Removing barriers to Blockchain use in circular food supply chains: Practitioner views on achieving operational effectiveness

Abstract

The increasing demand for a sustainable, reliable and secure supply chain for food products has led to the application of digital technologies such as blockchain to improve operational effectiveness. The purpose of this paper is to investigate the integration barriers of Blockchain Technology (BCT) within Circular Food Supply Chains (CFSCs) towards firm’s operational effectiveness through a multi-methodological process. Initially the integration barriers are identified through a review of literature and these risks are categorised, using evidence obtained by survey questionnaire completed by experts in the integrated research arena. A further quantified prioritisation of these barriers is made by utilizing a Fuzzy Delphi approach, validated by expert practitioners drawn from the food production and supply organizations. Finally, through semi-structured interviews with Blockchain and Food Supply Chain (FSC) experts, an examination of how the integration barriers affect operational effectiveness may be mitigated is provided. This paper concludes that the identified barriers to blockchain integration have an incremental and real impact on the operational effectiveness of the firm that can only be further clarified through industry-wide standardised processes. Finally, the experts consider blockchain technology an infrastructural addition and enabler of operational effectiveness and not an all-problem solution.

Keywords

• Blockchain technology
• Food supply chain
• Circular economy
• Operational effectiveness
• Digital technology