Achieving food supply chain sustainability through digital sharing platforms: prospects in China

Tian, Shuang; Wu, Lin; Pawar, Kulwant S.

Abstract

Purpose
Characterised by simultaneous food waste and shortages, our current food system is far from sustainable. Industry 4.0 has responded with technology-enabled innovations, including digital food-sharing platforms aimed at facilitating the efficient redistribution of surplus food. However, potential users often express reluctance to adopt such platforms, prompting this study to explore the underlying reasons for their hesitations.

Design/methodology/approach
This study was conducted in China, the world’s largest platform economy, where food-sharing platforms are notably absent. Using a vignette-based qualitative approach, semi-structured interviews were conducted with 35 potential users. The data were analysed through thematic analysis to uncover insights into adoption intentions.

Findings
The findings highlight the relevance of factors identified in existing technology acceptance theories, such as performance expectancy, effort expectancy, social influence, hedonic motivation, facilitating conditions and price value, in shaping adoption intentions. Additionally, content-specific and context-specific factors – such as trust in other users and the platform, concerns about “losing face” (mianzi) and safety concerns during the pandemic – emerged as critical influences on users' decisions to engage with these platforms.

Originality/value
This study contributes to scholarly discussions on enhancing the effectiveness of new technological innovations for food supply chain sustainability. The theoretical contributions expand the technology acceptance literature by incorporating factors related to platform service content and operating context.

Citation

Tian, S., Wu, L., & Pawar, K. S. (2025). Achieving food supply chain sustainability through digital sharing platforms: prospects in China. Industrial Management and Data Systems, 125(3), 1023-1051. https://doi.org/10.1108/IMDS-10-2023-0722

• Journal Article Type: Article
• Acceptance Date: Dec 28, 2024
• Online Publication Date: Jan 31, 2025
• Publication Date: Jan 31, 2025
• Deposit Date: Jan 15, 2025
• Publicly Available Date: Jan 31, 2025
• Journal: Industrial Management and Data Systems
• Print ISSN: 0263-5577
• Publisher: Emerald
• Peer Reviewed: Peer Reviewed
• Volume: 125
• Issue: 3
• Pages: 1023-1051
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.1108/IMDS-10-2023-0722
• Keywords: food supply chain; sustainability; digital platforms; technology acceptance
• Public URL: https://nottingham-repository.worktribe.com/output/44229481
• Publisher URL: https://www.emerald.com/insight/content/doi/10.1108/imds-10-2023-0722/full/html