Purpose Global competition has intensified pressure on small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) to implement lean. Recently, the debate has converged to the role of lean implementation barriers (LIBs). The purpose of this paper is to contribute to this debate by exploring the LIBs in SMEs through three case studies. Design/methodology/approach A case study approach was employed followed by interpretive structural modelling (ISM) to model the interrelationship among the LIBs. Findings This study reveals that lack of management commitment, leadership and resources are the key barriers to lean implementation in SMEs in India. Furthermore, poor communication between different levels of the organisation and inadequate dissemination of the knowledge of lean benefits also creates hindrance in lean implementation. Managerial implications of the identified barriers for lean implementation in SMEs have been discussed. Originality/value The research regarding lean implementation in SMEs is scarce. This study is the first attempt of its kind to identify the lean barriers in a small industry setup through mathematical analysis.

PurposeBlockchain technology (BT) is setting world-shattering standard in all type of transactions in business. BT has the prospective to drastically transform supply chain (SC). The main challenge is to enhance trust among the SC stakeholders. This paper aims to identify and prioritize the factors and its challenges that influence the adoptability of BT in SC. The prioritization of these factors will be helpful to the practitioners to decide the strategy of implementing the BT in SC.Design/methodology/approachThe factors influencing adoption of BT are identified from the review of literature and expert opinion is used to rank the factors influencing the adoptability of BT in SC using grey relational analysis (GRA).FindingsWe identified and prioritized key factors: inter-organizational trust and relational governance as organizational challenge, data transparency and data immutability as technological challenge, interoperability and product type as operational challenge and social influence and behavioral intention as social challenge that influences adoptability of BT in SC.Originality/valueThe priority of these factors will guide future researchers and industry practitioners to plan rational and financial strategy for implementing BT in SC.

Purpose-The purpose of this paper is to deliver a structured literature review of existing literature on agri-fresh food supply chain quality (AFSCQ) over a period of 23 years (1994 to mid-2016) and provide a platform for practitioners and researchers trying to identify the existing state of work, gaps in current research, and future directions in the field of AFSCQ. Design/methodology/approach-The existing literature is classified on the basis of several classes like number of publications per year, journal-wise publications, studies across various countries, growth of empirical research, data analysis methods or tool used, issues related to supply chain quality as well as performance measurement (with respect to entity of analysis, level of analysis and element of exchange). Findings-Most of the research publications discuss issues in developed countries, while relatively lesser publications are available on issues in developing countries. Hence, larger opportunities in the field of AFSCQ are available in developing countries. Empirical research is also growing in the field of AFSCQ. Largely research publications make use of "case study" research approach and "statistical analysis" as a quantitative tool of research. The literature is also categorized under the various issues of supply chain quality such as sustainability management, information management, logistic management, collaboration and coordination management, strategic management, demand management, inventory management, food safety, performance management, supply chain integration, supplier management, quality management, etc. It was found that in the majority of articles, information management, sustainability management, and logistics management are very critical issues as far as AFSCQ is concerned. Performance measurement of agri-fresh food supply chain is also on a growing stage. It is also an integral part of AFSCQ. Originality/value-Most of the prior reviews are concentrated on a particular issue as production and distribution planning for agri-foods, temperature monitoring, corporate and consumer social responsibility, traceability system and ignore the wider perception. There exists a necessity of having a detailed review to cover up all the issues in AFSCQ. This review fills this gap in the extant AFSCQ literature. Keywords Literature review, Supply chain quality, Agri-fresh food, Agri-fresh food supply chain quality Paper type Literature review

Purpose: Although lean thinking is deemed to be a gold standard of modern production management, a lot of scepticism still remains regarding its applicability in small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). This paper aims to understand the perception of lean in SMEs and establish the relationship between lean adoption and operational performance.Design/Methodology/Approach: With the help of a survey, data was collected from 425 SMEs in India and analyzed using structural equation modelling (SEM).

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