Quantum-Integrated Ethical Value Chain (QIEVC): A Quantum-Secure, AI-Governed, Blockchain-Transparent Architecture for Ethical and Sustainable Global Value Chains

📘 Zenodo Description Title:Quantum-Integrated Ethical Value Chain (QIEVC):A Quantum-Secure, AI-Governed, Blockchain-Transparent Architecture for Ethical and Sustainable Global Value Chains Description This work presents Version 2 of the Quantum-Integrated Ethical Value Chain (QIEVC), a comprehensive, interdisciplinary, and future-oriented framework designed to address the ethical, governance, and security challenges of global value chains in the era of artificial intelligence, quantum computing, and distributed ledger technologies. QIEVC introduces a pre-standard, policy-aligned architectural model that integrates: Ethical Artificial Intelligence (AI) for decision accountability and transparency Quantum-inspired optimization and post-quantum security principles for long-term computational resilience Blockchain-based notarization and auditability for trust, traceability, and governance enforcement ESG-aligned sustainability metrics to ensure social, environmental, and institutional responsibility Rather than proposing a narrow technical solution, this work positions QIEVC as a system-level governance architecture capable of aligning technological innovation with ethical constraints, regulatory expectations, and societal values. Conceptual Scope and Contribution This manuscript is intentionally framed as a theoretical and architectural contribution, not as an empirical deployment study. Its primary contributions include: A formalized value-chain model integrating ethical constraints, optimization logic, and governance feedback loops A DOI-first bibliographic architecture ensuring scholarly traceability, durability, and auditability A policy-safe, legally non-speculative positioning, suitable for academic, institutional, and standards-oriented contexts A rigorous back-matter structure including appendices, glossary, ethics statements, and validation logic The framework is designed to be extensible, jurisdiction-agnostic, and compatible with evolving international standards in AI governance, cybersecurity, sustainability, and digital trust. Intended Audience This work is relevant to: Researchers and scholars in AI ethics, quantum computing, blockchain systems, and systems engineering Policymakers and analysts engaged in AI governance, ESG regulation, and digital infrastructure oversight Standards bodies, think tanks, and institutional research organizations Advanced graduate-level readers seeking architecture-grade conceptual frameworks Research Ethics and Transparency No human subjects, proprietary datasets, or restricted information were used All models and code fragments are conceptual and illustrative The author declares no conflict of interest This work adheres to open science and responsible research principles Publication Context This document is released as an open scholarly preprint to encourage interdisciplinary review, citation, and future standardization dialogue. It does not claim formal standard status, regulatory endorsement, or production deployment. Author Dr. B. MazumdarIndependent Researcher–ScholarORCID: 0009-0007-5615-3558 Citation Mazumdar, B. (2026). Quantum-Integrated Ethical Value Chain (QIEVC): A Quantum-Secure, AI-Governed, Blockchain-Transparent Architecture for Ethical and Sustainable Global Value Chains [Data set]. Zenodo.https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.18208649