Blockchain adoption in operations and supply chain management: empirical evidence from an emerging economy

The adoption of technologies by the operations and supply chain management (OSCM) field is leading to extraordinary disruptions. And with the rapid emergence of cutting-edge and more disruptive technologies, the OSCM is striving to take advantage of such innovations, but they are bringing in their wake a number of challenges. One of those disruptive technologies is blockchain, which is increasingly accepted in virtually all industries. This study aims to investigate the blockchain technology (BCT) adoption behaviour and possible barriers in the Brazilian OSCM context. We developed a model drawing on the unified theory of acceptance and use of technology (UTAUT) model, the supply chain literature, and the emerging literature on BCT. We empirically validated the proposed model with Brazilian operations and supply chain professionals by using the partial least squares structural equation modelling (PLS-SEM). Our findings revealed that facilitating conditions, trust, social influence, and effort expectancy are the most critical constructs that directly affect BCT adoption. Unexpectedly, performance expectancy appeared not decisive in terms of predicting BCT adoption. This study contributes to advancing and stimulating the theory about BCT adoption behaviour in supply chains, as well as important managerial implications, which may be more critical for emerging economies.

Automated summary

This study in the Brazilian context examines the adoption behavior of blockchain technology in operations and supply chain management. The research findings highlight that facilitating conditions, trust, social influence, and effort expectancy significantly impact BCT adoption, while performance expectancy is unexpectedly not a decisive factor. The study contributes to advancing theory and providing important managerial insights for supply chains, particularly in emerging economies.