Exploring the impact of blockchain on the performance of agri-food supply chains

Blockchain implementation for food safety in supply chain: A review

Food safety has emerged as the topmost priority in the current fast-paced food industry era. According to the World Health Organization, around 600 million people, approximately 1 in 10 individuals worldwide, experience illness due to contaminated food consumption, resulting in nearly 0.42 million fatalities annually. The recent development in software and hardware sectors has created opportunities to improve the safety concerns in the food supply chain. The objective of this review is to explain the fundamentals of blockchain and its integration into the supply chain of various food commodities to enhance food safety. This paper presents the analysis of 31 conceptual works, 10 implementation works, 39 case studies, and other investigations in blockchain-based food supply chain from a total of 80 published papers. In this paper, the significance of adapting conceptual ideas into practical applications for effectively tracing food commodities throughout the supply chain has been discussed. This paper also describes the transformative role of blockchain platforms in the food industry, providing a decentralized and transparent ledger to access real-time and immutable records of a product's journey. In addition, both the positive impacts and challenges associated with implementing blockchain technology in the food supply chain have been evaluated. In summary, the blockchain-based food supply chains offer greater transparency, traceability, and trust, ultimately resulting in higher standards of food safety and quality.

The Intrinsic and Instrumental Values of Blockchain to Provide Beef Traceability in Hong Kong, South Korea, and the United States

Although previous research has identified that consumers are willing to pay for traceability, it remains unknown which types of traceability information might have the highest value, and whether consumers have an intrinsic value for blockchain technology above and beyond the instrumental value of providing traceability. A choice experiment was conducted with over 1500 consumers in Hong Kong, South Korea, and the U.S. In all three countries, consumers were willing to pay premiums for beef with traceability related to all parts of the supply chain, country of origin, and temperature history; however, the preference ordering of beef from different countries varied across Hong Kong, South Korea, and the U.S. The intrinsic value of using blockchain to deliver traceability information differed by country and by attribute, and consumers in the U.S. were most sensitive to the information describing blockchain technology. Even when traceability conveys negative information, such as temperature rising above safe levels for a short period, we find that consumers prefer knowing to not knowing, suggesting uncertainty and ambiguity aversion.

Barriers to blockchain technology adoption in supply chains: the case of India

In the era of digitalization, Blockchain is an evolving technology that has the potential to change the shape of numerous industries. Blockchain is considered the transforming technology that has the ability to change the conventional supply chain network by providing additional transparency of transactions in terms of information and physical goods. Additionally, the implementation of blockchain technology in the supply chain is required to accomplish the objectives of industry 4.0. However, there has to date been a scarcity of blockchain implementations due to the numerous barriers associated with it. Therefore, the primary aim of this research is to identify and investigate the major barriers to implementing blockchain technology in supply chains. We identified ten significant barriers to adopting blockchain technology through a literature review and expert opinions. Additionally, the finalized barriers were categorized into an influential and influenced group using the DEMATEL method. The findings of this study show that 'influential group' barriers require more attention from the supply chain partners to mitigate these barriers. The primary influential barriers are 'Lack of information sharing,' 'Trust management issues,' and 'Lack of upgraded technologies’, and these barriers require immediate attention from supply chain stakeholders wishing to use blockchain. These findings contribute to improving managerial decisions and digital strategies regarding blockchain within organisations, and how implementation can effectively be achieved.

The role of blockchain-enabled supply chain applications in improving supply chain performance: the case of Jordanian manufacturing sector

Purpose

Blockchain technology has the potential to enhance information and knowledge management among members of the supply chain. This study aims to demonstrate the direct and indirect impact of blockchain adoption on achieving supply chain competitive advantage and improving innovation capabilities to achieve greater supply chain performance.

Design/methodology/approach

The study opted for a quantitative research approach. A structured questionnaire was used to collect data from 284 respondents from various Jordanian manufacturing firms. Smart PLS software was used to conduct structural equation modelling to test the proposed hypotheses.

Findings

The analysis revealed that investing in and using blockchain-enabled supply chain applications improves the ability to achieve higher levels of productivity, lead times, customer service and relationships with supply chain members. Moreover, blockchain technology integration with supply chain management processes has a positive impact on innovative activities that support supply chain operations. Finally, blockchain adoption has enhanced supply chain performance by reducing transaction costs, improving customer service and increasing the speed of supply chain operations.

Research limitations/implications

The study provides guidance for decision-makers and academicians on the use of blockchain adoption to improve supply chain performance. Future studies should use a larger sample size and random sampling techniques to achieve better generalizability of the results.

Originality/value

The study fulfils an identified gap in the application of blockchain technology to improving supply chain performance within a broader context that encompasses supply chain innovation capabilities and competitive advantage.

Research on traceability strategy of food supply chain considering delay effect

The traceability system has significantly contributed to ensure food safety and quality. However, the biggest difficulty in food traceability is the numerous links from field to table, and there is no stable strategic partnership between supply chain members and the lack of social responsibility of some practitioners. Thus, this study aims to seek the best traceability strategy for companies in centralized model and decentralized model, respectively. Therefore, we have constructed a differential game model based on the delay effect to determine the optimal traceability level and traceable goodwill and compare the profits of the food supply chain (FSC). The results show that the delay time is positively related to the level of traceability effort and has a high impact on the traceable goodwill. Companies in the FSC can formulate optimal traceability strategies based on delay time and foster improvement in food safety and quality.

Blockchain as enabling factor for implementing RFID and IoT technologies in VMI: a simulation on the Parmigiano Reggiano supply chain

Blockchain has recently been associated to Supply Chain Management to solve several problems and change operations management processes. The study proposes to analyse three different scenarios of the Parmigiano Reggiano supply chain considering blockchain technology as an enabler for the use of other technologies such as RFID and the Internet of Things (IoT) and for the exploitation of the Vendor Managed Inventory (VMI) strategy. The study is based on the evaluation of three agent-based simulation scenarios, a traditional "as is" scenario, a second "to be" scenario implementing emerging technologies including blockchain, and a third “to be” scenario that combines the second one with the VMI optimization strategy. The results show how the combined adoption of these technologies improves the procurement process and customer satisfaction. Findings highlight the impacts that the different scenarios have on the supply chain operations in a quantitative way and allows to evaluate the changes in supply chain processes. By employing emerging technologies, order management activities are more automated and time to order and lead time order preparation are reduced. However, to achieve these performances, other data capture tools such as RFID and IoT are needed. Finally, the introduction of the VMI strategy, when enabled by blockchain technology, improves the procurement performances and significantly reduces unfilled orders.

Investment Decision of Blockchain-Based Traceability Service Input for a Competitive Agri-Food Supply Chain

Competitive agri-food supply chain (hereafter, AFSC) is an important component of AFSC. In a competitive environment, more and more AFSCs use blockchain-based traceability services (hereafter, BBTS) to improve the traceability level of agricultural products. The investment rules concerning BBTS and the coordination rules in an AFSC are vital issues for many firms who want to adopt BBTS. To explore these laws, we constructed two competitive AFSCs, each of which included a supplier and a retailer. Considering the new changes in consumers’ perception of product quality and safety after using the BBTS, the demand function was modified. Then we built the income functions of chain members under three situations of investment. The research found that: (1) the improvement of customers’ perceived quality by using the BBTS can increase their benefits; (2) when decision-makers want to invest in the BBTS, they should pay attention to consumers’ perceived quality safety factor for their competitive products; (3) when the investment cost is greater than its threshold value, two competitive AFSCs should invest in the BBTS together.

A Systematic Review of the Adoption of Blockchain for Supply Chain Processes

This paper systematically reviews the literature on the adoption of Blockchain technology in Supply Chain Management (SCM) processes. Using the PRISMA (Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analysis) methodology, 53 peer-reviewed research publications from five different databases (IEEE Xplore, Science Direct, Scopus, Google Scholar, and EBSCOhost) were selected and analyzed using a classification coding framework. The findings reveal that Agri-food traceability, Blockchain security, smart contracts, and the Internet of Things (IoT) were the significant identified current trends in the use of Blockchain in SCM processes. The key identified challenges include high costs of transactions and a lack of trust between stakeholders. Identified solutions were Blockchain traceability systems and the use of smart contracts and IoTs. In addition, this paper identified gaps in the literature that need to be addressed in future studies.

Governmental Anti-Pandemic and Subsidy Strategies for Blockchain-Enabled Food Supply Chains in the Post-Pandemic Era

Aiming to explore whether governments should choose anti-pandemic or subsidy strategies in the post-pandemic era, this study constructed a three-level food supply chain that was composed of a leading third-party logistics provider, a supplier and a retailer, in which the third-party logistics provider used blockchain technology for food traceability to address consumer concerns about food safety. We then used game theory to analyze the pricing decisions, traceability levels, anti-pandemic effort levels and subsidy levels of the supply chain under different governmental anti-pandemic or subsidy strategies. Our results showed that in all scenarios, the higher the consumer preference for traceability information, the larger the traceability levels and anti-pandemic effort levels and the more favorable the outcome for all parties; thus, governments should improve consumer awareness of pandemic prevention. For the benefit of all parties, governments should adopt anti-pandemic and subsidy strategies simultaneously, even in the post-pandemic era. Interestingly, for the scenario in which governments could only adopt one strategy, when the cost coefficient of traceability was small, the governmental subsidies would actually lead to lower traceability levels of the 3PL. This study could provide decision-making references for governments during the post-pandemic era and a new possibility for blockchain application.

Blockchain Technology toward Creating a Smart Local Food Supply Chain

The primary purpose of the supply chains is to ensure and secure the availability and smooth flow of the necessary resources for efficient production processes and consumption. Supply chain activities have been experiencing significant changes due to the importance and creation of the integrated process. Blockchain is viewed as an innovative tool for transforming supply chain management’s (SCM’s) actual business model; on the other hand, the SCM provides an applicative value of blockchain technology. The research is focused on examining the influence of blockchain technology on the increasing efficiency, transparency, auditability, traceability, and security issues of the food supply chain (FSC), with particular attention to the local food supply chain (LFSC). The main objective of the research is to suggest the implementation of blockchain technology in the local food supply chain as a niche of the food industry. The result of the research is the identification of a three-layers model of a smart local food supply chain. The model provides efficient and more transparent tracking across the local food supply chain, improving food accessibility, traceability, and safety.

Uncovering dimensions of the impact of blockchain technology in supply chain management

Supply chains around the globe are faced with difficulties and disruptions due to the worldwide pandemic situation and digital solutions are needed. There is significant research interest in the implementation of blockchain technology (BCT) for supply chain management (SCM). A challenge that remains is analyzing the interactions of BCT in different areas of SCM. This study aims to identify the influential dimensions of the impact of BCT adoption in SCM and to discuss the synergetic and counter-synergetic effects between these dimensions. Advantages, disadvantages, and constraints of adopting BCT in the SCM context are explored through a systematic literature review, which provides the foundation for identifying the dimensions of impact. The interactions between these dimensions are conceptually discussed. This study introduces three dimensions of the impact of implementing BCT in SCM: ‘operations and processes’, ‘supply chain relationships’, and ‘innovation and data access’. These dimensions are interrelated and have overlapping areas within them, which leads to synergetic and counter-synergetic effects. The overlaps and synergies of the three dimensions of impact are illustrated, and the virtuous and vicious cycles of BCT adoption in SCM cases are highlighted. This study assists scholars and practitioners by clarifying the synergetic relationships within the dimensions of the impact of BCT in SCM and by providing considerations to prevent undesirable effects and expand desired ones.

Fairness-Enabling Practices in Agro-Food Chain

Fairness in the agro-food system is an increasingly important issue. Ensuring fair and ethical practices in the agro-food chain is essential for sustainable, effective, and resilient agro-food systems. Identifying and understanding fairness-enabling practices and existing business applications in the agro-food chain is crucial to create a sustainable system. This research study is an extensive literature review analyzing academic and grey literature. Thus, this study aims: (i) to conceptualize fairness in the agro-food system; (ii) to identify the fairness-enabling practices contributing to a fair agro-food system; and (iii) to explore existing agro-food chain business applications relevant to achieving a sustainable and fair agro-food chain. Fairness-enabling practices have a vital role in achieving fairness in the upstream and downstream operational stages of the agro-food chain. On the one hand, the upstream cycle includes many elements, from a ban on unfair trading practices to ethical treatment to farmers, from transparency through technology and innovation to ensuring fair remuneration. The key goal is to improve the position of farmers in the chain. The study considers the following five upstream focused business applications to enable fairness practices: blockchain, cooperatives, interbranch organizations, business applications for small-scale farmers, and Fairtrade. On the other hand, achieving success in the downstream operational stage of the chain depends on fairness-oriented consumer food choice, consumer intention to buy fair food, consumer perceived value of fair food, and increased information and transparency on agro-food costs and price. This paper takes into account two consumer-focused business applications which provide downstream fairness practices: dual entitlement and dynamic pricing. To conclude, agro-food chain actors should learn how to find profit in fairness, and turn fairness-related costs into profitable business models.

Blockchain Technology in Operations & Supply Chain Management: A Content Analysis

Scholars are increasingly examining how the distributed blockchain technology can counter specific supply chain and operations management challenges. Various research approaches emerge from different scholarly backgrounds, but the interrelation of research areas and current trends has not been adequately considered in a systematic review. We employ a data-driven content analysis approach to examine previous research on blockchain technology in operations management and supply chain management. We investigate the extent to which blockchain technology was considered in scholarly works, structure the research efforts, and identify trends, interrelated themes, and promising research opportunities. Quantitative and qualitative content analysis is conducted on an extensive literature sample of 410 articles. Results indicate an optimistic attitude due to potentials such as tracking and tracing abilities, efficiency increases, and trust-building. Conceptual studies dominate the literature set, with increasing qualitative research efforts. Grand theories are seldomly addressed in the studies. Blockchain technology is outlined as particularly useful when combined with other technologies like IoT. We also identified sustainability implications of the technology, such as enabling transparency for SC stakeholders. Cryptocurrencies can facilitate further efficiency gains if legal uncertainties are reduced. The study is concluded with managerial and theoretical implications and future research opportunities.

Climate Insurance for Agriculture in Europe: On the Merits of Smart Contracts and Distributed Ledger Technologies

Climate insurance has become a crucial issue due to the increasing number of climate-related catastrophic events and the associated losses for the economy in general and insurance companies in particular. The extremely hot and dry summers of 2018 and 2019 in some European countries highlighted existing weaknesses in European agricultural insurance mechanisms, with farmers having to wait for months before compensation payments could be made. Our paper compares features of yield-based insurance and index-based insurance (IBI) in agriculture in the light of new developments and trends in information technology (IT). The results show that applying Distributed Ledger Technologies (DLT) in combination with IBI could not only resolve existing problems but also facilitate the development of innovative risk management tools under the EU’s Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) post-2020 reform.

An implementation framework of blockchain-based hazardous waste transfer management system

The rapid increase in volume and types of hazardous waste (HW) due to China's continuous economic growth makes it significant to conduct HW safety management. However, due to the information asymmetry between the regulators and regulated institutions, problems such as illegal dumping and statistical fraud are common in hazardous waste transfer (HWT) activities. Moreover, there is a severe problem of information isolated island among waste production, transportation, and treatment companies in the HW market. Promoting the information monitoring and tracking of the whole process of HWT is the main challenge for HW management. Blockchain provides an ideal solution to overcome the above challenges. This study developed a framework for the blockchain-based HWT management system, which could support government regulators to obtain relevant information in HWT and improve the efficiency of HWT. The HWT management system was introduced in detail from different perspectives, including infrastructure, blockchain service, functions, and users, emphasizing six information management functions. Finally, the positive impact and various challenges encountered in implementing blockchain in HWT management were discussed. This study applies blockchain to the research field of HWT management, which expands the application of blockchain in the field of solid waste management with great theoretical and practical significance.

Investigating the barriers of blockchain technology integrated food supply chain: a BWM approach

Purpose

Blockchain is an evolving technology that has an impact on a variety of industries and related operations including food supply chain. There are several challenges associated in the implementation of blockchain in the food supply chain. As a result, the goal of this research is to identify and analyse the barriers associated with the implementation of blockchain in food supply chains.

Design/methodology/approach

A comprehensive literature review is conducted to identify 16 primary barriers associated with the implementation of blockchain technology in the food supply chain and experts finalise these identified barriers and further categorise them into four groups. Furthermore, the best worst method is used to prioritise the finalised barriers.

Findings

The findings suggest that “technological barriers” and “organisational barriers” are primary barriers among the identified barriers for the implementation of blockchain. These barriers could be mitigated through supply chain collaboration, efficient blockchain technology development through research and development, and increasing technical competence.

Research limitations/implications

In terms of limitation, there is a possibility that some barriers were overlooked in the literature review process, and expert judgement might be prejudiced. This paper examines the blockchain implementation in the food supply chain, to assist policymakers in overcoming these barriers and ensuring effective adoption.

Originality/value

This study focuses on the effective implementation of blockchain technology in the food supply chain in the context of emerging economies.

Application of blockchain technology for agrifood supply chain management: a systematic literature review on benefits and challenges

Purpose

This study aims to explore and analyze the application of blockchain technology (BKCT) in agrifood supply chain management (AFSM).

Design/methodology/approach

A systematic literature review (SLR) using Scopus, Emerald and Web of Science covering publications from 2016 to 2021 (till June). Out of 429 papers, 89 papers were shortlisted from journals based on citation analysis. The citation analysis was followed by a content analysis was for an in-depth analysis.

Findings

Regarding the application of BKCT in the agrifood supply chain, the study highlights the issue of food safety, traceability, transparency, eliminating intermediaries and integrating Internet of things (IoT) with BKCT as prominent applications in the agrifood sector. The study also uses the case of honey supply chain to use the explored applications in the agrifood sector and provides a traceability solution based on blockchain integrated with IoT. The challenges of BKCT as identified in the study are scalability, privacy, security, lack of regulations and lack of skills and training.

Research limitations/implications

The review considers only academic papers obtained from specific databases with their relevance based on number of citations.

Originality/value

The study contributes to filling the existing research gap through this SLR on the application of BKCT in AFSCM. The content analysis further assists in exploring the benefits and challenges of BKCT in the agrifood sector. Thus, the academic articles selected aid in this process.

Using blockchain technology to drive operational excellence in perishable food supply chains during outbreaks

Purpose

This paper aims to explore the potential of blockchain technology (BT) to support the operational excellence in perishable food supply chain (PFSC) during outbreaks, by doing use-case analysis.

Design/methodology/approach

A systematic literature review is performed to determine the dimensions of operational excellence in the food supply chain (FSC), then a single use-case analysis is conducted to explore the potential of blockchain in order to achieve operational excellence for PFSC during the pandemics by applying context, interventions, mechanism and outcomes (CIMO) logic.

Findings

The findings of this study reveal that blockchain capabilities such as immutability and transparency, visibility, traceability, integration and interoperability, disintermediation and decentralisation, smart contracts and consensus mechanism provide better sustainable operational excellence outcomes for PFSCs to be more responsive, flexible, efficient and collaborative to cope with the impacts of COVID-19.

Research limitations/implications

This research employs only one real case with multiple PFSC participants. Statistical generalisation is not possible at this stage of the research. However, the findings are not restricted to this single use-case.

Practical implications

This study provides a research direction to explore the potential of BT to achieve operational excellence in the PFSC during outbreaks and generates prescriptive knowledge for better managerial decision-making across the PFSC during outbreaks.

Originality/value

This research conducts semi-structured interviews with different participants in one blockchain ecosystem to understand multiple participants' perspectives of operational excellence within PFSC.

Antecedents for blockchain technology-enabled sustainable agriculture supply chain

Blockchain can solve the problems that the agriculture supply chain (ASC) is facing to achieve sustainable growth. In a nation like India, blockchain application in the supply chain is still new; therefore, supply chain players need a better understanding and awareness of blockchain through valuable insights. This article aims to study the mediating role of blockchain technology adoption (BLCT) for sustainable supply chain performance (SSCP). This study investigates the influence of numerous factors such as green and lean practices, supply chain integration, supply chain risk, performance expectancy, top management support, cost, internal and external environmental conditions, regulatory support, and innovation capability on BLCT adoption. A sample of 316 respondents from Indian ASC industries was collected, and structural equation modeling (SEM) was used. This study's outcomes show that green and lean practices, supply chain integration, supply chain risks, internal and external conditions, regulatory support, innovation capability, and cost positively influence BLCT adoption. Moreover, BLCT positively influences sustainable agriculture supply chain performance. This article is valuable for policymakers, managers, service providers, researchers, and academicians to understand the role of factors in influencing BLCT and BLCT's role in improving sustainable supply chain performance (SSCP).

Technology-Driven Responsiveness in Times of COVID-19: A Fuzzy Delphi and Fuzzy AHP-Based Approach

Supply chain responsiveness creates value for firms and their stakeholders and is a key towards generating above-normal profits for firms. Consequently, there has been a surge of research on it, which has expanded due to the pressures to be responsive during the pandemic of COVID19. Responsiveness is an attribute wherein the supply chains are equipped to respond resolutely and within a suitable timeframe to consumer requirements. The trouble to businesses posed by COVID-19 caught several firms off-guard. Further, there is limited research on the augmentation of supply chain responsiveness through new technologies. The present research, therefore, applies a hybrid approach by combining fuzzy Delphi and fuzzy AHP to understand the technology-driven enablers of supply chain responsiveness by employing a case company in food retail. The investigation reveals that supply chain integration technologies, sustainable manufacturing technologies, and smart warehousing are the most important enablers of supply chain responsiveness in the context of food supply chains. The results aid the key enablers that need attention and resources to be directed towards these enablers to eliminate a chance of missing on a successful transition into a more responsive supply chain.

A Novel Method for Food Market Regulation by Emotional Tendencies Predictions from Food Reviews Based on Blockchain and SAEs

As a part of food safety research, researches on food transactions safety has attracted increasing attention recently. Food choice is an important factor affecting food transactions safety: It can reflect consumer preferences and provide a basis for market regulation. Therefore, this paper proposes a food market regulation method based on blockchain and a deep learning model: Stacked autoencoders (SAEs). Blockchain is used to ensure the fairness of transactions and achieve transparency within the transaction process, thereby reducing the complexity of the trading environment. In order to enhance the usability, relevant Web pages have been developed to make it more friendly and conduct a security analysis for using blockchain. Consumers’ reviews after the transactions are finished can be used to train SAEs in order to perform emotional tendencies predictions. Compared with different advanced models for predictions, the test results show that SAEs have a better performance. Furthermore, in order to provide a basis for the formulation of regulation strategies and its related policies, case studies of different traders and commodities have also been conducted, proving the effectiveness of the proposed method.

In-network generalized trustworthy data collection for event detection in cyber-physical systems

Sensors in Cyber-Physical Systems (CPS) are typically used to collect various aspects of the region of interest and transmit the data towards upstream nodes for further processing. However, data collection in CPS is often unreliable due to severe resource constraints (e.g., bandwidth and energy), environmental impacts (e.g., equipment faults and noises), and security concerns. Besides, detecting an event through the aggregation in CPS can be intricate and untrustworthy if the sensor's data is not validated during data acquisition, before transmission, and before aggregation. This paper introduces In-network Generalized Trustworthy Data Collection (IGTDC) framework for event detection in CPS. This framework facilitates reliable data for aggregation at the edge of CPS. The main idea of IGTDC is to enable a sensor's module to examine locally whether the event's acquired data is trustworthy before transmitting towards the upstream nodes. It further validates whether the received data can be trusted or not before data aggregation at the sink node. Additionally, IGTDC helps to identify faulty sensors. For reliable event detection, we use collaborative IoT tactics, gate-level modeling with Verilog User Defined Primitive (UDP), and Programmable Logic Device (PLD) to ensure that the event's acquired data is reliable before transmitting towards the upstream nodes. We employ Gray code in gate-level modeling. It helps to ensure that the received data is reliable. Gray code also helps to distinguish a faulty sensor. Through simulation and extensive performance analysis, we demonstrate that the collected data in the IGTDC framework is reliable and can be used in the majority of CPS applications.

Distributed Ledger Technology Applications in Food Supply Chains: A Review of Challenges and Future Research Directions

The lack of transparency and traceability in food supply chains (FSCs) is raising concerns among consumers and stakeholders about food information credibility, food quality, and safety. Insufficient records, a lack of digitalization and standardization of processes, and information exchange are some of the most critical challenges, which can be tackled with disruptive technologies, such as the Internet of Things (IoT), blockchain, and distributed ledger technologies (DLTs). Studies provide evidence that novel technological and sustainable practices in FSCs are necessary. This paper aims to describe current practical applications of DLTs and IoT in FSCs, investigating the challenges of implementation, and potentials for future research directions, thus contributing to achievement of the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Within a systematic literature review, the content of 69 academic publications was analyzed, describing aspects of implementation and measures to address the challenges of scalability, security, and privacy of DLT, and IoT solutions. The challenges of high costs, standardization, regulation, interoperability, and energy consumption of DLT solutions were also classified as highly relevant, but were not widely addressed in literature. The application of DLTs in FSCs can potentially contribute to 6 strategic SDGs, providing synergies and possibilities for more sustainable, traceable, and transparent FSCs.

Blockchain connectivity inhibitors: weaknesses affecting supply chain interaction and resilience

Purpose

The paper aims to further understanding of connectivity from the perspective of blockchain technology (BT) in the supply chain (SC). It presents the weaknesses (inhibitors) of connectivity during technology implementation, focusing on supply chain interaction and resilience.

Design/methodology/approach

Restricting the focus to digital connectivity, interaction and supply chain resilience, this paper uses a systematic literature review (SLR) to examine how the literature has addressed, related or flagged connectivity weaknesses affecting supply chain interaction and resilience.

Findings

This study highlights the influence of connectivity for blockchain-technology projects. Technical and organisational influencers that affect the adoption of technology in the SC are presented. These influencers support the factors proposed in this study regarding the weaknesses that negatively affect the interaction between the agents involved and the SC's resilience. The research suggests that the weaknesses are related to technical needs and the relationships between companies arising from functionalities.

Research limitations/implications

This paper is restricted to a review of the theory and the researched material. Although the author was careful to choose the best search terms related to the research objective, some potentially relevant articles may have been excluded.

Practical implications

The study summarises research on blockchain connectivity influencers in the SC, helping managers to anticipate and mitigate some of doubts and concerns in projects of this nature.

Originality/value

This is one of the first articles in the area of operations and SCs that addresses the topic of connectivity, focusing on its restrictive factors (connectivity inhibitors), in the context of blockchain implementation in the SC.

Blockchain in operations for food service distribution: steps before implementation

Purpose

Considering the importance of a safe food chain for consumers and the advent of blockchain technology (BT), this research studies a food service (FS) distributor. The research aims to understand the implications related to the functional processes of distribution in FS in which it would be possible to use blockchain to achieve agility, transparency of information and improvements in food safety.

Design/methodology/approach

Firstly, theory regarding blockchain technology in the supply chain (BT-SC) and FS was analyzed to contextualize the theme conceptually. A single case study including 11 supply chain companies was applied in a BT implementation study in an FS distributor.

Findings

Investment in infrastructure is often identified as a barrier to adoption of BT-SC. This was, however, not found in this case. Furthermore, the validation of users was only necessary for those parties directly participating in the process or information input. Finally, findings differentiate between qualifying criteria and operational processes when considering BT projects in FS.

Research limitations/implications

The findings are restricted to this single case that provided an in-depth understanding of the topic. Statistical generalization is not possible at this stage of the research.

Practical implications

The study is a practical example and can provide several insights to anyone looking to implement BT in their SC.

Social implications

The social importance of the study lies in the importance of FS in the food sector, and by presenting ways that contribute to mitigating risks to consumers.

Originality/value

Real-life cases of application of BT-SC illustrate its functionalities in operational processes.