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The application of digital technologies in the agri-food supply chain of China: enablers identification and prioritization

Guoqing Zhao, Xiaoning Chen , Shaofeng Liu, Xiaotian Xie

9th International Conference on Decision Support System Technology, Pages: 131 - 139

Swansea University Author: Guoqing Zhao

Abstract

Agri-food supply chains (AFSCs) are facing more pressures in terms of increasing volatility, growing population, and intensifying climate change. It is expected that global agri-food production must be doubled by 2050 in order to tackle the world population explosion crisis. Digital technologies hav...

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Published in: 9th International Conference on Decision Support System Technology
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spelling v2 63528 2023-05-24 The application of digital technologies in the agri-food supply chain of China: enablers identification and prioritization 2ff29aa347835abe2af6d98fa89064b4 Guoqing Zhao Guoqing Zhao true false 2023-05-24 BBU Agri-food supply chains (AFSCs) are facing more pressures in terms of increasing volatility, growing population, and intensifying climate change. It is expected that global agri-food production must be doubled by 2050 in order to tackle the world population explosion crisis. Digital technologies have the capability to produce more food with fewer resources, reduce food waste and loss, and revolutionize the agri-food industry completely, which has been widely recognized by scholars and practitioners as a potential solution. However, it is not clear about enablers to facilitate digital technologies application from a developing country’s perspective. Thus, this study aims to analyze enablers to the application of digital technologies in the AFSC of China. Three research questions were formulated to understand what digital technologies are applied in the China’s agri-food industry, what are the enablers to facilitate AFSC practitioners to use digital technologies, and how the identified enablers are prioritized. To answer these research questions, we employed a mixed-method approach, including semi-structured interviews to collect empirical data from 16 experienced AFSC practitioners, thematic analysis to identify enablers, and fuzzy analytical hierarchy process (AHP) to prioritize the identified enablers. Our study significantly contributes to new knowledge. For example, this study identifies that frequently discussed digital technologies such as blockchain technology, big data analytics, and automatic tractor are seldom used in the agri-food industry of China, other technologies such as water-fertilizer integrated technology, internet of things (IoTs), and smart greenhouses are widely deployed. Ten enablers are identified that may facilitate AFSC practitioners to apply digital technologies, including those merely mentioned by scholars, such as workforce reduction, early detection of plant diseases, accurate determination of the maturity of crops, and improving working conditions. Finally, our prioritization results show that reducing working intensity, reducing water and fertilizer consumption, and improving fertilizer use efficiency are the top three enablers. This study also contributes to managerial practices. Conference Paper/Proceeding/Abstract 9th International Conference on Decision Support System Technology 131 139 0 0 0 0001-01-01 https://icdsst2023.files.wordpress.com/2023/05/actes_imt_icdsst2023_v3.pdf COLLEGE NANME Business COLLEGE CODE BBU Swansea University 2023-06-13T13:47:35.8160755 2023-05-24T09:52:13.9522787 Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences School of Management - Business Management Guoqing Zhao 1 Xiaoning Chen 2 Shaofeng Liu 3 Xiaotian Xie 4 63528__27584__c8e8d82a36ca4f989863230b9158058c.pdf File extension.pdf 2023-05-24T09:57:18.2955397 Output 205454 application/pdf Accepted Manuscript true false
title The application of digital technologies in the agri-food supply chain of China: enablers identification and prioritization
spellingShingle The application of digital technologies in the agri-food supply chain of China: enablers identification and prioritization
Guoqing Zhao
title_short The application of digital technologies in the agri-food supply chain of China: enablers identification and prioritization
title_full The application of digital technologies in the agri-food supply chain of China: enablers identification and prioritization
title_fullStr The application of digital technologies in the agri-food supply chain of China: enablers identification and prioritization
title_full_unstemmed The application of digital technologies in the agri-food supply chain of China: enablers identification and prioritization
title_sort The application of digital technologies in the agri-food supply chain of China: enablers identification and prioritization
author_id_str_mv 2ff29aa347835abe2af6d98fa89064b4
author_id_fullname_str_mv 2ff29aa347835abe2af6d98fa89064b4_***_Guoqing Zhao
author Guoqing Zhao
author2 Guoqing Zhao
Xiaoning Chen
Shaofeng Liu
Xiaotian Xie
format Conference Paper/Proceeding/Abstract
container_title 9th International Conference on Decision Support System Technology
container_start_page 131
institution Swansea University
college_str Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences
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hierarchy_top_title Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences
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department_str School of Management - Business Management{{{_:::_}}}Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences{{{_:::_}}}School of Management - Business Management
url https://icdsst2023.files.wordpress.com/2023/05/actes_imt_icdsst2023_v3.pdf
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description Agri-food supply chains (AFSCs) are facing more pressures in terms of increasing volatility, growing population, and intensifying climate change. It is expected that global agri-food production must be doubled by 2050 in order to tackle the world population explosion crisis. Digital technologies have the capability to produce more food with fewer resources, reduce food waste and loss, and revolutionize the agri-food industry completely, which has been widely recognized by scholars and practitioners as a potential solution. However, it is not clear about enablers to facilitate digital technologies application from a developing country’s perspective. Thus, this study aims to analyze enablers to the application of digital technologies in the AFSC of China. Three research questions were formulated to understand what digital technologies are applied in the China’s agri-food industry, what are the enablers to facilitate AFSC practitioners to use digital technologies, and how the identified enablers are prioritized. To answer these research questions, we employed a mixed-method approach, including semi-structured interviews to collect empirical data from 16 experienced AFSC practitioners, thematic analysis to identify enablers, and fuzzy analytical hierarchy process (AHP) to prioritize the identified enablers. Our study significantly contributes to new knowledge. For example, this study identifies that frequently discussed digital technologies such as blockchain technology, big data analytics, and automatic tractor are seldom used in the agri-food industry of China, other technologies such as water-fertilizer integrated technology, internet of things (IoTs), and smart greenhouses are widely deployed. Ten enablers are identified that may facilitate AFSC practitioners to apply digital technologies, including those merely mentioned by scholars, such as workforce reduction, early detection of plant diseases, accurate determination of the maturity of crops, and improving working conditions. Finally, our prioritization results show that reducing working intensity, reducing water and fertilizer consumption, and improving fertilizer use efficiency are the top three enablers. This study also contributes to managerial practices.
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