Purpose
Organic food is getting attention these days from consumers and producers, in pursuit of safe and chemical-free food. In India, there is an upsurge in entrepreneurs in the organic food sector, with women entrepreneurs signalling higher numbers. Women entrepreneurs have the potential to contribute significantly to the field of organic food; the only requirement is to address the challenges faced by them. This paper aims to attempt at exploring and modelling the challenges faced by women entrepreneurs in the organic food sector.
Design/methodology/approach
Significant challenges were identified through literature review, primary data collection and expert opinions. The identified challenges were then modelled through total interpretive structural modelling and fuzzy-matriced impact cruises multiplication applique techniques to give a meaningful contextual relationship.
Findings
This study identified “poor government support” and “less awareness” amongst the stakeholders, as the most strategic challenges with the highest driving power to influence other challenges. In contrast, “low funding options” and “fewer buyers” emerged as the most dependent challenges for organic food women entrepreneurs in India.
Originality/value
The model proposed in the study gives a roadmap for different stakeholders in the food industry to scale up organic food women entrepreneurs in India.
The chances of food contamination and spoilage get enhanced as it passes through various stages, and prudent consumers often need transparency on the origin of food products, their production and processing facilities utilized. Blockchain, an emerging digital technology, offers food traceability solutions to consumers and supply chain partners. But presently, blockchain adoption in Indian supply chains is in the nascent stages. The present study identified the challenges of adopting blockchain technology in Indian food supply chains and modelled them using Interpretive Structural Modelling (ISM). As per the ISM, the ‘regulatory structure’ and ‘lack of realised need’ emerged as the most significant driving forces that impact other challenges, viz. ‘privacy breach issues’, ‘high costs’, ‘lack of skills’, ‘lack of technology’, ‘lack of trust’ and ‘lack of infrastructure’. These challenges have an impact on the ‘scalability problem’. The paper underlines the significance of enabling regulatory structure, improved information and communication technologies infrastructure, and convincing the supply chain stakeholders to use blockchain technology to resolve the underlying challenges and achieve its adoption and scalability in the Indian food industry.
Purpose3D food printing technology is an emerging smart technology, which because of its inbuilt capabilities, has the potential to support a sustainable supply chain and environmental quality management. This new technology needs a supportive ecosystem, and thus, this paper identifies and models the enablers for adopting 3D printing technology toward a sustainable food supply chain.Design/methodology/approachThe enablers were identified through an extensive literature review and verified by domain experts. The identified enablers were modelled through the hybrid total interpretive structural modelling approach (TISM) and the decision-making trial and evaluation laboratory (DEMATEL) approach.FindingsIt emerged that stakeholders need technical know-how about the 3D printing technology, well supported by a legal framework for clear intellectual property rights ownership. Also, the industry players must have focused and clear strategic planning, considering the need for sustainable supply chains. Moreover, required product innovation as per customer needs may enhance the stakeholders' readiness to adopt this technology.Practical implicationsThe framework proposed in this research provides managers with a hierarchy and categorization of adoption enablers which will help them adopt 3D food printing technology and improve environmental quality.Originality/valueThis research offers a framework for modelling the enablers for 3D food printing to develop a sustainable food supply chain using the TISM and DEMATEL techniques.
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