The interplay effects of digital technologies, green integration, and green innovation on food supply chain sustainable performance: An organizational information processing theory perspective

Green integration (GIT) and green innovation (GIO) in food supply chains (FSCs) have the potential to attain sustainability with the facilitation of digital technologies (DTs). Nevertheless, few studies have been conducted regarding the effectiveness of DTs and GIT in determining GIO and sustained FSC. Furthermore, an unsustainable food supply chain is a globally recognised problem that needs immediate, multidimensional holistic measures. Therefore, the present study tests the interplay effects of GIT, GIO, and DTs in FSC sustainable performance (FSCSP) under the strategic configuration for information-processing fit, i.e., organizational information processing theory (OIPT) perspective. A combined approach of structural equation modelling (SEM) and artificial neural network (ANN) was used to examine the collected responses from different related industries and validate the robustness of the proposed hypothesis through ANN. The findings demonstrate that the usage of DTs has a favourable impact on GIO and GIT. Furthermore, GI has a positive influence on GIO. Finally, both GIO and GI have a positive impact on FSCSP. Theoretically, under the strategic alignment for information-processing fit, the study’s findings suggest that GIT and GIO improve their FSC strategies and practically keep the FSC ahead of the competition for the long haul by ensuring sustainability. It is clear from the results of this research that practitioners should support more DTs to promote GIT, GIO, and FSCSP. This research fills a significant gap in the literature by analyzing the unexplored connections across the FSCSP, GIT, GIO, and DTs as facilitators in the context of sustainability.