Revealing the Barriers of Blockchain Technology for Supply Chain Transparency and Sustainability in the Construction Industry: An Application of Pythagorean FAHP Methods

Atul Kumar Singh, V. R. Prasath Kumar, Muhammad Irfan (), Saeed Reza Mohandes and Usama Awan
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Atul Kumar Singh: Department of Civil Engineering, Faculty of Engineering and Technology, SRM Institute of Science and Technology, Kattankulathur 603203, Tamil Nadu, India
V. R. Prasath Kumar: Department of Civil Engineering, Faculty of Engineering and Technology, SRM Institute of Science and Technology, Kattankulathur 603203, Tamil Nadu, India
Saeed Reza Mohandes: Engineering Management Department, The University of Manchester, Sackville Street, Manchester M13 9PL, UK
Usama Awan: Center for Research on Digitalization and Sustainability, Inland Norway Business School, Inland Norway University of Applied Sciences, Strandvegen 3, 2212 Kongsvinger, Norway

Sustainability, 2023, vol. 15, issue 13, 1-27

Abstract: Blockchain technology has emerged as a promising solution to enhance supply chain transparency and sustainability in the construction industry. However, the widespread adoption of blockchain faces several barriers that need to be identified and understood. The construction industry faces significant challenges regarding supply chain transparency and sustainability. Current practices lack visibility, leading to difficulties in tracing material origins, tracking movement, and ensuring compliance. To fill this gap, this study employed a three-phase approach. In the first phase, a comprehensive literature review identified 37 potential barriers. Subsequently, expert discussions were held to refine the list, ultimately selecting 15 barriers of utmost importance. In the second phase, data were collected from 17 experts representing academia and industry. Finally, in the last phase, the collected data were analyzed using the Pythagorean fuzzy analytical hierarchical process (AHP) methodology. The findings revealed that the “transparency range” category was the most critical barrier, closely followed by “inadequate access to institutional finance”. Surprisingly, the study identified the “security environment” as the most significant barrier. These results offer construction companies, policymakers, and other industry stakeholders a comprehensive understanding of blockchain adoption’s challenges. With this knowledge, stakeholders can design effective strategies and policies to address these barriers. Moreover, the research highlights the importance of considering uncertainty in decision making when assessing technology adoption, making the findings applicable beyond the construction industry.

Keywords: blockchain; construction supply chain; multi-criteria decision making; transparency; Pythagorean fuzzy; AHP (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2023
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (2)

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