Processes, benefits, and challenges for adoption of blockchain technologies in food supply chains: a thematic analysis

• Published in: Information systems and e-business management 2021-09, Vol.19 (3), p.909-935
• Main Authors: Chen, Si, Liu, Xingchen, Yan, Jiaqi, Hu, Guangwei, Shi, Yani
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Blockchain; Business and Management; Cryptography; Food; Food supply; Information Systems Applications (incl.Internet); IT in Business; Management; Original Article; Qualitative analysis; Scientific papers; Supply chains
• ISSN: 1617-9846; 1617-9854
• DOI: 10.1007/s10257-020-00467-3

Blockchain technologies have become increasingly popular and attracted great interest in recent years. Beyond the financial sector, blockchain technologies are promising for addressing the current limitations in food supply chain management. As blockchain adoption for food supply chains is still in an early stage, it is significant to have a thematic framework to systematically understand the processes, benefits, and challenges. This paper aims to explore the adoption of blockchain technologies in food supply chains with a thematic analysis. Desktop research is conducted, and data is collected from online databases, including news article (e.g. Factiva) and research paper databases (e.g. Web of Science). Then we carry out a qualitative thematic analysis, according to the investigation processes suggested by Creswell. Based on the thematic analysis, we identify seven first-order themes and two second-order themes in adoption processes; thirteen first-order themes, sixteen second-order themes, and five third-order themes in benefits; and fourteen first-order themes and five second-order themes in challenges. In addition, we discuss and propose how to improve blockchain adoption in food supply chains in practice.