Predicting the Blockchain Technology Acceptance in Supply Chains with Inter-Firm Perspective: An Integrated DEMATEL and PLS-SEM Approach

IF 2 4区 管理学 Q3 BUSINESS
Haldun Çolak, C. H. Kağnıcıoğlu
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Therefore, more information is needed about how inter-firm relations and their aspects affect organizational blockchain technology acceptance. Consequently, this study aims to identify the inter-firm characteristics and their influence on the acceptance of blockchain technologies in supply chains using network theory. Methodology The research methodology design consists of two elements. First, based on the expert judgments, the relationships between the indicated parameters regarding blockchain acceptance intention are analyzed using the DEMATEL technique, based on expert opinion. In the second part, with the data obtained from 361 supply chain managers, the validity of the linked assumptions in the proposed model is confirmed by applying PLS-SEM. Findings The present study enhances our knowledge of inter-firm technology acceptance behavior by incorporating trading partner trust, initial firm power, the dependency between partners, knowledge sharing, and cooperation. According to the findings of DEMATEL, there is a strong association between inter-firm technology acceptance characteristics in explaining behavioral intention. Whereas other variables mainly influence dependency, trust has the most significant impact on those variables with cooperation. On the other hand, PLS-SEM analysis delivers remarkable results that describe the complicated structure of blockchain acceptance from an inter-firm perspective. Cooperation is the most influential variable affecting behavioral intention (0.614), followed by dependency (0.156) and knowledge sharing (0.153). Even though the direct effects of inter-firm trust and the initial firm’s power on behavioral intention were found insignificant, dependency fully mediates the effects of these variables on behavioral intention. Similarly, the relationship between trading partner trust and behavioral intention is fully mediated by knowledge sharing, while it also partially mediates the influence of cooperation. Examining the direct impacts reveals that cooperation is the most influential variable on behavioral intention, which is consistent with the DEMATEL conclusion. Research Implications The current study demonstrates that the network theory is appropriate for explaining the acceptance of blockchain technology from an inter-firm perspective within the context of supply chain interactions. Since the theory can delve into the underlying characteristics of these relationships, it helps justify the target behavior. On the other hand, the DEMATEL approach validates the relationships between variables in the theoretical model. Then these associations are verified using PLS-SEM considering the primary data obtained from supply chain managers. The primary purpose of the DEMATEL method was to elucidate the relationships between variables and provide empirical support for the structure of the theoretical model. The networks of linkages that developed from the DEMATEL approach based on expert opinions corroborate the relationships in the theoretical model based on the literature, suggesting a significant connection between the two methodologies. Such methodological designs are essential for boosting the results’ trustworthiness and applicability. Practical Implications Cooperation is the most significant explanatory variable regarding blockchain technology acceptance. Following the nature of the supply chain, this conclusion highlights the significance of relationships between partners in chain. In their projects for blockchain technology, managers should examine the benefits of these technologies for themselves and other stakeholders in the chain. This study demonstrates issues with the inter-firm acceptance of blockchain technologies regarding the influence of trust and power on the final acceptance behavior. Nevertheless, the growth in inter-firm dependence enhances the efficiency of these effects. Therefore, managers must understand how to utilize their resources for chain gain. While this makes it easier for them to preserve their authority and influence the conduct of their partners over the long run, the appropriate allocation of resources across dependent stakeholders will ultimately strengthen the perception of trust. Our results also prove that knowledge sharing increases the effects of cooperation and inter-firm trust on behavioral intention. This indicates that managers should convince the other partners about the benefits of target technology by sharing key and timely information. Originality This study makes numerous original contributions and provides new insights. This study contributes to general knowledge of the acceptance of blockchain technologies in the supply chain by focusing on the inter-firm technology perspective. In this vein, the results produced through the investigation of mediation relations are novel and presented to the literature. On the other hand, DEMATEL and PLS-SEM are integrated for the first time considering blockchain acceptance in supply chain studies, to our knowledge. Furthermore, this is the first study to combine network theory and inter-firm perspective to explain the acceptance of blockchain technology in supply chains.","PeriodicalId":46235,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Business-To-Business Marketing","volume":"30 1","pages":"125 - 148"},"PeriodicalIF":2.0000,"publicationDate":"2023-04-03","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":"1","resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":null,"PeriodicalName":"Journal of Business-To-Business Marketing","FirstCategoryId":"91","ListUrlMain":"https://doi.org/10.1080/1051712X.2023.2214543","RegionNum":4,"RegionCategory":"管理学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":null,"EPubDate":"","PubModel":"","JCR":"Q3","JCRName":"BUSINESS","Score":null,"Total":0}
引用次数: 1

Abstract

ABSTRACT Purpose Blockchain technology is one of the candidate technologies for resolving supply chain issues that may occur as a result of the complex and continuously changing market structures of the present day. In addressing the problems encountered in such a system, blockchain technology has emerged as a target technology due to its notable advantages, such as smart contracts and product traceability. Since a supply chain consists of suppliers, manufacturers, retailers, and industrial customers, blockchain technology can be considered inter-firm technology. However, the literature mainly focuses on technical, individual, and environmental aspects of technology acceptance depending on technology acceptance theories. Therefore, more information is needed about how inter-firm relations and their aspects affect organizational blockchain technology acceptance. Consequently, this study aims to identify the inter-firm characteristics and their influence on the acceptance of blockchain technologies in supply chains using network theory. Methodology The research methodology design consists of two elements. First, based on the expert judgments, the relationships between the indicated parameters regarding blockchain acceptance intention are analyzed using the DEMATEL technique, based on expert opinion. In the second part, with the data obtained from 361 supply chain managers, the validity of the linked assumptions in the proposed model is confirmed by applying PLS-SEM. Findings The present study enhances our knowledge of inter-firm technology acceptance behavior by incorporating trading partner trust, initial firm power, the dependency between partners, knowledge sharing, and cooperation. According to the findings of DEMATEL, there is a strong association between inter-firm technology acceptance characteristics in explaining behavioral intention. Whereas other variables mainly influence dependency, trust has the most significant impact on those variables with cooperation. On the other hand, PLS-SEM analysis delivers remarkable results that describe the complicated structure of blockchain acceptance from an inter-firm perspective. Cooperation is the most influential variable affecting behavioral intention (0.614), followed by dependency (0.156) and knowledge sharing (0.153). Even though the direct effects of inter-firm trust and the initial firm’s power on behavioral intention were found insignificant, dependency fully mediates the effects of these variables on behavioral intention. Similarly, the relationship between trading partner trust and behavioral intention is fully mediated by knowledge sharing, while it also partially mediates the influence of cooperation. Examining the direct impacts reveals that cooperation is the most influential variable on behavioral intention, which is consistent with the DEMATEL conclusion. Research Implications The current study demonstrates that the network theory is appropriate for explaining the acceptance of blockchain technology from an inter-firm perspective within the context of supply chain interactions. Since the theory can delve into the underlying characteristics of these relationships, it helps justify the target behavior. On the other hand, the DEMATEL approach validates the relationships between variables in the theoretical model. Then these associations are verified using PLS-SEM considering the primary data obtained from supply chain managers. The primary purpose of the DEMATEL method was to elucidate the relationships between variables and provide empirical support for the structure of the theoretical model. The networks of linkages that developed from the DEMATEL approach based on expert opinions corroborate the relationships in the theoretical model based on the literature, suggesting a significant connection between the two methodologies. Such methodological designs are essential for boosting the results’ trustworthiness and applicability. Practical Implications Cooperation is the most significant explanatory variable regarding blockchain technology acceptance. Following the nature of the supply chain, this conclusion highlights the significance of relationships between partners in chain. In their projects for blockchain technology, managers should examine the benefits of these technologies for themselves and other stakeholders in the chain. This study demonstrates issues with the inter-firm acceptance of blockchain technologies regarding the influence of trust and power on the final acceptance behavior. Nevertheless, the growth in inter-firm dependence enhances the efficiency of these effects. Therefore, managers must understand how to utilize their resources for chain gain. While this makes it easier for them to preserve their authority and influence the conduct of their partners over the long run, the appropriate allocation of resources across dependent stakeholders will ultimately strengthen the perception of trust. Our results also prove that knowledge sharing increases the effects of cooperation and inter-firm trust on behavioral intention. This indicates that managers should convince the other partners about the benefits of target technology by sharing key and timely information. Originality This study makes numerous original contributions and provides new insights. This study contributes to general knowledge of the acceptance of blockchain technologies in the supply chain by focusing on the inter-firm technology perspective. In this vein, the results produced through the investigation of mediation relations are novel and presented to the literature. On the other hand, DEMATEL and PLS-SEM are integrated for the first time considering blockchain acceptance in supply chain studies, to our knowledge. Furthermore, this is the first study to combine network theory and inter-firm perspective to explain the acceptance of blockchain technology in supply chains.
从企业间视角预测供应链中的区块链技术接受度:DEMATEL和PLS-SEM的综合方法
区块链技术是解决供应链问题的候选技术之一,这些问题可能是由于当今复杂和不断变化的市场结构而产生的。在解决此类系统中遇到的问题时,区块链技术由于其显着的优势(例如智能合约和产品可追溯性)而成为目标技术。由于供应链由供应商、制造商、零售商和工业客户组成,区块链技术可以被认为是企业间技术。然而,根据技术接受理论,文献主要关注技术接受的技术、个人和环境方面。因此,需要更多关于企业间关系及其方面如何影响组织区块链技术接受的信息。因此,本研究旨在利用网络理论确定企业间特征及其对供应链中区块链技术接受程度的影响。研究方法设计包括两个要素。首先,在专家判断的基础上,基于专家意见,利用DEMATEL技术分析区块链接受意向指示参数之间的关系。在第二部分中,利用从361位供应链管理者那里获得的数据,通过应用PLS-SEM来确认所提出模型中相关假设的有效性。结果本研究通过纳入贸易伙伴信任、初始企业权力、合作伙伴之间的依赖、知识共享和合作,增强了我们对企业间技术接受行为的认识。根据DEMATEL的研究结果,企业间技术接受特征在解释行为意向方面存在很强的关联性。其他变量主要影响依赖,而信任对合作变量的影响最为显著。另一方面,PLS-SEM分析提供了显著的结果,从公司间的角度描述了区块链接受的复杂结构。对行为意向影响最大的变量是合作(0.614),其次是依赖(0.156)和知识共享(0.153)。尽管企业间信任和初始企业权力对行为意愿的直接影响不显著,但依赖性完全中介了这些变量对行为意愿的影响。同样,贸易伙伴信任与行为意愿之间的关系也被知识共享完全中介,同时也部分中介合作的影响。通过对直接影响的考察发现,合作是影响行为意向的最大变量,这与DEMATEL的结论一致。本研究表明,在供应链互动的背景下,网络理论可以从企业间的角度解释区块链技术的接受程度。由于该理论可以深入研究这些关系的潜在特征,它有助于证明目标行为的合理性。另一方面,DEMATEL方法验证了理论模型中变量之间的关系。然后,考虑到从供应链管理者那里获得的原始数据,使用PLS-SEM验证了这些关联。DEMATEL方法的主要目的是阐明变量之间的关系,为理论模型的结构提供经验支持。从基于专家意见的DEMATEL方法发展而来的联系网络证实了基于文献的理论模型中的关系,表明两种方法之间存在重要联系。这样的方法设计对于提高结果的可信度和适用性至关重要。合作是区块链技术接受的最重要的解释变量。根据供应链的性质,这一结论强调了供应链中合作伙伴之间关系的重要性。在区块链技术的项目中,管理人员应该检查这些技术对他们自己和链中的其他涉众的好处。本研究从信任和权力对最终接受行为的影响两方面论证了区块链技术的企业间接受问题。然而,企业间依赖性的增长提高了这些效应的效率。因此,管理者必须了解如何利用他们的资源来获得连锁收益。虽然从长远来看,这使他们更容易维护自己的权威并影响其合作伙伴的行为,但在相互依赖的利益攸关方之间适当分配资源,最终将加强信任感。 我们的研究结果也证明了知识共享增加了合作和企业间信任对行为意愿的影响。这表明,管理人员应该通过分享关键和及时的信息,使其他合作伙伴相信目标技术的好处。这项研究做出了许多原创性的贡献,并提供了新的见解。本研究通过关注企业间技术视角,有助于了解供应链中区块链技术的接受程度。在这种情况下,通过调解关系的调查产生的结果是新颖的,并提出了文献。另一方面,据我们所知,DEMATEL和PLS-SEM首次在供应链研究中考虑到区块链的接受度。此外,本研究首次结合网络理论和企业间视角来解释区块链技术在供应链中的接受程度。
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来源期刊
CiteScore
2.20
自引率
35.70%
发文量
22
期刊介绍: The Journal of Business-to-Business Marketing® encourages diversity in approaches to business marketing theory development, research methods, and managerial problem solving. An editorial board comprised of outstanding, internationally recognized scholars and practitioners ensures that the journal maintains impeccable standards of relevance and rigorous scholarship. The Journal of Business-to-Business Marketing features: •basic and applied research that reflects current business marketing theory, methodology, and practice •articles from leading researchers covering topics of mutual interest for the business and academic communities
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