# Blockchain Integrated IoT for Food Supply Chain: A Grey Based Delphi-DEMATEL Approach
## 5 Discussion
### Influencing CSFs  
The DEMATEL analysis categorised the CSFs into influential and influenced groups. The influential group consisted of those CSFs that have a positive value of effect score. The influential CSFs include \"top management support\", \"knowledge management\", \"technology hardware readiness\", \"skilled personnel\", and \"high investment\". Among these CSFs, top management support is the most influential CSF for the adoption of the B-IoT. Whenever an organisation decides to implement the latest technology, it is the top management that makes the decision. As B-IoT is a relatively new concept for the top management, they are not certain about their impact on the FSC. In that circumstance, top management needs to gain some knowledge regarding the impact of B-IoT on FSC to make a better decision. This top management support is required in terms of willingness to adopt the B-IoT and financial assistance. These CSFs have a high influence on the influenced CSFs, such as creating awareness about the blockchain and IoT.  
Knowledge management is also an influencing CSF as it has a significant impact on the other CSFs. As architecture and planning of a B-IoT network for the FSC are difficult [88],  
Figure 4: Causal relationship among the CSFs of B-IoT adoption FSC.  
knowledge management is considered a key to the successful adoption of B-IoT. FSC partners should be prepared for the practices regarding knowledge management for the successful adoption of B-IoT. Another major CSF is the \"technology hardware readiness\" that is the prerequisite for any technology adoption. Hardware includes sensors for data collection, geo-tag devices, secure data storage media, high-speed internet connection, a blockchain infrastructure, and other relevant accessories. An Internet connection is required in smart farming areas, as is ensuring that all supply chain partners can access it. It has been observed that a number of actors in the FSC are located in areas with varying Internet penetration rates that must be resolved before the adoption of B-IoT [18; 89]. These infrastructures facilitate the successful adoption of B-IoT in FSC. In the context of emerging countries, the arrangement of such facilities/infrastructure is considered a major challenge. Therefore, the FSC partners need to push themselves to obtain this hardware infrastructure. In order to install, operate, and maintain this hardware, skilled human resources are required who have a good understanding of FSC operations. The skilled personnel also help to create an efficient design of the B-IoT architecture that is helpful to reduce operational and maintenance costs. Further, skilled personnel influence the creation of IoT and blockchain awareness among the FSC partners through training programs.  
The next influencing CSF is the \"high investment\" that is required for developing the hardware infrastructure and skill acquisition. During the implementation phase, technology costs, which are often associated with the viability of B-IoT adoption, are a significant CSF. Operational and maintenance costs hinder the implementation of B-IoT in the FSC [21]. A number of factors contribute to this situation, including the high cost of smart devices, the high cost of repair and maintenance, and the high cost of training employees to use IoT and blockchain technologies [90; 91]. For the FSC partners, B-IoT is considered a costly affair and they are not certain about the return on investment. Therefore, the FSC managers needed to address the pros and cons of B-IoT so that they could make better decisions.