Volume 1, Issue 2 (1-2024)                   Ame 2024, 1(2): 89-100 | Back to browse issues page


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Yahyayi R, Kavoosi-Kalashami M. (2024). Evaluation of the effective drivers in the use of blockchain technology in the rice supply chain. Ame. 1(2), 89-100. doi:10.61186/ame.1.2.89
URL: http://ame.sanru.ac.ir/article-1-65-en.html
Faculty of Agricultural Sciences, University of Guilan, Rasht, Iran
Abstract:   (276 Views)
Extended Abstract
Introduction and Objective: In the supply chain of essential grains such as rice, fraud, poor supervision and delay in reaching the product to the final destination, are always among the main challenges of the beneficiaries of these chains. Improving the supply chain monitoring and tracking system is the best solution to reduce discrepancy among business partners and information asymmetry in these chains. Blockchain enables the mapping and visualizing of steps in a supply chain easily because of its interconnected and encompassing bridging of actions. it builds trust among the parties included in a supply chain because it provides open access to key data points it captures. Blockchain encapsulates smart contracts and automatically update actions when predetermined conditions of the actions are met. Since blockchain is a distributed ledger consisting of multiple copies, it is almost impossible to tamper with a specific transaction because one has to alter all the copies simultaneously. Blockchain is also advantageous for ensuring and sustaining consensus over the process because all the parties know that the transactions are automated and valid. The application of blockchain technology in the management of supply chains brings many benefits such as traceability, information security, transparency and trust. The traditionality of the method of monitoring and tracking in the rice supply chain brings serious concerns about fraud and lack of quality assurance. In this situation, it is very difficult to create trust and transparency between the stakeholders of the chain. The application of blockchain technology can be the driver of the transition from the traditional management of the rice supply chain in Iran. Identifying the factors affecting the application of this technology in the supply chain and determining their importance can improve the policy-making process in this field. Considering the importance of rice in the food basket of Iranian households and the existing concerns about safety and issues such as fraud in the supply chain of this product, the present study identifies the drivers influencing the use of blockchain technology in the rice supply chain and also, their prioritization took into account.
Material and Methods: This study is applied in terms of purpose and descriptive-survey in terms of research method. The research tool is a pairwise comparison questionnaire based on the objective, criteria and sub-criteria of the decision tree. The decision tree was formed with the aim of identifying and prioritizing the drivers affecting the use of blockchain technology in the rice supply chain, and it includes six criteria and 26 sub-criteria. The findings of previous researches and the opinions of sample experts were used in designing the decision tree. The required information was obtained by completing the pairwise comparison questionnaire by 10 rice market experts in Guilan province during the spring of 2023. In order to analyze the data and determine the relative weight of research criteria and sub-criteria, spherical fuzzy hierarchical analyze was used. This process is carried out in five stages, including creating a decision tree, creating a matrix of paired comparisons using linguistic terms, checking the consistency of the matrix of paired comparisons, calculating fuzzy weights and determining the final rating score of the options. In order to categorize the sub-criteria in terms of the effect intensity, the interval of standard deviation from mean was used.
Results: According to the number of decision tree criteria and sub-criteria, seven comparison groups and 62 pairwise comparisons were analyzed. The validity of the research findings was evaluated using the inconsistency index. The value of the inconsistency index in all comparisons were less than 10%, which indicates the validity of the relative weights. The criteria of "smart contract", "traceability and prevention of fraud" and "simplification of transactions" with a total relative weight of more than 57% are three important criteria according to experts’ comments, respectively. Among the sub-criteria of the smart contract, "increasing the credibility of the rice supply chain" is the most important with a relative weight of 29.52 percent. Regarding the sub-criteria related to "traceability and prevention of fraud" and "simplification of transactions", "quick identification of rice" with a relative weight of 20.30% and "doing payment without the need for a bank" with a relative weight of 24.65% were the most important drivers. Classification of drivers using the interval of standard deviation from mean showed that there are four sub-criteria in the impact category with very high intensity, eight sub-criteria in the impact category with high intensity, 11 sub-criteria in the impact category with low intensity and three sub-criteria in the impact category with very low intensity. Increasing the credibility of the rice supply chain, no need to physical presence in setting up contracts, safe storage of rice supply chain information, and speeding up data transfer in the rice supply chain are sub-criteria with very high impact intensity.
Conclusion: The use of blockchain technology in managing and optimizing the supply chain of agricultural and food products is emphasized by many researchers, operational managers and policy makers. Many challenges in the rice supply chain require promoting the use of new technologies such as blockchain. The findings of this research, including the identification, prioritization and classification of drivers affecting the use of blockchain technology in the rice supply chain, provide a suitable opportunity to formulate a related policy package and operational measures in the supply chain.
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Type of Study: Research | Subject: Special
Received: 2024/01/19 | Accepted: 2024/02/26 | Published: 2024/03/10

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