A Scenario-based Stratified Base-Criterion Method for Assessing the Blockchain Technology Adoption Barriers in Retail Supply Chain

Abstract

With the increasing growth of e-commerce and the expansion of retail markets, the retail supply chain has faced numerous challenges, such as low transparency and delays in order processing, which cause disruptions. In this regard, technologies such as blockchain, as a distributed and encrypted ledger, can provide transparency and reduce intermediaries. However, the practical adoption of blockchain in the retail supply chain faces several barriers. This study introduces a scenario-based analytical method to analyze barriers to blockchain technology implementation in the household appliance retail supply chain in Mexico. In this regard, we developed the Base-Criterion Method (BCM) under the Stratified concept called the S-BCM. The main advantage of the proposed approach is the combination of the barrier’s weights in different scenarios and the calculation of the final weight according to the sum of the states. The developed method is used to analyze eight identified barriers under six proposed scenarios. The results show which barriers should be prioritized in each scenario.