Impact of Technological Advancements on Food Supply Chains

Abstract

In the backdrop of challenging business environments and sustainability imperatives, the beef supply chain contends with multifaceted obstacles. This research explores the potential of RPA to address sustainability concerns in this sector. With a focus on identifying risks to RPA adoption and its implications for sustainability, the study utilises secondary data to develop a process model, simulate ‘what-if’ scenarios and analyse the results. This research is focused on the geographical scope of the United Kingdom, encompassing regions such as England and Wales, Scotland, and Northern Ireland. Through a comprehensive examination, the study aims to provide actionable insights for beef manufacturers. The beef industry operates within highly competitive markets, necessitating innovative approaches to enhance sustainability and maintain a competitive edge. RPA emerges as a strategic tool to mitigate risks and streamline operations in this context. By automating repetitive and strenuous tasks, RPA holds the promise of improving beef quality, safety, and shelf-life while optimising costs and energy consumption. However, despite its potential benefits, the adoption of RPA faces significant challenges and risks within beef supply chains. These risks often stem from organisational inertia, inadequate awareness, or lack of knowledge about the technology. Addressing these risks requires a nuanced understanding of the factors influencing adoption process. To bridge this gap, this research employs a simulation-based approach to explore various scenarios related to RPA adoption. Through scenario analysis, the study provides an opportunity to identify risks and bottlenecks associated with beef supply chains. The analysis of the simulation results also offered strategies to respond and/or avoid potential risks and mitigate pertinent challenges for robust RPA adoption. By simulating different scenarios using various significant parameters such as beef quality, safety, shelf-life, and financial aspects, the research provides valuable insights into the adoption process. The findings underscore the importance of adopting RPA to achieve sustainability goals while enhancing operational efficiency and reducing production costs. Moreover, the proposed business process model offers a simple, yet structured framework for decision-making, aiding beef manufacturers in navigating the complexities of RPA adoption. By facilitating informed decision-making, the generic process model contributes to the long-term viability, competitiveness, and efficiency of beef supply chains. Furthermore, this study also advances academic research by emphasising the socio-economic benefits of RPA implementation in the beef sector. By optimising productivity and reducing operational costs, RPA enables beef 2 supply chains to create sustainable value, and resilience in beef production. The successful adoption of RPA improves beef supply chain performance, efficiency, and sustainability by allowing decision-makers to be more strategic and systematic.

Date of Award	30 Sept 2024
Original language	English
Awarding Institution	University of Northampton
Supervisor	Dilshad Sarwar (Director of Studies), Amin Hosseinian Far (Supervisor) & Rasoul Khandan (Supervisor)