The objective of the proposed research is to identify and assess the main barriers that hinder the implementation of blockchain technology (BCT) for managing the complexity in the process of e-waste recycling and reverse supply chain (RSC) activities for sustainable value creation. The aim is to analyze the interrelationship between adoption barriers and their impact in decision-making for BCT adoption.
In this study, extensive literature review was done to collect barriers to BCT adoption, which further verified by industry experts, and a list of 16 barriers was developed. Further, Grey decision-making trial and evaluation laboratory (Grey DEMATEL) method was applied to analyze the shortlisted barriers and categorized in cause-and-effect group barriers.
The shortlisted barriers were grouped into four categories, namely technology, infrastructure, financial and regulatory barriers. From Grey DEMATEL, the study found that infrastructure limitations, high energy consumption, fear of technology failure and risk aversion and lack of blockchain-compatible tools and apps for remanufacturing are the most critical barriers to adopting BCT in e-waste management.
This study not only highlights the critical barriers but also helps in categorizing them into cause-and-effect group barriers and developing a causal model. The insights from this study will help the decision maker to prioritize critical barriers and develop strategies to mitigate those barriers in order to successfully implement BCT in e-waste management.
This study will help the policymaker to develop stable regulatory policies across different jurisdictions to support implementation of BCT. Industry practitioners should focus on developing required necessary skills and compatibility tools for successful implementation of BCT.
This study contributes to the growing body of literature on blockchain-enabled circular economy systems by developing a causal understanding of barriers affecting BCT adoption in e-waste recycling. Unlike prior studies that primarily focus on identifying or ranking adoption barriers, this research employs Grey DEMATEL to uncover the underlying causal relationships among barriers and distinguish between root causes and effect-based barriers within the e-waste RSC context. By focusing specifically on developing economies such as India, the study provides a systemic perspective on how infrastructural, technological and institutional constraints interact to shape blockchain adoption outcomes in circular economy operations.
