A., & Lewis, R. (2017). Media manipulation and disinformation online. Data & Society Research Institute. https://datasociety.net/pubs/oh/DataAndSociety_MediaManipulationAndDisinformationOnline.pdf
- Mkumbo, F. A. E., Ibrahim, A. R., Salleh, A. L., Sundram, V. P. K., & Atikah, S. B. (2019). The influence of supply chain practices and performance measurement practices on firm performance. International Journal of Supply Chain Management, 8(3), 809–819.
- Muhammad, M. S. H., Narayanan, N. S. P. P., Ghapar, F., Chew, L. L., & Sundram, V. P. K. (2025). The impact of the good citizenship dimension on supply chain sustainability. SMART Journal of Business Management Studies, 21(1), 26–37.
- Muhammad, M. S. H., Narayanan, N. S. P. P., Ghapar, F., Chew, L. L., & Sundram, V. P. K. (2025). The impact of the good citizenship dimension on supply chain sustainability. SMART Journal of Business Management Studies, 21(1), 26–37.
- Narayanan, N. S. P. P., Fathurahman, H., Ahmad, N. N., Ghapar, F., Chew, L. L., & Sundram, V. P. K. (2024). Consumer perspectives on the sustainability of the Malaysian palm oil supply chain: Awareness, price sensitivity, and certification impacts. Malaysian Journal of Consumer and Family Economics (MAJCAFE), 33, 408–436.
- Narayanan, N. S. P. P., Ghapar, F., Chew, L. L., & Sundram, V. P. K. (2024). Artificial intelligence-powered risk assessment in supply chain safety. Information Management and Business Review, 16(3S).
- Narayanan, N. S. P. P., Ghapar, F., Chew, L. L., & Sundram, V. P. K. (2024). Integrating resource-based theory and contingency theory for enhancing supply chain resilience in Malaysia: A post-pandemic analysis. Information Management and Business Review, 16(3S).
- Narayanan, N. S. P. P., Ghapar, F., Chew, L. L., Sundram, V. P. K., Jayamani, U., & others. (2024). Optimizing working capital management in supply chain finance: A multi-dimensional approach. Information Management and Business Review, 16(2), 44–52.
- Narayanan, N. S. P. P., Rui, F., Sundram, V. P. K., & Irwan, I. (2025). Transforming higher education through supply chain management in cultivating industry-ready talent. South East Asia Journal of Contemporary Business, Economics and Law, 34.
- Narayanan, N., Ghapar, F., Chew, L. L., Sundram, V. P. K., Jayamani, U., & others. (2024). Measuring the unmeasured: Exploring the concept of “supply chain quotient” (SCQ). Information Management and Business Review, 16(2), 36–43.
- Nardi, B. A., & O'Day, V. L. (1999). Information ecologies: Using technology with heart. MIT Press.
- Papadopoulos, T., Gunasekaran, A., Dubey, R., Altay, N., Childe, S. J., & Fosso Wamba, S. (2022). The role of Big Data in explaining disaster resilience in supply chains for sustainability. Journal of Cleaner Production, 348, 131974. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jclepro.2022.131974
- Paschen, J., Kietzmann, J., & Kietzmann, T. C. (2020). Artificial intelligence (AI) and its implications for market knowledge in B2B marketing. Journal of Business & Industrial Marketing, 35(7), 1091–1101. https://doi.org/10.1108/JBIM-09-2019-0390
- Pennycook, G., & Rand, D. G. (2019). Fighting misinformation on social media using crowdsourced judgments of news source quality. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 116(7), 2521–2526. https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.1806781116
- Queiroz, M. M., Ivanov, D., Dolgui, A., & Fosso Wamba, S. (2020). Impacts of supply chain digitalization on sustainability and resilience: A systematic literature review. Technological Forecasting and Social Change, 166, 120653. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.techfore.2021.120653
- Radziwill, N. M., & Benton, M. C. (2017). Evaluating quality of information in social media: Developing a metric for misinformation. Journal of Data and Information Quality, 9(1), 1–23. https://doi.org/10.1145/3041731
- Rasi, R. Z., Rakiman, U. S. R., Masrom, R. Z. R. M., Ratna, N., & others. (2022). A literature review on blockchain technology: Risk in supply chain management. IEEE Engineering Management Review, 50(1), 186–200.
- Razak, A. R. A., Othman, A. A., & Sundram, V. P. K. (2015). The relationships of human success factor, information technology, and procurement process coordination on operational performance in the building construction industry – A proposed framework. Procedia Economics and Finance, 31, 354–360.
- Sarkis, J., Zhu, Q., & Lai, K. H. (2011). An organizational theoretic review of green supply chain management literature. International Journal of Production Economics, 130(1), 1–15. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijpe.2010.11.010
- Scholz, T. M., Smith, D., & Steill, J. (2020). Data verification and supply chain analytics: Safeguarding decision integrity. International Journal of Information Management, 54, 102147. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijinfomgt.2020.102147
- Selvarajah, J, F. A. A., Krishnasamy, T., Sureshkumar, N., Narayanan, N. S. P. P., & others. (2025). Blockchain for transparency and trust in supply chains: A conceptual model. South East Asia Journal of Contemporary Business, Economics and Law, 34.
- Selvaraju, M., Bhatti, M. A., Sundram, V. P. K., & Azmir, S. (2019). The influence of critical success factors of Lean Six Sigma on supply chain performance in the telecommunication industry, Malaysia. International Journal of Supply Chain Management, 8(6), 1062–1068.
- Sharma, A., Adhikary, A., & Borah, S. B. (2022). COVID-19’s impact on supply chain decisions: Strategic insights from NASDAQ 100 firms using Twitter data. Journal of Business Research, 145, 232–246. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jbusres.2022.03.046
- Shu, K., Wang, S., & Liu, H. (2020). Understanding disinformation and fake news: Challenges and opportunities. In Disinformation, Misinformation, and Fake News in Social Media (pp. 1–19). Springer. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-42699-6_1
- Shu, K., Wang, S., Lee, D., & Liu, H. (2020). Mining disinformation and fake news: Concepts, methods, and recent advancements. In Disinformation, Misinformation, and Fake News in Social Media (pp. 1–19). Springer. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-42699-6_1
- Sivan, S., Anuar, R., Krishnasamy, T., Bahrin, A. S., Narayanan, N. S. P. P., & others. (2024). Integrating safety practices into the supply chain for sustainable development in Malaysia’s building construction sites. Information Management and Business Review, 16, 24–32.
- Sivan, S., Anuar, R., Krishnasamy, T., Bahrin, A. S., Sureshkumar, N., & others. (2024). Optimizing safety practices and culture: A comprehensive examination through perception surveys in Malaysia's logistics industry. Information Management and Business Review, 16(1), 33–38.
- Sivarajah, U., Kamal, M. M., Irani, Z., & Weerakkody, V. (2017). Critical analysis of Big Data challenges and analytical methods. Journal of Business Research, 70, 263–286. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jbusres.2016.08.001
- Sodhi, M. S., & Tang, C. S. (2021). Supply chain risk management. In The Routledge Companion to Production and Operations Management (pp. 404–420). Routledge.
- Sousa, R., & Voss, C. A. (2008). Contingency research in operations management practices. Journal of Operations Management, 26(6), 697–713. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jom.2008.06.001
- Starbird, K. (2019). Disinformation and misinformation in the supply chain of information. Journal of Data and Information Quality, 11(3), 1–4. https://doi.org/10.1145/3313029
- Sundram, V. P. K., Ghapar, F., Lian, C. L., & Muhammad, A. (2023). Engaging Lean Six Sigma approach using DMAIC methodology for supply chain logistics recruitment improvement. Information Management and Business Review, 15(1), 46–53.
- Sundram, V. P. K., Narayanan, N. S. P. P., Sureshkumar, N., & Irwan, I. (2025). The future of supply chain management in the era of Industry 6.0: A conceptual exploration. South East Asia Journal of Contemporary Business, Economics and Law, 34.
- Sundram, V. P. K., Rajagopal, P., Nur Atiqah, Z. A., Atikah, S. B., Appasamy, G., & others. (2018). Supply chain responsiveness in an Asian global electronic manufacturing firm: ABX Energy (M). International Journal of Supply Chain Management, 7(2), 23–31.
- Tan, T., Pan, S. L., & Zuo, M. (2021). Harnessing digital technologies to combat fake news: A strategy-as-practice perspective. Information & Management, 58(4), 103451. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.im.2021.103451
- Tandoc Jr, E. C., Lim, Z. W., & Ling, R. (2018). Defining “fake news”: A typology of scholarly definitions. Digital Journalism, 6(2), 137–153. https://doi.org/10.1080/21670811.2017.1360143
- Tang, C. S., & Musa, S. N. (2011). Identifying risk issues and research advancements in supply chain risk management. International Journal of Production Economics, 133(1), 25–34. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijpe.2010.06.013
- Tang, C. S., & Veelenturf, L. P. (2019). The strategic role of logistics in the Industry 4.0 era. Transportation Research Part E: Logistics and Transportation Review, 129, 1–11. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tre.2019.06.004
- Van der Vegt, C., Mozes, M., Kleinberg, B., & van der Vegt, G. (2019). AI and the threat of fake news: Challenges and opportunities. Harvard Kennedy School Misinformation Review, 1(1). https://doi.org/10.37016/mr-2019-002
- Vatumalae, V., Rajagopal, P., & Sundram, V. P. K. (2020). Warehouse management system of a third-party logistics provider in Malaysia. International Journal of Economics and Finance, 12(9), 73.
- Vosoughi, S., Roy, D., & Aral, S. (2018). The spread of true and false news online. Science, 359(6380), 1146–1151. https://doi.org/10.1126/science.aap9559
- Wardle, C., & Derakhshan, H. (2017). Information disorder: Toward an interdisciplinary framework for research and policymaking. Council of Europe. https://rm.coe.int/information-disorder-report-november-2017/1680764666
- Weick, K. E. (1995). Sensemaking in organizations. Sage Publications.
- Whiteman, G., & Cooper, W. H. (2011). Ecological sensemaking. Academy of Management Journal, 54(5), 889–911. https://doi.org/10.5465/amj.2011.60263089
- Wieland, A., & Wallenburg, C. M. (2012). Dealing with supply chain risks: Linking risk management practices and strategies to performance. International Journal of Physical Distribution & Logistics Management, 42(10), 887–905. https://doi.org/10.1108/09600031211281411
- Wong Chee, H. O., Sundram, V. P. K., Bakar, S. M. S. A., & Narayanan, N. S. P. P. (2024). Charting a thriving path for the Malaysian palm oil supply chain: A SWOT-QSPM-powered strategic roadmap. Journal of Distribution Science, 22(10), 31–41.
- Yoon, J., Talluri, S., & Rosenzweig, E. D. (2020). Supply chain network change and strategic response under disruption: Model and empirical analysis. International Journal of Operations & Production Management, 40(2), 101–128. https://doi.org/10.1108/IJOPM-03-2019-0219
- Yu, Y., Jacobs, M. A., & Salisbury, L. C. (2021). Unpacking disruption recovery in retail supply chains: Empirical evidence from Hurricane Harvey. Transportation Research Part E: Logistics and Transportation Review, 149, 102308. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.tre.2021.102308
- Zhou, H., & Benton, W. C. (2007). Supply chain practice and information sharing. Journal of Operations Management, 25(6), 1348–1365. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jom.2007.01.009
- Zubiaga, A., Liakata, M., Procter, R., Wong Sak Hoi, G., & Tolmie, P. (2016). Analysing how people orient to and spread rumours in social media by looking at conversational threads. PLOS ONE, 11(3), e0150989. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0150989
- Zulfakar, M. H., Chan, C., Jie, F., & Sundram, V. P. K. (2019). Halal accreditation and certification in a non-Muslim country setting: Insights from the Australian halal meat supply chain. International Journal of Supply Chain Management, 8(1), 10-17.
Downloads
No downloads have been recorded for this article yet. Figures appear here once readers begin downloading the full text.
How to Cite
Share this article
License
Copyright (c) 2025 Syamaruthadevi Sivan, Selvarajah Janathan, Umahdevi Jayamani, Irwan Ibrahim, N. Sureshkumar PP Narayanan, Akmal Aini Othman, Veera Pandiyan Kaliani Sundram (Author)

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
Author (s) should affirm that the material has not been published previously. It has not been submitted and it is not under consideration by any other journal. At the same time author (s) need to execute a publication permission agreement to assume the responsibility of the submitted content and any omissions and errors therein. After submission of revised paper in the light of suggestions of the reviewers, the editorial team edits and formats manuscripts to bring uniformity and standardization in published material.
This work will be licensed under Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International (CC BY 4.0) and under condition of the license, users are free to read, copy, remix, transform, redistribute, download, print, search or link to the full texts of articles and even build upon their work as long as they credit the author for the original work. Moreover, as per journal policy author (s) hold and retain copyrights without any restrictions.
Keywords
- Misinformation Search this journal for Misinformation (opens in a new tab)
- Fake News Search this journal for Fake News (opens in a new tab)
- Supply Chain Decisions Search this journal for Supply Chain Decisions (opens in a new tab)
- Sensemaking Theory Search this journal for Sensemaking Theory (opens in a new tab)
- Risk Management Search this journal for Risk Management (opens in a new tab)
- Informational Disruptions Search this journal for Informational Disruptions (opens in a new tab)
- Digital Signals Search this journal for Digital Signals (opens in a new tab)
- Information Contamination Search this journal for Information Contamination (opens in a new tab)
Section
Published
Submissions
Have research to publish? Information Management and Business Review welcomes submissions.
Make a Submission