Integrating technological capability and information exchange through adopting advanced technology in food processing: A model-based study of Bangladesh

The research aims to ascertain the current status of technology adoption and to develop and validate a new conceptual framework. The developed model links information sharing and technological capabilities with the adoption of advanced know-how, where adoption acts as a mediating variable to link its effect on organization-wide performance and business growth. The research also highlights the major challenges in adopting I4.0 technologies faced by food processing factories. To validate the developed model, questionnaire based multiple case studies were conducted, and structural equation modeling (SEM), using SmartPLS 4.0 was employed, supported by reliability and validity tests. Additionally, SmartISM was used to analyze barriers to adoption. Twenty five factories were approached, and sixteen of them responded. Four hypotheses were generated based on the linkage of the model and tested. Findings reveal that approximately 74% of the studied factories are still at the startup to intermediate stage. The results of the construct reliability and validity, i.e., rho_c, average variance extracted, and discriminant values for all constructs are within the recommended range. Technological capabilities (as R square is 0.389, p value is 0.049, and path coefficient is 0.372) and information sharing (R 2 value 0.389, p value is 0.009, and path coefficient is 0.463) positively influence the adoption of 4IR technology, which ultimately impacts organizational performance and business growth. The most significant challenge to adopting advanced know-how is the lack of sufficient capital, as it has maximum driving power and the lowest dependence power. The study provides policymakers with actionable insights to accelerate I4.0 technology adoption and overcome the associated barriers.