Role of industry 4.0 in augmenting endurability of agri-food supply chains amidst pandemic: organisation flexibility as a moderator

Abstract

The most pressing issue in the post-pandemic situation is the long-term viability of sustainable agri-food supply chains (S-AFSC). Because of high retail costs and poor consumption habits in emerging nations, the disruption has produced worldwide anxiety. In emerging economies, in addition to rising food costs, the epidemic has prompted worries about national food security. Recent research on developing markets have indicated that endemic has a disruptive and negative impact on corporate performance. Thus, the S-AFSC of growing economies such as India must be investigated where the population and poverty rate is high, a greater population is dependent on public distribution systems, and delivering fairer pricing to farmers for their crop is the key priority. With structural equation modelling, this study assesses the impact of digital technology on sustainable S-AFSCs. Additionally, the moderating influence of organisational flexibility (OE) is assessed. The findings shows that industry 4.0 technologies (ITe) have major impact on the viability of sustainable S-AFSC. Furthermore, the link between IE 4.0 and S-AFSC is moderated by organisational flexibility. The study will assist policymakers and stakeholders in revising their post-pandemic actions.