The complex adoption pathways of digital technology in Australian livestock supply chains systems

This paper reviews early experiences, expectations and obstacles concerning the adoption of digital technologies in Australian livestock systems. Using three case studies of publicly-available information on Australia’s red meat industry, we identify the process of digitally enhanced value creation...

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Main Authors: Jackson, Elizabeth, Cook, Simon
Format: Journal Article
Published: Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organization Publishing 2022
Subjects:
Online Access:http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11937/88840
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author Jackson, Elizabeth
Cook, Simon
author_facet Jackson, Elizabeth
Cook, Simon
author_sort Jackson, Elizabeth
building Curtin Institutional Repository
collection Online Access
description This paper reviews early experiences, expectations and obstacles concerning the adoption of digital technologies in Australian livestock systems. Using three case studies of publicly-available information on Australia’s red meat industry, we identify the process of digitally enhanced value creation according to four themes: (1) supply chain operability; (2) product quality; (3) animal welfare; and (4) innovation and learning. We find reasons for both optimism and pessimism concerning the adoption of digital agriculture. While digital technology is being offered by various stakeholders to support collaboration within supply chains, it is also being met with scepticism amongst some producers who are not actively engaging with a digital transformation. We identify that the ‘technology fallacy’, which proposes that organisations, people, learning and processes are as important to digital transformation as the technology itself; but while digital technologies enable change, it is the people who determine how quickly it can occur. We argue that – since quality appears to be the major basis on which Australian red meat producers will compete in global markets – the broad adoption of digital technology will prove increasingly essential to future growth and sustainability of this supply chain.
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spelling curtin-20.500.11937-888402022-07-20T06:12:32Z The complex adoption pathways of digital technology in Australian livestock supply chains systems Jackson, Elizabeth Cook, Simon 1503 - Business and Management 0701 - Agriculture, Land and Farm Management No 3002 - Agriculture, land and farm management 3509 - Transportation, logistics and supply chains This paper reviews early experiences, expectations and obstacles concerning the adoption of digital technologies in Australian livestock systems. Using three case studies of publicly-available information on Australia’s red meat industry, we identify the process of digitally enhanced value creation according to four themes: (1) supply chain operability; (2) product quality; (3) animal welfare; and (4) innovation and learning. We find reasons for both optimism and pessimism concerning the adoption of digital agriculture. While digital technology is being offered by various stakeholders to support collaboration within supply chains, it is also being met with scepticism amongst some producers who are not actively engaging with a digital transformation. We identify that the ‘technology fallacy’, which proposes that organisations, people, learning and processes are as important to digital transformation as the technology itself; but while digital technologies enable change, it is the people who determine how quickly it can occur. We argue that – since quality appears to be the major basis on which Australian red meat producers will compete in global markets – the broad adoption of digital technology will prove increasingly essential to future growth and sustainability of this supply chain. 2022 Journal Article http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11937/88840 10.1071/CP21593 http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/ Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organization Publishing fulltext
spellingShingle 1503 - Business and Management
0701 - Agriculture, Land and Farm Management
No
3002 - Agriculture, land and farm management
3509 - Transportation, logistics and supply chains
Jackson, Elizabeth
Cook, Simon
The complex adoption pathways of digital technology in Australian livestock supply chains systems
title The complex adoption pathways of digital technology in Australian livestock supply chains systems
title_full The complex adoption pathways of digital technology in Australian livestock supply chains systems
title_fullStr The complex adoption pathways of digital technology in Australian livestock supply chains systems
title_full_unstemmed The complex adoption pathways of digital technology in Australian livestock supply chains systems
title_short The complex adoption pathways of digital technology in Australian livestock supply chains systems
title_sort complex adoption pathways of digital technology in australian livestock supply chains systems
topic 1503 - Business and Management
0701 - Agriculture, Land and Farm Management
No
3002 - Agriculture, land and farm management
3509 - Transportation, logistics and supply chains
url http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11937/88840