## 3 Research Questions  
Notwithstanding that VCOR is acknowledged as a tool to optimize SC operations, few agri-food supply chains have been able to tap into these potential benefits. In general, the potential applications of IT technologies in the agri-food supply chain have never referred to this model to determine (i) how such technology can be integrated with profit; and (ii) how such a model can be applied to other potential users. The benefits provided by RFID technology include increased supply-chain visibility, greater speed and efficiency of operations, reduced labor costs, improved security, and better customer service [39]. Some authors expect that RFID will offer more competitive advantages to companies [40; 41]. To investigate the potential benefits of RFID in the Value Chain framework, a case study related to chestnuts SC was proposed. This kind of SC, made of high-quality products with controlled origin-denomination constraints, is featured by specific constraints, such as (i) the bulk storage of fresh fruits, (ii) time-processing constraints after harvesting and (iii) time-deliveryconstraints after processing, to cite a few. Due to such features, the firm is highly motivated to (i) improve the operations of their SC by processing and distribution sides, (ii) define suitable models for their SC, and within these models define the potential improvements points, and (iii) demonstrate, in real time, the origin of the product to avoid potential frauds by the suppliers. Several authors have addressed the main benefits of RFID applications in SC [42; 43], and the roles of RFID have been clearly highlighted by others [26; 35]. Yet, the review of the literature revealed that there are not enough investigations on the potential use and the impact of RFID technologies within the value chain. \begin{table}
\begin{tabular}{l l l l l l l l} \hline \hline
**Reference** & & & & & & & & \\ \hline [PERSON] et al. (2018) [30] & ✓ & & & & & & ✓ & \\ [PERSON] et al. (2017) [31] & ✓ & & ✓ & ✓ & & & & \\ [PERSON] et al. (2017) [32] & & & ✓ & & ✓ & & ✓ & \\ [PERSON] (2016) [33] & & & ✓ & & & ✓ & ✓ & ✓ \\ [PERSON] (2016) [34] & ✓ & & & & & ✓ & ✓ & ✓ \\ [PERSON] and [PERSON] (2015) [35] & & ✓ & & & & & ✓ & \\ [PERSON] (2015) [36] & ✓ & & & & & & ✓ & \\ [PERSON] and [PERSON] (2014) [19] & & & ✓ & & & & ✓ & \\ [PERSON] et al. (2013) [9] & ✓ & & & ✓ & & & & \\ [PERSON] et al. (2013) [21] & & & & ✓ & & & & \\ [PERSON] et al (2013) [37] & & & & ✓ & & & & ✓ \\ [PERSON] et al. (2012) [22] & & & & & & & ✓ & ✓ \\ [PERSON] et al. (2012) [24] & & & ✓ & ✓ & & & ✓ & \\ [PERSON] et al. (2011) [17] & ✓ & & & ✓ & & & & ✓ \\ [PERSON] and [PERSON] (2011) [23] & & & & ✓ & & & & ✓ \\ [PERSON] et al. (2010) [38] & & & & ✓ & & ✓ & & \\ [PERSON] et al. (2009) [11] & & & & ✓ & & & ✓ & \\ [PERSON] et al. (2008) [25] & & & & & & & ✓ & \\ [PERSON] et al. (2007) [16] & & & & ✓ & ✓ & & & ✓ \\ [PERSON] et al. (2007) [18] & & & ✓ & & & & ✓ \\ \hline \hline \end{tabular}
\end{table} 
Table 2: _Cont._Under this framework, the first research question (RQ1) investigated the potential role of the RFID within the value chain as follows:  
* RQ1: How can the fresh food SC be configured using the RFID and VCOR model? The benefits of RFID application in agri-food are widely demonstrated through empirical approaches [24]. In particular, the SC supply chain of chestnuts includes both the fruit supply and the delivery operations to large retailers. Farmers deliver fresh fruits to the producer, who processes them, and in turn delivers them to the distribution channels. Furthermore, for such fruit, some restrictions in the distribution exist with respect to features such as size and weight, that involve an additional selection process to be carried out before processing. In fact, the selection and identification of the batch is mainly based on size and weight. Yet, the chestnuts sector has no practical approach for SC management with IT solutions, and this lack has motivated our research.