Low Adoption Research Articles

More Interventions, Low Adoption: To What Extent Are the Existing Seed Sources to Blame? The Case of Orange Fleshed Sweet Potato in Central and Northern Malawi

Vitamin A dense Orange fleshed sweet potato (OFSP) has the potential to build resilient livelihoods against Vitamin A Deficiency (VAD), food insecurity, and climate change. However, the adoption of OFSP among smallholder farmers in Malawi remains low. Although many scholars across the globe have reviewed the seed systems of OFSP, no empirical study, in Malawi or elsewhere, has modelled how the use of the various sources of vines affect farmers’ seed security and eventual decisions to adopt biofortified OFSP varieties. The study employed a mixed methods approach and used a Triple Hurdle model to analyze the effect of the existing sources of vines on the adoption of OFSP among 721 randomly sampled households in central and northern Malawi. The study also developed a seed security experience score (SSES) in order to assess the capacity of the existing sources of vines to ensure farmers’ seed security. By defining adoption as a three-stage process, and by shifting the seed systems focus to capacity of the existing sources of vines, the study departs from the conventional approaches that most scholars have used to model adoption of OFSP. The study found that the existing sources of vines influenced all the three stages of adoption. The SSES results indicated that the capacity of the existing sources subjected the majority of the farmers to a highly seed insecurity status. Interventions therefore must be designed to address the seed security challenges associated with the existing sources in order to enhance the capacity of the sources for widespread and sustained adoption of OFSP.

Frontline perspectives on adoption and non-adoption of care management tools for high-risk patients in primary care

BackgroundPopulation health management tools (PHMTs) embedded within electronic health records (EHR) could improve management of high-risk patients and reduce costs associated with potentially avoidable emergency department visits or hospitalizations. Adoption of PHMTs across the Veterans Health Administration (VA) has been variable and previous research suggests that understaffed primary care (PC) teams might not be using the tools. MethodsWe conducted a retrospective content analysis of open-text responses (n = 1804) from the VA’s 2018 national primary care personnel survey to, 1) identify system-level and individual-level factors associated with why clinicians are not using the tools, and 2) to document clinicians’ recommendations to improve tool adoption. ResultsWe found three themes pertaining to low adoption and/or tool use: 1) IT burden and administrative tasks (e.g., manually mailing letters to patients), 2) staffing shortages (e.g., nurses covering multiple teams), and 3) no training or difficulty using the tools (e.g., not knowing how to access the tools or use the data). Frontline clinician recommendations included automating some tasks, reconfiguring team roles to shift administrative work away from providers and nurses, consolidating PHMTs into a centralized, easily accessible repository, and providing training. ConclusionsHealthcare system-level factors (staffing) and individual-level factors (lack of training) can limit adoption of PHMTs that could be useful for reducing costs and improving patient outcomes. Future research, including qualitative interviews with clinicians who use/don’t use the tools, could help develop interventions to address barriers to adoption. ImplicationsShifting more administrative tasks to clerical staff would free up clinician time for population health management but may not be possible for understaffed PC teams. Additionally, healthcare systems may be able to increase PHMT use by making them more easily accessible through the electronic health record and providing training in their use.

Technology preparedness and translator training

Abstract With increasing acknowledgment of enhanced quality now achievable by Machine Translation, new possibilities have emerged through collaboration between human and machine in the translation process, including providing varying qualities of translation in response to quality/efficiency requirements. This paper presents surveys of post-graduate students of translation conducted over four consecutive years to examine if their awareness and preparedness have kept pace with these possibilities. It is found that respondents across the years generally perceive their awareness as lacking, are hesitant in employing MT, and show marked reservations when reconsidering issues such as quality and the preeminent position of the human translator. A review of existing research in translator training points towards a lopsided emphasis on linguistic competence and standalone courses for introducing technology as the primary cause behind low adoption. The need of the hour is translator training that fully integrates technology in the translation process and also provides a clear framework to adjust quality/efficiency is important to ensure preparedness. A repeat survey of students from 2021 who were trained under this model shows an increase in willingness to use MT and to consider quality as dependent on intended use. The focus here is on Chinese-English translation, but the discussion may find resonance with other language pairs.

A global systematic literature review on sustainable soil management practices (1994–2022)

AbstractSustainable Soil Management Practices (SSMP) offer potential benefits while conserving natural resources. However, the low adoption of SSMP limits the achievement of their full potential. To examine the current state of knowledge on SSMP adoption and identify research gaps, we systematically reviewed 269 peer‐reviewed publications pooled from Scopus, Web of Science and ScienceDirect, covering the period from 1994 to 2022. We assessed the temporal and spatial transitions of SSMP adoption and identified a broad perspective of 14 themes on SSMP adoption and highlight the research trends and gaps. Prior to 2010, research on SSMP adoption was concentrated on a few themes and has become diversified in later years, covering emerging themes such as climate change and use Information and Communication Technology (ICT). Publications on SSMP adoption exhibited a global distribution, with particular emphasis on the African continent due to the flow of donors' funds driven by severe soil degradation and limited use of improved technologies in Africa. Studies on minimum soil disturbance were prevalent worldwide, with the highest number of publications. Our findings also indicate a strong research collaboration between developed and developing countries, showcasing donor‐driven collaborative efforts and mutual benefits across different regions. This review however highlights the limited inclusion of local knowledge in SSMP promotion and recommends a bottom‐up approach for future initiatives. In the discussion section, different critical factors of SSMP adoption covering farmers' perceptions, climate change, policy impact and the use of ICT are discussed. These findings and identified research gaps are useful for further research and the development of sustainable soil management policies, programmes and projects.

Antecedents of smart farming adoption to mitigate the digital divide – extended innovation diffusion model

This study fulfils the need by identifying the factors affecting the adoption of smart farming to understand the cause of low adoption despite having continuous support from the different emerging economies. The extensive study of the past literature helped us to build a framework of the factors that affect the intention to use smart farming. Data from 597 respondents was analysed with Partial least square (PLS) - structural equation modelling (SEM) technique. The findings suggests that , Relative Advantage, Compatibility, Ease of use, Attitude, Agriculture Extention Communication effectiveness, and Government support positively influence the adoption of smart farming. At the same time, as we hypothesized, perceived risk negatively influences smart farming adoption. While Visibility and Result demonstrability do not influence smart farming adoption. In the case of Attitude, Relative advantage, Compatibility, Ease of Use, and Result demonstrability have a positive influence, and Compatibility and Visibility found to have no impact on Attitude. In addition, the independent variables explain the variance of 72.9%in the adoption of smart farming.

Exploring the development scope of crop-based agribusiness farms in Bangladesh

Agribusiness is one of the most important sectors of the economy in Bangladesh, making a significant contribution to the country's gross domestic product (GDP) and employment generation. To cope with the international business environment, developing the agribusiness sector in Bangladesh is essential. This study aims to assess the current status, challenges, and future potential of crop-based agribusiness farms in the country. Cross-sectional data were collected from 60 participants using purposive sampling. Frequency distribution tables were generated, and descriptive statistics were employed for data presentation. The results of the study showed that 60% of respondents from crop-based agribusiness farms faced financial crises when starting their businesses. 40% of respondents stated that the lack of experience is the primary challenge for exporting agribusiness products to international markets. Price fluctuation was mentioned as a significant threat by 48.3% of respondents. Moreover, 83.3% of respondents stated that the existing training institutions are insufficient for entrepreneurship development in Bangladesh. Respondents also identified some other challenges, such as decreased revenues due to COVID-19, low adoption of advanced technologies, lack of high-quality products, and unfavorable government policies. Policymakers should prioritize incorporating frontier technologies, implementing favorable policies, maintaining price stability, facilitating bank loans, and establishing new training institutions to address existing drawbacks. Furthermore, researchers identified future research areas that offer opportunities to advance theoretical boundaries and gain further insights into the study of agribusiness sectors.

Impact of farmer field school on extent of adoption of improved practices by groundnut farmers

The present study was conducted in Chittoor district of Andhra Pradesh to know the impact of Farmer FieldSchool(FFS) on extent of adoption ofimproved practices by groundnutfarmers. The sample consisted oftwo groups of participants and non-participants(120 each group) making a totalsample size of 240 farmers. The study followed expost-facto research method. The resultsrevealed that half of the participant farmers were in the medium adoption category followed by high and low adoption categories whereas, lessthan half (45.83%) of non-participant farmers were in the medium adoption category followed by low and high adoption categories, respectively. Majority of the participant farmers had adopted the improved practices taught in FFS when compared to non-participant farmers. The 't' value (11.27) also indicated that therewassignificantmean difference between participant and non-participant farmers of FFS about adoption of improved practices of groundnut. It is concluded from the study that the season long FFS programme had positive impact on adoption ofimproved practicesin groundnut by the participantfarmers.

Analysis of Factors Influencing Intention to Adopt Battery Electric Vehicle in Indonesia

The emergence of environmental pollution problems in recent years has compelled the transportation sector to embrace environmentally friendly electric vehicles. Indonesia, being a significant market for both two-wheeled and four-wheeled vehicles, nevertheless experiences relatively low adoption of electric vehicles (EVs). This study aims to analyze the influence of attitudes, subjective norms, perceptions of behavioral control, moral norms, environmental awareness, financial incentive policies, and risk perceptions on the intention to adopt battery electric vehicles (BEVs). This research falls under the category of basic research, specifically quantitative in nature, involving the analysis of numerical data using statistical methods. Data for the study were collected through an online questionnaire using a non-probability purposive sampling design. The collected data were processed using SPSS 25 software and subjected to a Partial Least Square Test. The data analysis for this study utilized SmartPLS software version 3.2.7. Results based on a sample of 224 respondents suggest that attitudes and subjective norms do not significantly influence BEV adoption intentions. However, while perceived behavioral controls, moral norms, environmental concerns, and financial incentives have a positive and significant impact on willingness to adopt battery electric vehicles (BEVs), the perceived risks , has a negative and significant impact on BEV adoption intentions.

Analysis of strategic programs in planning and developing cocoa agribusiness in Bantaeng Regency

The fluctuation of production levels, low innovation adoption rates, and low cocoa prices at the farm level are important problems in cocoa agribusiness that cannot be allowed to prolong, especially in production centers such as Bantaeng Regency, South Sulawesi Province. The purpose of this research is to provides strategic program recommendations as a reference for policymakers in designing cocoa agribusiness planning and development. This research used Interpretative Structural Modeling (ISM) analysis to be able to formulate a complex policy structure based on elements and formulate a hierarchy of relationships between elements. The results show that there are five key programs in planning and developing cocoa agribusiness in Bantaeng Regency, namely effectiveness of extension in the field, capacity building of extension workers, the establishment of farming partnerships with companies, the establishment of specialized cocoa development team, and guarantee of price stability. These key programs need to be assisted by supporting programs such as institutional development programs, effective coordination between institutions, effective technology transfer to farmers, provision of organic technology, providing rewards for farmers, providing access to capital, strengthening digital marketing, and improving cocoa quality through fermentation. Based on the interpretation of this research, stakeholders need to have an understanding of the priorities and synergy between programs to ensure the development of cocoa agribusiness that is right on target and in accordance with the needs and conditions currently faced.

A Missed Opportunity? Making Sense of the Low Adoption Rate of COVID Alert, Canada’s Contact-Tracing Application

Background: This study reflects on the low adoption rate of COVID Alert, the Canadian contact-tracing application, during the COVID-19 pandemic. Analysis: Using data from two representative surveys conducted in Canada in 2020, this article examines how the application’s attributes and citizens’ attitudes on the sanitary crisis and on technology may have influenced the low adoption rate of COVID Alert. Conclusions and implications: The results suggest that the application design was socially acceptable, that it was seen as useful, and that it was not perceived as risky or hard to use. Contrasting this evidence with the unpopularity of COVID Alert leads to the suggestion that the barrier to greater uptake may have partly come from the inability of its developers to effectively promote the application.

Analisis Peluang dan Tantangan Penggunaan Financial Technology Sebagai Upaya optimalisasi Potensi UMKM (Studi Kasus UMKM di Nusa Tenggara Barat)

This research aims to analyze and interpret the challenges and opportunities faced by financial technology (fintech) in the development of Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs). The study seeks to provide an overview of the research subject, which is the MSME actors. The approach used in this research is descriptive qualitative, where data analysis is based on written information and involves opinions from the informants. Based on the interviews with MSME actors, it can be concluded that they have a good understanding of fintech as a financial service that utilizes technology and is considered beneficial for the development of MSME businesses, although not all MSME owners utilize it. The research also indicates that MSMEs need to consider barriers in adopting fintech that can affect the success of its implementation. Several factors identified as causes of low fintech adoption rates in the West Nusa Tenggara region include time constraints, lack of information and skills, security concerns, legal issues, market demand, transaction volume, and skepticism towards the technology to be used. West Nusa Tenggara was chosen as the research location due to its significant potential for MSME development, with approximately 580,168 MSMEs in the region. Furthermore, there are opportunities for MSMEs to expand their businesses through fintech, with the convenience and attractiveness offered by fintech as well as opportunities to reduce fraudulent activities. MSME actors are also aware that fintech has the potential for the future of MSMEs. Therefore, support from various parties such as the Cooperative and MSME Agency and educational institutions is needed to enhance awareness and financial literacy in optimizing the utilization of fintech.

Sustainable Development for Mobile Health Apps Using the Human-Centered Design Process.

Well-documented scientific evidence indicates that mobile health (mHealth) apps can improve the quality of life, relieve symptoms, and restore health for patients. In addition to improving patients' health outcomes, mHealth apps reduce health care use and the cost burdens associated with disease management. Currently, patients and health care providers have a wide variety of choices among commercially available mHealth apps. However, due to the high resource costs and low user adoption of mHealth apps, the cost-benefit relationship remains controversial. When compared to traditional expert-driven approaches, applying human-centered design (HCD) may result in more useable, acceptable, and effective mHealth apps. In this paper, we summarize current HCD practices in mHealth development studies and make recommendations to improve the sustainability of mHealth. These recommendations include consideration of factors regarding culture norms, iterative evaluations on HCD practice, use of novelty in mHealth app, and consideration of privacy and reliability across the entire HCD process. Additionally, we suggest a sociotechnical lens toward HCD practices to promote the sustainability of mHealth apps. Future research should consider standardizing the HCD practice to help mHealth researchers and developers avoid barriers associated with inadequate HCD practices.

An omni-channel, outcomes-focused approach to scale digital health interventions in resource-limited populations: a case study.

Populations in resource-limited communities have low health awareness, low financial literacy levels, and inadequate access to primary healthcare, leading to low adoption of preventive health behaviours, low healthcare-seeking behaviours, and poor health outcomes. Healthcare providers have limited reach and insights, limiting their ability to design relevant products for resource limited settings. Our primary preventive health intervention, called the Saathealth family health interventions, is a scaled digital offering that aims to improve knowledge levels on various health topics, nudge positive behaviour changes, and drive improved health outcomes. This case study presents our learnings and best practices in scaling these digital health interventions in resource-limited settings and maximising their impact. We scaled the Saathealth interventions to cumulatively reach >10 million users across India using a multi-pronged approach: (1) ensuring localization and cultural relevance of the health content delivered through user research; (2) disseminating content using omni-channel approaches, which involved using diverse content types and multiple digital platforms; (3) using iterative product features such as gamification and artificial intelligence-based (AI-based) predictive models; (4) using real-time analytics to adapt the user's digital experience by using interactive content to drive them towards products and services and (5) experiments with sustainability models to yield some early successes. The Saathealth family health mobile app had >25,000 downloads and the intervention reached >873,000 users in India every month through the mobile app, Facebook, and Instagram combined, from the time period of February 2022 to January 2023. We repeatedly observed videos and quizzes to be the most popular content types across all digital channels being used. Our AI-based predictive models helped improve user retention and content consumption, contributing to the sustainability of the mobile apps. In addition to reaching a high number of users across India, our scaling strategies contributed to deepened engagement and improved health-seeking behaviour. We hope these strategies help guide the sustainable and impactful scaling of mobile health interventions in other resource-limited settings.

How Does Capital Endowment Impact Farmers’ Green Production Behavior? Perspectives on Ecological Cognition and Environmental Regulation

Enhancing rural ecological protection and promoting the adoption of environmentally-friendly agricultural production practices largely depend on the implementation of green production methods by farmers. This research paper focuses on the green production behavior of farmers in Hainan Province, China, drawing insights from survey responses provided by 543 farmers. The study examines how farmers’ capital endowment, ecological cognition, and environmental regulation impact their multiple green production practices, using the ordered probit model, mediation effect model, and moderation effect model for analysis and further applying the Ivoprobit_CMP, PSM, and other methods for endogeneity treatment and a robustness test. The study reveals several key findings. Firstly, only a small proportion of farmers consistently adopt green production practices throughout various stages of agricultural production. Secondly, the research shows that capital endowment, including natural, economic, human, and social capital, has a significant influence on farmers’ green production behavior. Thirdly, the study finds that ecological cognition plays a crucial role in mediating the relationship between capital endowment and its dimensions (human and social capital) and the adoption of green production practices. Additionally, the research discovers that environmental regulation positively moderates the relationship between ecological cognition and farmers’ green production behavior. Finally, the research indicates that factors such as ethnicity, fluctuations in agricultural production, and the location of the village agricultural waste collection site are all significant determinants of farmers’ engagement in green production practices. The study also identifies significant regional disparities in farmers’ adoption of green production practices. To address the issue of farmers’ low adoption of green production practices, the paper recommends promoting the overall green transformation of the entire agricultural production process. This can be achieved by enhancing farmers’ capital endowment in multiple dimensions and improving their ecological cognition through various channels. Additionally, creating a supportive external environment that aligns with green production practices is deemed critical.

Farmer knowledge, management practices and occurrence of tomato root knot nematodes in Kenya

Root-knot nematodes (RKNs) (Meloidogyne spp.) is a major constraint to tomato (Solanum lycopersicum L.) production in sub-Saharan Africa; yet there is low adoption of recommended nematode control measures in regions like east Africa due to inadequate farmer knowledge about the pest and associated diseases. The objective of this study was to assess farmers’ knowledge status, and intensity of damage of root-knot nematodes and their management practices in Kenya. A survey was conducted in Kenya, during February to August 2021; using a semi-structured questionnaire administered to 282 randomly selected household heads of actively growing tomato farmers, at two elevations in three counties. Most farmers (98.9%) could not identify the disease precisely. They mostly attributed its symptoms to moisture stress and nutrient deûciencies. Most farmers (63%) practiced mono-cropping; while only 4.3% of farmers amended soils with manure. Respondents preferred growing RKN susceptible tomato varieties, mainly Rio-Grande, Cal J, Onyx and Kilele FI. A total of 92% expressed willingness to shift to RKNs resistant varieties, if recommended varieties match their desirable characteristics. Majority of the respondents lacked knowledge on nematode characteristics and its associated disease control. A total of 37.9% of the respondents did not use control measures against the RKNs. There was high disease incidence, severity and galling index in the surveyed areas.

Adoption of Biosecurity Practices in Smallholder Dairy Farms in Ethiopia

Dairy production is an important livelihood source for smallholder dairy farmers who produce the majority of milk consumed and traded in Ethiopia. Dairy production is, however, constrained by livestock diseases that impact farm productivity, food safety, and animal welfare. Biosecurity measures (BSM) include all risk reduction strategies designed to avoid the introduction of pathogenic infections from outside and minimise the spread of diseases within dairy herds. This study used a cross-sectional survey to investigate the adoption of BSM in dairy farms in Addis Ababa and Oromia regions of Ethiopia. Using a questionnaire, scores for adopted external and internal BSM were calculated based on the Ghent’s University Biocheck tool to compare the performance of different farms in Ethiopia. The weighted external biosecurity score was 49.1%, which was below average (below 50% adoption), while the weighted internal biosecurity score was 55.5%. Low adoption of crucial BSM increases the risk of disease introduction into dairy farms and transmission within herds. Adoption of BSM at the farm level was driven by individual, demographic, and socio-economic drivers, including education, farming system, milk value chain, and farming experience among others. Results of this research reveal low adoption of BSM and the imperative to encourage farmers to implement BSM can lead to a reduction in disease pressures and, thus, a reduction in antibiotic use and increased dairy farms productivity, and improved animal health and welfare. Farmers can be encouraged through proactive engagement with veterinarians and extension professionals. Moreover, creating a favourable policy environment can support farmers to adopt and implement BSM, given the known fact that “prevention is better and cheaper than curing diseases.”

Citizensourcing policy advisory systems in a turbulent era

Abstract Extending previous works on major changes in policy advisory systems (PASs), such as externalization (locus) and politicization (government control), this study examines whether and how democratization (citizensourcing) of PASs works based on the case of the Kwanghwamun Citizensourcing Policy Platform, which operated for 4 years under the Moon Jae-in administration in South Korea. Analyzing more than 11,000 policy suggestions proposed by ordinary citizens on the digital policy platform, this study investigates how citizensourced policy ideas are discussed, incubated, and finally adopted through interactions among ordinary citizens, policy experts, and government agencies. Based on the belief that the operation of PASs becomes increasingly complicated and often dysfunctional as societies face more “wicked”, cross-cutting, and volatile policy problems than ever, this study argues that citizensourcing policymaking is critical to ensuring policy legitimacy and receptivity. This study suggests that both the quality and features of citizensourced policy ideas are important for advancing policymaking processes. This study also finds that political cycle and active citizen policy entrepreneurs are also critical factors, while it shows noteworthy limits on the quality and features of citizensourced policy ideas, which, in fact, lead to a frustratingly low policy adoption rate. This study suggests that governments need to actively capitalize on the power of ordinary citizens as citizen experts, while the shortcomings and risks of citizensourcing PASs also need to be carefully addressed.

Enhancing eID card mobile-based authentication through 3D facial reconstruction

In recent years the number of credentials and digital identities needed to access online services is exploding, increasing the risk of fraud and unauthorized access to personal data.Biometric verification techniques can help to build more secure authentication systems; in particular face recognition algorithms have reached near perfect accuracy under ideal conditions. In Europe 60% of population owns an electronic identification (eID) document which contains biometric data, and almost all member states provide tools to verify the identity of a user who holds an eID card; however, the adoption of biometric authentication schemes is still limited. Reasons for this low adoption are privacy concerns, about the storage or transmission of personal images, and the degradation of performance of facial recognition algorithms with 2D images acquired "in the wild" (real world condition with inconsistency in lighting and positioning, unclear or occluded facial features, noise from the background). In this paper a new authentication scheme is proposed, exploiting images acquired "in the wild" and 3D facial reconstruction techniques which can help in improving the quality of the probed images, as changes in lighting or position have limited impact on facial shape. Several experiments have been conducted in order to investigate the performance of the proposed method, using the Bosphorus and the NIST Face Recognition Grand Challenge (FRGC) datasets. In particular, one of the most accurate ML face recognition algorithms has been selected to compare the performance of 2D snapshot data, obtained from 3D back-projection, against 2D uncontrolled images acquired "in the wild". We show that using 3D facial reconstructions significantly improve face recognition performance, allowing for a more secure and robust authentication system.

Grassland management effect on ecosystem services in the livestock system in an oxisol from the Eastern high plains of Colombia

Colombia has a livestock population of approximately 28.2 million heads, of which 20.4% is found in the eastern high plains of the Orinoquia region. The extensive beef cattle system predominates, whose diet is based on native and introduced pastures of the genus Urochloa sp. which is deficiently managed, affecting productive and reproductive indexes due to the low adoption of technology. We evaluated potential sustainable intensive systems for cattle production, which contribute to maintaining the provision of environmental services. Between 2011 and 2015 in Agrosavia’s Research Center at Carimagua (4° 37'N and 71° 19' W) environmental and animal production variables were monitored in the following systems: a) degraded pastures recovered with tillage and fertilization, b) annual crop rotation with pastures, c) forest arrangements in strips, and d) forest remnants in perimeter areas. Productive and reproductive variables were determined in animals such as weight gain, calving interval, among others while the pasture/crop productive variables included yield and forage quality. Regarding soil ecosystem services (ES) the macrofauna biodiversity, biogeochemical cycles, soil physical and chemical variables were considered. Estimation of indicators was carried out through principal components analysis for soil physical, chemical and macrofauna variables to extract the two main components that explain the variance. For climate regulation of ES, measurement of soil organic carbon (SOC) storage at a depth of 20 cm and the annual accumulated greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions were included. The systems that involved lime amendments and fertilizers increased the value in the year of application. Values in the water regulation indicator did not show significant differences among the options implemented during the years. Edaphic macrofauna biodiversity indicator value was sensitive to changes in management practices, with termites being the group with highest abundance. The indicator related to SOC was higher in the forest area compared to the pasture-crop system. Systems under the agroforestry schemes which integrated various practices such as managed and recovered pastures, crop-pasture rotation, patched areas and tree strips contributed to maintain or improve the ES, although each one of the strategies proposed provided improvement in at leas one ES.

B2B digital platform adoption by SMEs and large firms: Pathways and pitfalls

The ongoing paradigm shift towards two-sided and multi-sided platforms is reshaping business transactions and collaborations worldwide. Such digital platforms have found widespread acceptance in business-to-business markets, serving as catalysts for strategic networking, transparency, and traceability, especially in sourcing activities that demand strategic solutions for supplier selection and collaboration. Nonetheless, the variables influencing platform adoption in small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) and large firms remain somewhat opaque. In this study, the social network theory (SNT), diffusion of innovation (DOI) theory, and technology–organisation–environment (TOE) framework were used as analytical lenses. Drawing from a sample of 318 responses from supply chain managers, this study employs a fuzzy-set qualitative comparative analysis (fsQCA) to identify 15 configurations related to the adoption of two-sided platforms in both SMEs and large manufacturing firms. The results underscore that SMEs' drive for platform adoption is primarily anchored in their need for flexible, fluid networks, thus reinforcing the value of two-sided platforms in cultivating robust supplier relationships. In contrast, large firms are driven by potential advantages in efficiency and transactional security. However, the low adoption intention in both SMEs and large firms can be attributed to perceived barriers and a lack of perceived benefits, respectively.