Studying key antecedents of disruptive technology adoption in the digital supply chain: an Indian perspective

Abstract

Purpose The study examines the key drivers of the adoption of disruptive technologies (DTs) in the digital supply chain (DSC) in developing nations. Design/methodology/approach The data were collected using well-established measures grounded in the diffusion of innovation (DOI) theory. The hypotheses were tested using the structural equation modeling (SEM) approach using SmartPLS. The authors control for the demographics and apply the required statistical diagnostics for robust findings. Findings The compatibility and IT expertise were the two key factors in adopting the DTs in DSC in developing nations. The organizations with higher compatibility and internal IT expertise and competence witness a higher level of adoption of DT. The perceived cost and complexity were not found statistically significant. This may be probably because developing nations such as India do not perceive the technology adoption complex. Research limitations/implications The research enhances DTs adoption, assuming it is organizational innovation. This study makes a theoretical contribution to the DOI literature. Practical implications The practicing managers should pay attention to addressing the existing technology compatibility issues and spend efforts on training employees to increase the IT expertise to improve the adoption of DT. Social implications The greater adoption of the DTs in DSCs can reduce wastages in supply chains by a faster sense and response and greater technological flexibility with transparency and information sharing. Originality/value The key antecedent to the acceptance of the DTs in developing nations is compatibility than complexity and IT expertise than the cost. The study's originality lies in the fact that most studies on technology adoption study a single technology, but this study captures a holistic view on a group of technologies under industry 4.0.