Enabling Smart Cold Chain Logistics Through Standardization and Digital Transformation: A Structural Model for Reducing Food Loss in Thailand’s Agri-Food Sector

Thammasak Kuaites () and Sompon Thungwha
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Thammasak Kuaites: Faculty of Business Administration, Ramkhamhaeng University, Bangkok 10240, Thailand
Sompon Thungwha: Faculty of Business Administration, Ramkhamhaeng University, Bangkok 10240, Thailand

Sustainability, 2025, vol. 17, issue 13, 1-23

Abstract: Addressing the challenges of Industry 4.0 in Thailand’s agri-food logistics (AFL), this study develops a structural logistics management model grounded in the Technology–Organization–Environment (TOE) framework, Resource-Based View (RBV), and Dynamic Capabilities (DC) theory. The model integrates four key constructs: standardization, operations management, smart technology, and wastage management targeting cold chain logistics (CCL) systems. Using a mixed-methods design, the study combines in-depth expert interviews with a quantitative survey of 300 logistics firms certified under the Q Cold Chain standard. Structural equation modeling (SEM) analysis confirms the robustness of the model (CMIN/DF = 1.151; GFI = 0.928; RMSEA = 0.022), supporting all five hypotheses. The findings show that standardization significantly enhances both operational performance and the adoption of digital technology, while waste reduction acts as a key mediator linking organizational processes to technological transformation. By highlighting institutional certification as a policy instrument, this research addresses existing gaps in logistics innovation literature. The results inform both theory and practice, supporting Thailand’s strategic transition toward sustainable, digitally enabled agri-logistics ecosystems.

Keywords: smart logistics cold chain; food loss reduction; agri-food supply chain; standardization; digital transformation; structural equation modeling (SEM); Thailand (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2025
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