Evaluating the Driving Effects of Digital Transformation on Sustainable Food Supply Chains: A SCOR-TOPSIS Approach

Abstract

Digital transformation (DT) has emerged as a key driver of sustainable supply chain development. However, the role of DT in food supply chains (FSCs) has received limited attention. In particular, few studies have quantitatively examined how its driving effects vary across different supply chain processes from a process-oriented perspective. To address this gap, this study evaluates the driving effects of DT on the sustainable development of FSCs. Drawing on sustainable supply chain theory, an evaluation indicator system covering economic, environmental, and social dimensions is developed. The key processes of the FSCs are then identified based on the Supply Chain Operations Reference (SCOR) model and treated as the evaluation objects. Expert assessments are aggregated using the arithmetic mean, and the Technique for Order Preference by Similarity to Ideal Solution (TOPSIS) is applied to evaluate and rank the different supply chain processes. The results reveal clear differences in the driving effects of DT across the selected processes. Among them, the distribution process exhibits the strongest overall performance, followed by the storage and transportation process, while the procurement process performs relatively weakly. From a process-differentiated perspective, this study demonstrates how DT contributes to the sustainable development of FSCs through different operational processes. The findings provide a structured decision-making basis for identifying priority areas and formulating differentiated DT strategies to enhance FSCs sustainability.