Advanced Technologies & Virtual Supply Chains: Essential for Reducing Global Food Waste - Essay Sample

Introduction

Food supply chain management is essential in sustaining life around the globe. Inefficiency in the supply chains could result in food losses. According to Zhong et al. (2017), over 492 million tons of fruits and vegetables were wasted globally in the year 2011. The reduction of food wastes would require advanced technologies such as sensors and the Internet of Things (IoT) in the food supply chains. In addition to that, Verdouw et al. (2016) stipulated that virtual supply chains had a substantial role in allowing for traceability of food products by providing tracking information on the location of some items. Some of the data monitored using the sensor technologies are the temperature of the products, microbiological data, and other parameters concerned with the quality of food (Verdouw et al., 2016). The topic under review in this research proposal is ‘Logistics Supply Chain Management Based on Internet Technology and Big Data Platform in China: A Case study of Food Products Logistics Management within Supermarkets.’

Is your time best spent reading someone else’s essay? Get a 100% original essay FROM A CERTIFIED WRITER!

Save 25%

Research Questions and Statement of Problems

• Importantly, this research aims to answer the following study questions:
• How have supermarkets in China integrated internet technology and big data platforms in the food supply chains?
• What kind of technology and data platforms has been integrated into the food supply chains in China?
• How effective are the food supply chain technologies efficient in streamlining supply chain activities in China?

Research Objectives and Statement of Problems

Business management in the contemporary world requires corporations to function as active members of the more extensive supply chain that constitutes of different businesses and relationships (Stranieri et al., 2018). The environment is changing at a fast pace and leads to risk at different levels. Without a reliable supply chain and logistics system, most of the perishable food products in supermarkets in China are likely to go to waste hence resulting in losses. Li (2014) defined logistics as an aggregation of activities involving storage, transportation, distribution, packaging, and processing of goods. In a bid to prevent wastage, most supply chains have integrated various kinds of technology to improve the fast flow of products to retail stores and enhance tracking of the exact products’ location. Therefore, the main objective of this research proposal is to identify the importance of technology integration in the supply chain activities of different supermarkets in China. Also, possible challenges and benefits from the inclusion of supply chain technologies will be discussed in the study.

Literature Review

Accordingly, Zhong et al. (2017) claimed that food supply chains depict activities from production, distribution, and consumption of goods. The primary objective is to ensure that foods remain safe and of high quality throughout the entire supply chain processes. Notably, the food supply chains differ from other supply chains since most goods are perishable (Nakandala & Lau, 2019). Thus, this makes the supply chain complex and challenging to manage hence warranting the need for technology adoption. Similarly, Lao and Xing (2007) defined supply chain integration as the process of coordinating all businesses involved in the supply chain. The supermarket deals with the sale of daily products, which require an effective and efficient supply chain. In trying to enhance an effective supply chain, Liahuan supermarket has adopted an Information Technology (IT) that improves supply chain integration (Lao & Xing, 2007).

Consequently, Ben-Daya et al. (2017) indicated that IT is a significant enabler of effective supply chain management. Importantly, it aids supply chains to deal with a variety of challenges in the current environment. The internal integration of IT systems and external integration with consumers and suppliers has impacted supply chains substantially (Nakandala & Lau, 2019). The existence of IT systems in supply chains has improved communication, enhanced data transmission, and enabled effective decision-making, which, in turn, boosts supply chain performance (Ben-Daya et al., 2017). Bao et al. (2012) seemingly affirmed that IT enhances harmonious operations among supply chains explaining why it works well in the food supply chains. The systems facilitate not only improved communication among supply chains but also allow involved organizations to trace the products and their quality safety (Yu et al., 2016). Therefore, the IT systems are essential in effective supply chain management in the food supply chains.

Different technology systems help in streamlining supply chain activities in supermarkets. According to Kersten et al. (2017), blockchain is one of the supply chain technologies used in enhancing active supply chain activities. Blockchain allows for the transfer of verified information to all members of a network and creates trust between all the involved parties. Chen et al. (2020) asserted that blockchain technologies are popular and have attracted interest in the food industry over the years. The interest in blockchain arises from the fact that it enhances a company’s ability to trace food products throughout the supply chain (Behnke & Janssen, 2019). Similarly, Queiroz and Wamba (2020) claimed that blockchain is an example of a cutting-edge technology that provides connectivity, and interoperability of people and organizations.

Big data technologies are essential in food supply chain management. According to Tao et al. (2020), big data is a term referring to high-volume data, velocity, variety, and value. Mainly, this means the transfer of big volume data at a fast pace while maintaining accuracy. Tao et al. (2020) argued that big data technologies allow for the removal of large amounts of data in the food industry hence making the supply chain efficient. Zhong et al. (2017) claimed that big data is an emerging technology that deals with large and complex data and solves all challenges related to the transfer of these kinds of data.

Significance of the Study

The issue of food wastage in supermarkets remains to be a significant challenge in the world today despite the existence of these technologies. Most companies do not know how to implement the supply chain technologies to boost their supply chain systems and eliminate most of the challenges encountered in the processes of managing supply chains. The current study contributes to knowledge by informing on how technologies can be implemented to foster efficiency in supply chain activities. It also reports on some of the challenges that could be experienced from implementing the IT systems in supply chains and various ways of mitigating them.

Research Methodology

Primarily, the methods that will be employed to obtain information in this study entails the review of primary and secondary sources on the supply chain technologies in the food industry and how they streamline the processes. More so, the research will conduct interviews with managers of different supermarkets in China. Researchers will approach various supermarkets’ administrators, inform them of the study, and ask for the consent. The managers will later be issued with informed consent that affirms their wilful acceptance to participate in the research. Interviews will be conducted afterward with the questions focusing on the technologies employed in the food supply chains and their efficacy and challenges as well. The data collected will be categorized based on the responses acquired and analyzed by comparing it to the data obtained from primary and secondary sources. Lastly, the results obtained would help in the generation of the conclusion.

Conclusion

The research proposal aims at identifying the various supply chain technologies in the food industry. The recognized technologies in the literature review section are big data, blockchain, and IT technologies that streamline supply chain activities by allowing traceability and active monitoring of products throughout the supply chain. Importantly, the food industry deals with the supply of highly perishable products, which would require an efficient supply chain system. Although the technologies are expensive, the conclusion derived is that they help in streamlining supply chain activities, making them practical and reliable.

References

Bao, L., Huang, Y., Ma, Z., Zhang, J., & Lv, Q. (2012). On the supply chain management supported by e-commerce service platform for agreement based circulation of fruits and vegetables. Physics Procedia, 33, 1957–1963. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.phpro.2012.05.308

Ben-Daya, M., Hassini, E., & Bahroun, Z. (2017). Internet of things and supply chain management: A literature review. International Journal of Production Research, 57(15–16), 4719–4742. https://doi.org/10.1080/00207543.2017.1402140

Behnke, K., & Janssen, M. (2019). Boundary conditions for traceability in food supply chains using blockchain technology. International Journal of Information Management, 52, 101969. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijinfomgt.2019.05.025

Chen, S., Liu, X., Yan, J., Hu, G., & Shi, Y. (2020). Processes, benefits, and challenges for adoption of blockchain technologies in food supply chains: a thematic analysis. Information Systems and e-Business Management. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10257-020-00467-3

Kersten, W., Blecker, T., & Ringle, C., M., (2017). Digitalization in supply chain management and logistics: Smart and digital solutions for an industry 4.0 environment. Proceedings of the Hamburg International Conference of Logistics (HICL), no. 23, http://dx.doi.org/10.15480/882.1442

Lao, G., & Xing, L. (2007). Supply chain system integration in retailing: A case study of LianHua. IFIP — The International Federation for Information Processing, 519–528. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-0-387-75902-9_57

Li, X. (2014). Operations management of logistics and supply chain: Issues and directions. Discrete Dynamics in Nature and Society, 2014, 1–7. https://doi.org/10.1155/2014/701938

Nakandala, D., & Lau, H. (2019). Innovative adoption of hybrid supply chain strategies in urban local fresh food supply chain. Supply Chain Management: An International Journal, 24(2), 241–255. https://doi.org/10.1108/scm-09-2017-0287

Queiroz, M. M., & Wamba, S. F. (2020). The role of digital connectivity in supply chain and logistics systems: A proposed SIMPLE framework. Lecture Notes in Computer Science Responsible Design, Implementation and Use of Information and Communication Technology, 79–88. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-44999-5_7

Stranieri, S., Orsi, L., Banterle, A., & Ricci, E. C. (2018). Sustainable development and supply chain coordination: The impact of corporate social responsibility rules in the European Union food industry. Corporate Social Responsibility and Environmental Management, 26(2), 481–491. https://doi.org/10.1002/csr.1698

Tao, D., Yang, P., & Feng, H. (2020). Utilization of text mining as a big data analysis tool for food science and nutrition. Comprehensive Reviews in Food Science and Food Safety, 19(2), 875–894. https://doi.org/10.1111/1541-4337.12540

Verdouw, N. C, Wolfert, J., Beulens, M, & Rialland, A. (2016). Virtualization of food supply chains with the internet of things. Journal of Food Engineering, 176, 128-136. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jfoodeng.2015.11.009

Yu, Y., Wang, X., Zhong, R. Y., & Huang, G. Q. (2016). E-commerce logistics in supply chain management:...