Blockchain=better food? The adoption of blockchain technology in food supply chain
International Journal of Contemporary Hospitality Management
ISSN: 0959-6119
Article publication date: 9 February 2024
Abstract
Purpose
This study aims to investigate the integration of blockchain technology into the food supply chain within the restaurant industry. It focuses on how blockchain can be applied to enhance transparency and trust in tracking food sources, ultimately impacting customer satisfaction.
Design/methodology/approach
A service design workshop (Study 1) and three between-subjects experiments (Studies 2–4) were conducted.
Findings
Results indicate that blockchain adoption significantly improves traceability and trust in the food supply chain. This improvement in turn enhances customer satisfaction through perceived improvements in food safety, quality and naturalness. This study also notes that the effects of blockchain technology vary depending on the type of restaurant (casual or fine dining) and its location (tourist destinations or residential areas).
Practical implications
The findings offer practical insights for restaurant owners, technology developers and policymakers. Emphasizing the benefits of blockchain adoption, this study guides decision-making regarding technology investments for enhancing customer service and satisfaction in the hospitality sector.
Originality/value
This research contributes novel insights to the field of technology innovation in the hospitality industry. It extends the understanding of signaling theory by exploring how blockchain technology can serve as a tool for signal transmission in restaurant food supply chains.
Keywords
Acknowledgements
The work described in this paper was fully supported by a grant from a grant from the Research Grants Council of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, China (Project No. 25504823; PolyU/RGC Project No: P0047204; Project Name: Co-creating value with virtual humans: The effects of non-verbal communication during face-to-face service encounters); a grant from the Innovation and Technology Commission of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region, China (Project No. ITS/028/22FP; PolyU/RGC Project No: P0043294; Project Name: An Interaction Framework of Hospitality Virtual Human Persona and Brand Personality Consistency); a grant from the Project P0045695, “Multi-Modal Multi-Label Tourism Statistics Inferring from Publicly Available Geo-Social Footprint Data,” by PolyU (UGC); and Walter & Wendy Kwok Family Foundation Professorship in International Hospitality Management.
Conflict of interest: There is no conflict of interest to declare.
Citation
Hao, F., Guo, Y., Zhang, C. and Chon, K.K.S.K.-S. (2024), "Blockchain=better food? The adoption of blockchain technology in food supply chain", International Journal of Contemporary Hospitality Management, Vol. ahead-of-print No. ahead-of-print. https://doi.org/10.1108/IJCHM-06-2023-0752
Publisher
:Emerald Publishing Limited
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