*2.2.4 Blockchain*

Blockchain technology expresses multifaceted applicability in different sectors, therefore it can unfold very broad and deep innovation potential [43]. The execution of transactions in near real-time makes the BC a technology for the execution of contracts without intermediaries and for archiving data, with unprecedented levels of security and efficiency, in multiple areas of economic activity [87]. The applications of the BCT are the subject of studies in the literature on three macro-areas [87]:


This approach is expanded upon by Casino et al. [87], who provide a more detailed list of applications of blockchain focusing on specific areas of economic activity such as health, education, governance, data management, and specific business processes and operations such as supply chain management. Research on BCT is

### *Digital Innovation and Sustainable Development: Two Sides of the Same Coin DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.5772/intechopen.112294*

in a developmental phase and spans three broad themes: organizational issues, the competitive environment and the effect it will have on firms and industries, and technology design [92]. If we observe the application of BCT in general terms within the company's value creation process, it is possible to place this technology in the context of supply chain management, production, financial, marketing processes, etc. According to Sheel and Nath [93], BCT can also support supply chain management in reducing production lead times and improving the frequency of new product development, allowing the business to better integrate procurement, transport, and the pre- and post-sales service process.

The BCT can intervene in particular on various critical aspects emerging in the agro-food supply chain, especially regarding the responsibility, origins, and processing of agri-food products, access to the market for small producers, and international standards of work [94]. Naturally, the main reference lies in the concept of traceability of food along the entire value chain, from primary production to the arrangement on the shelves of the points of sale; the BCT intervenes to support the quality certification process as it provides certification bodies with greater accessibility to the necessary information. By leveraging these elements that guarantee transparency, the agri-food company can build or nurture relational trust with its market.

Accessibility to correct and truthful information allows the actors of the agri-food value chain, production, processing, distribution companies, and consumers, to evaluate the alternatives and to effectively decide on the acquisition and management of the resources. - arose and, at the same time, increased the level of food security [95, 96]. The adoption of BCT may also have a social impact thanks to the creation of new business models, the reorganization of existing models, the introduction of new systems, and new skills. In fact, the adoption of the BCT presupposes the involvement of the various players in the supply chain who will operate according to a virtuous cycle by engaging in peer-to-peer operations, reducing corruption and increasing responsibility, and creating value for businesses and local communities.

The BCT can also positively influence the reduction of the environmental impact, as, through better traceability and transparency of the entire production process to guarantee the consumer, it can induce producers to limit or avoid the widespread use of pesticides and fertilizers. The transparency of the BCT and therefore, its ability to trace especially agri-food products along the entire supply chain offers the opportunity to identify all and only the contaminated products in time, consequently recalling from the market not the entire production but only the batches of potentially dangerous goods. In this way, it is possible to reduce food waste, transport costs to the market, and vice versa, and, ultimately, reduce the use of natural resources and the related harmful environmental effects. Finally, a BCT-based system helps both employers and employees to be legally protected and avoid various risks related to contractual arrangements [97]. Ultimately, the BCT reaps several advantages but some limitations persist regarding regulations, relationships between actors, data ownership, scalability, etc. [98].
