Abstract

The emergence of digital technology as a ‘cure-all’ for sustainable practice has captured the imagination of observers and entrepreneurs alike. Among these technologies, blockchain has been cited as the ideal tool to optimize supply chain transparency. However, despite the abundance of effusively disseminated information in the media, the lack of blockchain applications that are universally accessible, and their negligible uptake raises doubts as to its utility. In particular, small to medium enterprises (SMEs) have for several reasons been slow to adopt blockchain technologies. ‘Digital hesitancy’; lack of common data standards; complex and tedious data collection and transfer; immaturity of the technology; no effective universal platform; lack of resources; and reluctance to share data with perceived competitors are common obstacles. This study explores one of these barriers to adoption, that is, the reluctance to disclose supply chain information to potential competitors. Taking a qualitative approach, the study analyses the current perception of blockchain enabled supply chain transparency through interviews with small scale fashion firms and technology start-ups. Applying a lens of technology adoption theories, the study seeks to understand how supply chain transparency might be satisfactorily managed and even accelerated through technology uptake. A misunderstanding of the software’s capabilities is evident. Many firms seem unaware that the software can be applied to provide managed access to information—arguably providing an advantage over extant transparency measures such as public self disclosure or reliance on third party certifications. This study identifies that because of lack of ‘education’, firms are ill-informed and under-utilizing technologies that are potentially more advantageous than current analogue approaches—that could circumvent the information disclosure paradox.

摘要

数字技术作为可持续实践的“万灵药”的出现吸引了观察家和企业家的想象力。在这些技术中，区块链被认为是优化供应链透明度的理想工具。然而，尽管媒体中大量传播信息，但缺乏普遍可访问的区块链应用程序以及它们的微不足道的吸收引发了对其实用性的怀疑。特别是中小型企业 (SME) 采用区块链技术的速度很慢，原因有几个。“数字犹豫”；缺乏共同的数据标准；复杂繁琐的数据收集和传输；技术不成熟；没有有效的通用平台；缺乏资源; 以及不愿与感知到的竞争对手共享数据是常见的障碍。本研究探讨了采用这些障碍之一，即不愿向潜在竞争对手披露供应链信息。该研究采用定性方法，通过对小型时装公司和技术初创企业的采访，分析了当前对区块链支持供应链透明度的看法。该研究运用技术采用理论的视角，旨在了解如何通过技术采用来令人满意地管理甚至加速供应链透明度。对软件功能的误解显而易见。许多公司似乎没有意识到该软件可用于提供对信息的管理访问——可以说比现有的透明度措施（如公开自我披露或依赖第三方认证）具有优势。