Several governments and organizations have embraced the Circular Economy (CE) model to promote sustainable economic development. While implementing the CE, organizations face various barriers that hamper their adoption. In this regard, this study investigates the various barriers to CE adoption and their overcoming solutions. Therefore, this study proposes a robust framework for assessing CE adoption barriers and their overcoming solutions. The proposed framework is grounded on the half-quadratic (HQ) based ensemble ranking to prioritize the solutions by considering CE barriers. Twenty barriers to CE adoption and their solutions are identified through Systematic Literature Review (SLR) and domain expert input. These identified barriers are prioritized using the Best Worst Method (BWM). Further, the identified solutions are also prioritized using Technique for Order of Preference by Similarity to Ideal Solution (TOPSIS), Weighted Aggregated Sum Product Assessment (WASPAS), and Combined Compromise Solution (CoCoSo) methods. An HQ-based ensemble ranking that is more robust and reliable is employed to obtain the aggregated rank of these solutions. Based on the aggregated rank, “top management consciousness and participation,” “consumer awareness,” “develop the CE business model,” “alignment of CE goals with strategic objectives,” and “reward and appreciation policies for CE” five most effective solutions for CE adoption. The findings suggest that organisations need to employ high-ranking solutions on a priority basis for CE adoption. The finding is also helpful for an organization that seeks CE adoption, especially in developing countries. Further, the proposed framework helps managers and policymakers assess the barriers and solutions for adopting CE in their context.

Policymakers have portrayed the tariff rate on imports as an enabler for domestic firms to exploit opportunities and improve performance. However, a large tariff increase (LTI) may hinder domestic firms’ access to affordable operational inputs from overseas, potentially reducing their operational efficiency (OE). This study treats 52 LTIs imposed by the United States (U.S.) between 1990 and 2020 as exogenous shocks and employs a quasi-natural experiment to assess their impact on 258 U.S. domestic firms. Specifically, we examine the impact of LTI through the lens of downside risk and upside opportunity, measuring it in terms of the downside loss and upside gain in OE. The results indicate that LTI has adverse effects in both respects: it increases the downside loss and decreases the upside gain of OE. LTI has a more pronounced negative impact on the upside gain than on the downside loss of OE, indicating that it more severely limits domestic firms’ ability to exploit opportunities. We also find that the availability of a potential domestic supply base and the top management team’s supply chain management experience mitigate the negative effects of LTI on both the downside loss and upside gain of OE. This study reveals the holistic effects of LTI on OE and identifies mitigating factors from an operations and supply chain management perspective.

This research examines the importance and effectiveness of digitalization for performance improvement in the food industry. Following an exploratory-empirical approach, we surveyed 208 practitioners from different food organizations in Australia to assess their level of digital technology adoption and performance variation. We utilized multivariate data techniques to analyze the collected dataset controlling for the effects of production system (i.e. levels of production volume and variety) of these organizations. The identification of commonalities among different types of food production systems allowed to identify the importance and effectiveness of digitalization in the food industry. Some digital technologies' importance such as ERP, RFID, and artificial intelligence stood out as they were associated with the improvement of 3 performance metrics (delivery service level was common to all of them). Regarding effectiveness, the relationship between digital twin and quality was deemed as highly effective, as it was evidenced in three types of production systems. We provided evidence on how the pairwise relationship between digital technologies and performance indicators occurs in different food production settings. The identification of which digital technologies are more likely to support each performance metric helps practitioners prioritize and tailor their digitalization efforts according to the organizational needs.

Business model renewal is a key consideration for organizations, and AI (artificial intelligence) has been identified as a significant potential enabler for that renewal. However, while there are examples of emerging organizations using AI as a key basis of competitive advantage as well as examples of established organizations trialing AI technologies, there are relatively few examples of established organizations fundamentally transforming their business models through the use of AI. Through case studies underpinned by interviews with named executives of ten organizations and complemented by an applicability check involving 14 executives, advisors and practice-oriented academics, this paper presents an empirically supported set of factors linked to successful AI-enabled business model transformation as well as a model of interactions between these factors. Using a horizontal contrasting approach to articulate the difference between empirical findings and a literature based model, this paper moves from the language of potentially passive top management support towards the concept of proactive leadership and introduces tech-sensitive innovation culture, AI-sensitive risk tolerance and strategic process discipline into the dynamic capability lexicon. The insights of this paper can be used by managers to assess their readiness to move beyond traditional ‘proof-points’ and successfully undertake and accelerate AI-enabled business model transformation.

This paper aims at examining the role played by Industry 4.0 (I4.0) on the relationship between knowledge management (KM) practices (i.e., knowledge acquisition, knowledge dissemination, and responsiveness to knowledge) and innovation performance (represented by process and product innovation). For that, 153 practitioners from manufacturing firms in India and Brazil were surveyed. The data were analysed through multivariate data techniques. This study was grounded on the concepts from the socio-technical systems theory. Our findings indicated that I4.0 design principles positively moderate the relationship between KM practices and innovation performance. In particular, this moderation seems to be more prominent for product innovation performance, although it was also found for process innovation performance. I4.0 design principles determine the expected mindset and behaviours in companies undergoing digital transformation. Our research showed that the effect of KM practices on innovation performance may be boosted when I4.0 design principles are extensively integrated into organisations.

PurposeThis study aims to explore the relationship between digital transformation and resilience development in the Australian food supply chain (FSC), and identify the contribution of digital technologies to it using the dynamic capabilities theory as theoretical lens.Design/methodology/approachFor that, a mixed-method approach was used. It combines both quantitative and qualitative data to identify trends and details of the phenomenon, yielding more robust findings. We firstly collected and analyzing quantitative data obtained from food industry practitioners and, then, qualitative data gathered through semi-structured interviews with experts.FindingsThe study findings suggest that the relationship between digital transformation and resilience varies among tiers of the FSC and that digital technologies adoption affects resilience development differently across tiers. This highlights the potential cost savings of developing strategies that jointly address digital transformation and resilience development, improving performance outcomes and determining the extent to which digital technologies enhance or inhibit certain aspects of resilience in the FSC.Originality/valueThe study frames the relationship between digital technologies and resilience within the dynamic capabilities theory and suggests that digitalization can enhance resilience by enabling organizations to sense, seize, and transform strategies. We also provide insights for managers to develop strategies that simultaneously enhance digitalization and resilience, resulting in improved performance during disruptive events.

The blockchain as a trustworthy technology is believed to help reinforce inter-organizational trust when being implemented in supply chains. However, most of previous literature examined this conceptually and focused on established relationships. This study aims to fill the gaps by conducting an empirical case study to examine the impact of blockchain usage on inter-organizational trust development in both emerging and established relationships within organic food supply chains. The findings suggest that suppliers can use blockchain to signal their trustworthiness to potential and new buyers in the early stages of their partnerships. The supplier's brand credibility, the credibility of information verified by a third party, and openness in information sharing are indicated as blockchain-inspired trustworthiness signals that facilitate buyers' trust. Conversely, blockchain usage shows limited impact on established relationships. This study offers implications to research and practice in enhancing the current understanding of the impact of blockchain on inter-organizational trust.

In the era of digitalization, Blockchain is an evolving technology that has the potential to change the shape of numerous industries. Blockchain is considered the transforming technology that has the ability to change the conventional supply chain network by providing additional transparency of transactions in terms of information and physical goods. Additionally, the implementation of blockchain technology in the supply chain is required to accomplish the objectives of industry 4.0. However, there has to date been a scarcity of blockchain implementations due to the numerous barriers associated with it. Therefore, the primary aim of this research is to identify and investigate the major barriers to implementing blockchain technology in supply chains. We identified ten significant barriers to adopting blockchain technology through a literature review and expert opinions. Additionally, the finalized barriers were categorized into an influential and influenced group using the DEMATEL method. The findings of this study show that 'influential group' barriers require more attention from the supply chain partners to mitigate these barriers. The primary influential barriers are ' Lack of information sharing,' 'Trust management issues,' and 'Lack of upgraded technologies', and these barriers require immediate attention from supply chain stakeholders wishing to use blockchain. These findings contribute to improving managerial decisions and digital strategies regarding blockchain within organisations, and how implementation can effectively be achieved.

The recent and large number of Industry 4.0 (I4.0) publications, along with various levels of maturity in practical implementations, make it prone to myths. The objective of this paper is two-fold. First, we aimed at identifying the myths and facts related to I4.0 implementation. Second, we examined their pervasiveness between organisations with different I4.0 adoption levels. For that, we conducted a multi-step approach in which semi-structured interviews with twelve experts allowed us to raise these myths and facts. Then, data collected through a survey with 115 practitioners enabled the assessment of their pervasiveness. Ten myths and ten facts of I4.0 were consolidated and categorised according to the five attributes of the Diffusion of Innovation Theory (relative advantage, complexity, compatibility, trialability, and observability). Regarding their pervasiveness, we identified that, while the myths appear to be more prominent from the late adopters' perspective (less mature), the facts are more significantly perceived by the early adopters (more mature) of I4.0. This study helps practitioners to better comprehend the intricacies of I4.0, demystifying false ideas or assumptions and reinforcing real facts about its implementation. As many organisations still struggle to grasp the fundamentals of I4.0, our research provides conceptual clarity, setting expectations and mitigating some potential barriers to the digital transformation. Our findings might have multiple uses such as the design of more realistic I4.0 implementation plans that account for the myths as well as for the design of training programs that might dispel the myths before they spread across the industries.

Objective The objective of this research is to appraise current practice in hospitals against the 'Framework to achieve value in healthcare' (the Framework) and to identify additional contributory factors that support or hinder its application. Methods A multi-site case study was undertaken with five hospitals in Australia, the USA and UK using purposeful sampling to identify hospitals to participate. Data collection took place between September and November 2022. The hospitals included in the study had Process Improvement (PI) programs of more than 5 years duration, with strong executive engagement and broad outcomes measurement, including financial benefits. All hospitals were acute public hospitals or private, not for profit. Results All hospitals indicated current practice according to Steps 1-5 for some part of their PI programs. All hospitals indicated that they were more likely to include financial benefits measurement for activities aimed specifically at improving cost rather than reducing non-value adding activities or improving the value of clinical care. Step 5 (reinvestment of cost savings) of the Framework is dependent on the accomplishment of Step 4 (measurement and realisation of financial benefits) and the contributory elements are important in supporting hospitals to utilise the Framework. Conclusions The 'Framework to achieve value in healthcare' provides a practical guide for hospitals to reduce non-value adding activities, improve the value of clinical care and reduce costs. Further research is indicated to establish its reliability in hospitals in other countries and hospitals that do not have an established PI program.

We propose a method to collect data on user requirements of medical equipment shared by different users and services, relate those requirements with the equipment's technical features, and rank the most important features to be considered when procuring the equipment, leading to more effective procurement decision making. Our method is structured in three phases: (i) elicit the device's technical characteristics, (ii) determine user requirements, and (iii) relate technical characteristics to user requirements. The method is applied to rank the most relevant features of a hospital recliner used by seven services and three types of users. Our results indicate the 10 most relevant factors (requirements) for an “ideal” hospital recliner with potential impact on outputs (importance scores). A final list of 32 items was useful for comparing user requirements and identifying key features that address the most relevant requirements. User‐centered approaches to requirements elicitation in medical equipment procurement promote healthcare benefits, safety, and end‐user satisfaction. Potential use of our approach goes beyond our application case study into many other categories of procurement decisions and into other industry and business applications, wherever multiple stakeholders' requirements should be considered in decisions with multiple value dimensions of value.

Descriptions of resilient performance in healthcare services usually emphasize the role of skills and knowledge of caregivers. At the same time, the human factors discipline often frames digital technologies as sources of brittleness. This paper presents an exploratory investigation of the upside of ten digital technologies derived from Healthcare 4.0 (H4.0) in terms of their perceived contribution to six healthcare services and the four abilities of resilient healthcare: monitor, anticipate, respond, and learn. This contribution was assessed through a multinational survey conducted with 109 experts. Emergency rooms (ERs) and intensive care units (ICUs) stood out as the most benefited by H4.0 technologies. That is consistent with the high complexity of those services, which demand resilient performance. Four H4.0 technologies were top ranked regarding their impacts on the resilience of those services. They are further explored in follow-up interviews with ER and ICU professionals from hospitals in emerging and developed economies to collect examples of applications in their routines.

Despite the promising capability to help organisations inaugurate their trusted supply chains, blockchain technology has not been widely adopted due to several adoption inhibitors. As opposed to prior blockchain literature that mostly focused on the direct effect of technology-related factors, this research-in-progress paper offers a new perspective of holistic examination of key determinants of an organisation’s intention to adopt blockchain. The paper also develops a conceptual model of blockchain adoption for supply chain context grounded on the integration of the technology-organisation-environment (TOE) and the extended valence frameworks. Specifically, three technological factors, two organisational factors, and two environmental factors directly influence an organisation’s intention to adopt blockchain. Moreover, trust influences blockchain adoption intention indirectly through performance expectancy and risk of system security. The study offers a contribution to academics regarding the critical determinants of blockchain deployment for establishing trusted supply chains.