Title: The impact of three-dimensional printing technology investment on a low-carbon manufacturing supply chain, investigated through the Stackelberg game

Authors: Qian Zhao; Wei Chen; Mingwu Liu

Addresses: School of Management and Economics, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, No. 2006, Xiyuan Ave, West Hi-Tech Zone, 611731, Chengdu, China ' College of Management Science, Chengdu University of Technology, No. 1, East Third Road, Erxianqiao, 610059, Chengdu, China ' School of Economics and Management, Chongqing Jiaotong University, No. 66, Xuefu Avenue, Nan'an District, 400074, Chongqing, China

Abstract: This paper investigates three-dimensional printing technology (3DPT) investment strategies promoting low-carbon supply chain development. A theoretical model is built in which either the manufacturer or retailer can lead an investment in 3DPT. The main results are as follows: 1) the manufacturer always benefits from investing in 3DPT and is willing to lead the investment, while the retailer also benefits but is only willing to lead the investment with a large cost coefficient of 3DPT investment; 2) investing in 3DPT always raises consumers' demands and reduces units of carbon emissions. Counterintuitively, implementing 3DPT may decrease the optimal prices and research and development investment (R&D), but increase total carbon emissions; 3) the optimal 3DPT investment is decreasing in terms of cost coefficient (CC); interestingly, CC had positive and negative impacts on wholesale and retail prices.

Keywords: low-carbon product development; 3DPT investment; product variety R&D; Stackelberg game.

DOI: 10.1504/IJTM.2024.137103

International Journal of Technology Management, 2024 Vol.95 No.1/2, pp.120 - 155

Accepted: 25 Sep 2023
Published online: 01 Mar 2024 *