Proposing an interpretive structural model of barriers to using blockchain technology in the food supply

Today, the ever-expanding supply chain of the food industry has made controlling and turning the slogan "Food Security: From Farm to Table" a difficult task in reality. Blockchain technology is a new and emerging technology that ensures transparency, traceability, and data security in the movement of food products from the farm to the table, promises to improve food security in supply chains, where fraud and counterfeiting have become integrated. Therefore, the use of blockchain technology in the food supply chain, both now and in the future is an undeniable necessity. One of the requirements for using any technology is to identify barriers to its progress. The lack of accurate knowledge of such barriers will not only lead to failure to properly implement this technology in the food supply chain but will also impose considerable costs on it. Therefore, this study has been conducted to identify the key barriers to using blockchain technology, and develop a hierarchical model in the food supply chain.

To achieve the research objectives, first the most significant barriers were identified and then by Interpretive Structural Modeling (ISM), a model was proposed to illustrate the barriers' interrelationships.

The results indicated internal and legal barriers as the most significant barriers to the use of blockchain technology in the supply chain of the studied organization. Therefore, to use this technology, the main focus of managers should be on removing barriers to lower the levels of the hierarchical model.

Research limitations/implications:

 Given the novelty of blockchain technology, particularly in implementation, it should be mentioned that a relatively good understanding of this technology has not been formed in Iranian organizations yet, and the use of experts who have a deep knowledge of this technology has been one of the main limitations of the research. Another limitation was the lack of access to the supply chain suppliers of the Etka organization. This research was done only based on the opinion of experts in the central part of the supply chain, although the results can be used in the supply chain of Etka organization and other similar organizations.

Originality/value: 

The role and importance of using this technology in the food supply chain of Etka organization, as the largest organization in the food supply chain of the armed forces, and promoting food security of the armed forces are not deniable. Since no research has been conducted on this subject in the country, this study was compiled to identify the main barriers to using this technology in the food supply chain of the studied organization. This paper also attempted to prioritize the barriers for possible elimination in the form of a hierarchical model and facilitated the application of this technology in the food supply chain of the Etka organization.