Abstract
The paper aims to identify barriers to e-Application in the agri-food supply chain in India and helps in developing mutual relationship of these barriers using interpretive structural modeling (ISM) technique. The barriers are identified using secondary sources and expert opinions. The paper is a blend of theoretical framework and practical application and employs structural analysis to draw an interventional roadmap to facilitate the use of e-Application in the agri-food supply chain. The research shows that there exists a group of barriers having a high driving power and low dependence requiring maximum attention. These barriers are strategically important for e-Applications. This paper provides a useful insight to the policymakers and stakeholders by focusing on those key barriers which are important for effective e-Application in the agri-food supply chain.
TopLiterature Review And Identification Of Barriers
The benefits of IT application in SCM require no proof. However, there are certain specific researches which are worth mentioning in the field of use of information technology in SCM. Some of the researchers like Somuyiwa, Adebayo, & Akanbi (2011) and Sinkovics et al., (2011) have used data of more than hundred supply chains in their respective studies to demonstrate that use of IT had resulted sustained performance gain especially in operational excellence and revenue growth.
IT enabled supply chain management is necessary for Indian agri-food sector also. The adoption of IT in agri-food sector improves its competitiveness among the other sectors (Kumar et al., 2013). This helps in organizing their supply chain partners and support its stakeholders. The level of IT adoption in Indian agri-food supply chain is much less as compared to e-adoption in agri-food supply chain of developed nations (Eswarappa, 2011; Tirkaso, 2011; Anwar, Shamim, & Khan, 2012; Nourbakhsh et al., 2012; Opata, Nweze, & Rahman, 2011; Mills et al., 2012).
To identify barriers for current study, keywords such as Indian agri-food supply chain, IT applications, and challenges for e-Application were used in Scopus, ScienceDirect, EBSCOS Business Source Premier, and Emerald databases and Web portals like Google Scholar. Around 36 academic published papers in journals and some articles and books were read out to carry such research.
Key Terms in this Chapter
Supply Chain Barrier: The problems or challenges that obstacles the smooth and effective sharing of information or flow of products and funds among the supply chain partners and stakeholders in the supply chain system.
Autonomous Factor: The factor which have weak driving power (which it may lead to) and weak dependence (which are responsible for) rate. This factor is represented as a first factor or cluster in the digraph.
IT Enabled Supply Chain: e-Application in supply chain can help in integrating supply chain and information sharing in an effective and efficient way. This brings high level of transparency to manage the flow of goods in a supply chain.
Interpretive Structural Modeling (ISM): A process to develop multilevel hierarchy model among the identified factors based on driving power and dependence of these factors.
Transitivity: This method is used for developing a relationship between the three elements likewise if element first is in relation with second and second is in relation with third, then it necessary must hold relationship between the element first and third which is called as transitivity.
Linkage Factor: The factor which have strong driving power and strong dependence rate. This is represented as a third factor or cluster in the digraph.
Digraph: A graph whose edges are all directed. This is also called as driving power-dependence diagram or directed graph.
Agri-Food Supply Chain: The movement of farming goods from production level to final consumer. In most cases, it is characterized by several tiny holders at the distribution level. These supply chains include post consumption and pre-production activities in the agri-food industry. Some of the agri-food supply chains include processing of farm produce also.