Browsing by Author "Sonar, Harshad"

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Harnessing Industry 4.0 in agri supply chains: a strategy for enhanced sustainability
(Journal of Agribusiness in Developing and Emerging Economies, 2025-11-24) Sonar, Harshad; Joshi, Prasad; Ghag, Nikhil; Kumar, Shashank; Giri, Nabanit
Purpose To investigate the underlying factors contributing to this challenge, this research aims to identify key barriers to Industry 4.0 (I4.0) adoption in agriculture supply chains to enhance sustainability. Additionally, this work seeks to develop a structured framework to examine their interactions to investigate the fundamental causes of this problem. Design/methodology/approach Initial identification of I4.0 adoption barriers in agricultural supply chains is done using a comprehensive literature review. The Fuzzy-Delphi method is then used for validation and finalization. Then, the Decision-Making Trial and Evaluation Laboratory approach is used to determine causal links between these barriers. Findings The results show that the biggest obstacles to I4.0 implementation in agricultural supply chains are “lack of management commitment,” “lack of prioritization of circular economy (CE) practices,” “lack of a skilled workforce” and “lack of government support.” Research limitations/implications The study is directed from the viewpoint of a developing economy because the most pressing sustainability issues are found in these nations. I4.0 technologies will be essential in supplying developing nations with wholesome, secure, and environmentally sound food. Originality/value This paper offers a framework that tackles several problems in one model. As part of the technique, a thorough literature analysis is conducted to identify the main difficulties. These are then confirmed by speaking with industry experts and visiting different stakeholders in the sector. The developed framework provides an organized approach for implementing I4.0 and circular economy principles in the agricultural supply chain while methodically removing or minimizing the effects of barriers.
Navigating challenges for supply chain transparency in the digital enterprises
(Supply Chain Management: An International Journal, 2025-09-30) Sonar, Harshad; Ghag, Nikhil; Kumar, Shashank; Jagtap, Sandeep; Kumar, Anil
Purpose – In the age of digital businesses, the rise of innovative digital transformation has made supply chain transparency (SCT) an essential research topic. While digital technologies provide possibilities for enhancing transparency in supply chains, there is limited research on how digital businesses overcome different SCT issues or provide real-time visibility and traceability. This study aims to investigate the different challenges of transparency in supply chains for digital businesses in the age of digital transformation. Design/methodology/approach – Challenges are identified through a comprehensive literature review and finalized through the fuzzyDelphi method after industry experts’ validation. Data is gathered, ranked and prioritized through the analytic hierarchy process entropy method. Findings – The study reveals that challenges related to data privacy and security, supplier resistance and lack of data standardization grouped under Cluster 1 (critical digital friction points) pose the most significant barriers to SCT in digital enterprises. These are followed by Cluster 2 (operational capability gaps) and Cluster 3 (external and strategic constraints), highlighting a clear prioritization framework for addressing SCT issues in a structured, phased manner. Research limitations/implications – By leveraging advanced digital technologies to gather, share and analyze supply chain data, digital enterprises can overcome these challenges, enhance operational effectiveness and gain stakeholders’ trust. These findings can be used by policymakers to develop guidelines that enhance transparency while maintaining data security. Practitioners can develop targeted strategies to address supplier resistance and infrastructure deficiencies. Originality/value – This study makes three distinct contributions. First, it fills a gap in the current literature by initiating a clear debate on SCT beyond generic or sustainability-focused models, illuminating its unique dimensions in digital enterprises. Second, it demonstrates the practical importance of SCT by identifying and prioritizing the key challenges that are faced by digitally transforming companies. Third, it advances theory by contrasting traditional perspectives with new insights drawn from our findings, offering both actionable guidance and novel conceptual frameworks for transparency in digitally enabled supply chains