How blockchain technology generates a trust-based competitive advantage in the wine industry: a resource based view perspective
ISSN: 0955-534X
Article publication date: 25 April 2023
Issue publication date: 21 August 2023
Abstract
Purpose
This study aims to explore whether the blockchain technology (BCT), as a unique and distinctive resource, affects the development of unique capabilities and the integration and reconfiguration of internal physical and human resources necessary to gain a trusted competitive advantage.
Design/methodology/approach
A case study approach has been used to identify the internal resources and capabilities that affect the decision to implement BCT and to determine whether this new technology can become a strategic internal resource in the wine industry.
Findings
Results show the role of two strategic resources: human resources, such as IT specialists and software developers for BCT applications, and skills of companies’ management to grant sensitive and confidential data to IT specialists and the ability to read the analytics from the BCT application, becoming a distinctive enabling assets.
Research limitations/implications
The main limitation of this study is related to the analysis of a single case, which, on the one hand, does not allow generalisation of the empirical findings but, on the other hand, is themost appropriatemethod for the explorative nature of this research.
Practical implications
Our findings have useful practical implications for wineries and agri-food companies in overall because they can support managers and entrepreneurs in effectively implementing these innovative digital technologies in their valuecreation process.
Originality/value
The study of this underexplored topic gives interesting insights into the resources needed for the successful adoption of this emerging technology, which can support wineries in improving the value-creating process. In particular, compared to the previous studies, this research analyses the adoption process under the resource-based theory lens.
Keywords
Acknowledgements
Funding: This research was funded under the WE-BEST project, Cod. 2020LMWF9Y_003, funded by the Italian Ministry of University and Research, Project of Relevant National Interest (PRIN). The funders had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish or preparation of the manuscript.
The authors report there are no competing interests to declare.
Citation
Silvestri, R., Adamashvili, N., Fiore, M. and Galati, A. (2023), "How blockchain technology generates a trust-based competitive advantage in the wine industry: a resource based view perspective", European Business Review, Vol. 35 No. 5, pp. 713-736. https://doi.org/10.1108/EBR-10-2022-0217
Publisher
:Emerald Publishing Limited
Copyright © 2023, Emerald Publishing Limited