A CIMO-Based Systematic Review and Synthesis of the Physical Internet and IoT: Mechanisms for Triple-Performance Optimization in Logistics 4.0

Abstract

Backgroung: The confluence of the Internet of Things (IoT) and the Physical Internet (PI) is a major accelerant of Logistics 4.0, which can provide significant upsides to supply chain performance. While prior reviews mainly concentrated on technological advancement and applications, limited consideration has been given to the mechanisms through which the PI-IoT system integration generates benefits, namely operational, economic, and environmental benefits. Methods: To fill this gap, this study undertakes a systematic literature review of 43 peer-reviewed studies guided by PRISMA. This study uses the Context, Intervention, Mechanism, Outcome (CIMO) framework to automatically conduct a mechanism-based synthesis of PI-IoT integration, unlike previous reviews. Results: The results show that enhanced operational and economic efficiency, as well as environmentally sustainable performance, can be achieved by using real-time visibility, predictive decision-making, collaborative resource optimization, intelligent automation, and adaptive system responsiveness. Conclusion: This review also proposes a conceptual framework, linking contextual conditions, technological interventions, mechanisms, and outcomes, while also identifying important research gaps and future research directions. This study offers essential findings that offer practical insights for researchers, logistics managers, and policymakers intending to implement collaborative, data-driven, and sustainable PI-IoT-enabled logistics systems.