1. Introduction
Green supply chains (GSCs) necessitate the integration of environmentally responsible practices across all stages of the supply chain, encompassing activities from sourcing raw materials to delivering final goods to consumers [
1,
2]. Numerous initiatives have been proposed to encourage carbon emission reductions and prioritize the adoption of renewable resources [
3,
4]. Thus, accountability and collaboration among all stakeholders in the supply chain are essential to achieving transparency in adhering to environmental regulations and meeting green objectives [
5]. Despite these efforts, fostering trust and transparency regarding materials and products among stakeholders remains a persistent challenge in traditional supply chains [
6,
7]. In response, blockchain technology has emerged as an effective tool for enhancing green supply chain management (GSCM) [
6,
8]. By providing an immutable ledger that records every transaction and piece of information, blockchain fosters trust and improves transparency, traceability, and efficiency across all supply chain stages [
6,
9]. Its adoption is particularly critical in addressing issues such as information fraud and the counterfeiting of product labels [
10,
11]. Additionally, blockchain technology offers unique advantages for GSCM by enhancing the accountability of environmentally responsible practices and verifying the sustainability of raw materials [
9,
12,
13].
Despite its potential and various benefits, blockchain technology adoption in green supply chains faces several challenges, including cultural differences among suppliers for collaboration [
14], high implementation costs [
15], and Technological Infrastructure gaps [
16]. Additionally, Chavalala et al. (2024) emphasized that business leaders’ strategic vision and leadership style are crucial factors driving blockchain adoption in cold supply chains [
16]. In the context of developing countries, these challenges are further exacerbated by limited government support [
17,
18] and the lack of awareness about blockchain’s benefits [
19]. Therefore, Hartley et al. (2022) argue that identifying key factors is crucial to understanding why some businesses are willing to adopt blockchain technology, while others remain hesitant or refuse, despite recognizing its potential benefits [
20]. Pinpointing the right drivers is particularly important for planning effective blueprints and strategies that help businesses overcome barriers. As such, understanding the key drivers of blockchain adoption is essential for its successful implementation and seamless integration into business operations [
21,
22]. To achieve sustainability goals, blockchain adoption serves as a strategic enabler to meet consumer demand for eco-friendly and ethically sourced products [
23,
24]. Studies have documented that identifying key factors not only influences the intention to adopt blockchain but also determines its practical application in enhancing transparency and promoting sustainability [
5,
13,
25]. However, some scholars believe that a lack of consensus exists among scholars regarding the identification of influencing factors, primarily due to variations in research contexts and methodologies [
22]. Moreover, as the emphasis on GSCM grows, organizations are placing greater importance on adopting green innovation initiatives. These initiatives aim to achieve sustainability, showcasing corporate efforts to advance eco-friendly practices through green products and business models [
1,
2]. Therefore, the decision to implement blockchain technology can act as a powerful catalyst for advancing green innovation. Currently, there is a noticeable gap in the existing literature, as few studies have simultaneously explored the integration of blockchain technology implementation and green innovation practices, particularly within the framework of structural model evaluation [
26]. Integrating blockchain with green innovation practices provides a strong foundation for fostering greater trust among enterprises, encouraging the adoption of these concepts [
27]. This combination not only strengthens the competitive advantage of companies but also contributes to more sustainable and efficient supply chain operations [
28]. Furthermore, exploring this relationship offers valuable insights for enterprises and policy makers, enabling the development of effective strategies and practical solutions [
27,
28,
29]. Thus, conducting a study to bridge these research gaps by identifying key drivers is essential for refining strategies, enhancing competitiveness, and ensuring that businesses align with sustainable development goals [
13,
25]. The research objectives are as follows:
- RO1.
Identify and evaluate the impact of key driving factors on Blockchain Adoption Intention and Green Innovation practices within supply chains.
- RO2.
Investigate the relationship between corporate Blockchain Adoption Intention and Green Innovation practices within supply chains.
- RO3.
Analyze how Blockchain Adoption Intention and Green Innovation practices influence the Expected Benefits for enterprises.
This study aims to focus on developing economies, the findings are expected to contribute to both theoretical advancements and practical applications in green supply chain management.
2. Hypotheses Development and the Research Model
Blockchain technology holds significant potential for enhancing green supply chains, particularly by improving transparency and traceability among suppliers within the chain [
21,
22]. Furthermore, enterprises pursuing innovations to enhance green efficiency are influenced by various factors [
26,
30]. Grounded in the TOE (Technology, Organization, Environment) theoretical framework, this study aims to identify and prioritize the key driving factors for blockchain adoption in GSCM [
31,
32]. Simultaneously, as suggested by Tasnim et al. (2023), this study incorporates insights from the TAM (Technology Adoption Model) framework to provide a more comprehensive understanding of critical considerations in this context [
33]. Thus, our research focuses on nine constructs. Specifically, six key driving factors are identified: Perceived Usefulness (PU), Technological Infrastructure (TI), Investment Cost (IC), Organizational Readiness (OR), Government Support (GS), and Partnerships (PA). Additionally, three constructs, Blockchain Adoption Intention (BA), Green Innovation (GI) and Expected Benefits (EB), serve as predictive factors. Together, these constructs form the foundation of the research framework and guide the formulation of various hypotheses, as detailed below (see
Figure 1).
Perceived Usefulness measures the benefits a business can achieve by adopting new technologies or implementing innovative ideas [
18,
34]. In the context of the supply chain, it serves as a critical factor in evaluating the impact on the intention to adopt new technologies or initiate new projects [
33,
35,
36]. Hence, following the findings of relationships between Perceived Usefulness and Blockchain Adoption Intention and Green Innovation, the authors propose the following hypotheses:
H1a. Perceived Usefulness positively affects Blockchain Adoption Intention.
H1b. Perceived Usefulness positively affects Green Innovation practices.
Adaryani et al. (2024) reveals that modern infrastructure provides the necessary foundation for businesses to implement blockchain and adopt innovative green practices by enabling efficient data management and sustainable resource optimization, thereby fostering both BA and GI issues [
37]. However, in some studies, this factor is identified as a technical barrier, presenting both a challenge and an opportunity for enterprises [
16,
38]. Thus, the authors proposes that Technological Infrastructure has correlated with Blockchain Adoption Intention and Green Innovation, as expressed through the following hypotheses:
H2a. Technological Infrastructure positively affects Blockchain Adoption Intention.
H2b. Technological Infrastructure positively affects Green Innovation practices.
High Investment Costs can hinder the intention to adopt modern technologies, particularly for small and medium enterprises (SMEs), as they often worry that the financial burden may outweigh the perceived benefits [
39,
40]. Do et al. (2024) highlights that financial cost is the most significant obstacle in the context of Vietnamese GSCM [
2]. However, Shahzad et al. (2022) suggests that top managers should perceive these costs as a strategic investment for long-term benefits [
36]. Additionally, securing financial support from external sources can encourage SMEs to explore and adopt innovative green practices [
41]. Consequently, Investment Cost directly influences both the feasibility of blockchain adoption and the motivation to implement green innovative solutions, the authors propose the following hypotheses:
H3a. Investment Cost positively affects Blockchain Adoption Intention.
H3b. Investment Cost positively affects Green Innovation practices.
Organizational Readiness, which includes adequate financial resources, skilled personnel, top management support, and a clear strategic plan, enables businesses to adopt blockchain technology more effectively [
34,
42]. Furthermore, a high level of Organizational Readiness facilitates the development of innovative green practices by ensuring the seamless implementation of sustainable technologies [
43]. Conversely, Abdelwahed et al. (2024) argue that a lack of readiness can pose significant barriers to both blockchain adoption and the pursuit of Green Innovation, thereby limiting an organization’s ability to achieve long-term sustainability goals [
44].
H4a. Organizational Readiness positively affects Blockchain Adoption Intention.
H4b. Organizational Readiness positively affects Green Innovation practices.
According to Yadlapalli et al. (2022), Government Support plays a crucial role in facilitating blockchain adoption within supply chains. Supportive policies can help businesses reduce Investment Costs and encourage greater investment in green technologies, promoting sustainability [
30,
45]. In the absence of adequate support, companies may struggle to adopt blockchain or pursue environmentally sustainable innovations, ultimately hindering their ability to achieve long-term competitive advantages [
46]. Thus, the authors propose that Government Support serves as a key driving factor in relationships with Blockchain Adoption Intention and Green Innovation, as expressed through the following hypotheses:
H5a. Government Support positively affects Blockchain Adoption Intention.
H5b. Government Support positively affects Green Innovation practices.
Some studies found that collaboration with supply chain partners plays a pivotal role in driving businesses to adopt technological advancements and Green Innovation [
46,
47]. Partnerships with technology providers, research institutions, or key stakeholders offer businesses access to specialized expertise, shared resources, and innovative solutions [
6,
48]. In addition, Habib et al. (2022) document that these collaborations also accelerate Green Innovation by fostering collective efforts to implement sustainable practices across the supply chain, enhancing both efficiency and environmental responsibility [
49]. Thus, the authors propose two hypotheses regarding the influence of Partnerships as below.
H6a. Partnerships positively affect Blockchain Adoption Intention.
H6b. Partnerships positively affect Green Innovation practices.
Considering the influence of blockchain technology integration, several scholars argue that blockchain adoption is positively associated with Green Innovation [
26,
50]. The implementation of blockchain within supply chains offers various advantages, enabling organizations to identify and adopt sustainable practices more effectively [
51]. Furthermore, blockchain adoption fosters collaboration among supply chain stakeholders, facilitating the exchange of data and resources that drive innovative solutions for environmental sustainability [
26,
27]. Therefore, the authors hypothesize that businesses with a strong intention to adopt blockchain are more likely to engage in and advance Green Innovation practices.
H7. Blockchain adoption has a positive relationship with Green Innovation practices.
Building on the findings of prior studies, Expected Benefits refer to the anticipated positive outcomes that businesses achieve from adopting innovative initiatives [
47,
52]. In this study, the authors examine the Expected Benefits for enterprises integrating blockchain technology and Green Innovation within their supply chains. Sodhi et al. (2022) have shown that blockchain integration enhances supply chain transparency and operational efficiency, leading to significant business advantages [
53]. Similarly, engaging in Green Innovation practices promotes sustainability and strengthens competitive advantages by aligning with environmental standards and meeting evolving consumer demands [
26,
54]. Therefore, the authors propose the following hypotheses
H8. Blockchain adoption has a positive relationship with Expected Benefits.
H9. Green Innovation has a positive relationship with Expected Benefits.
5. Discussion
Similar to several other studies on the implementation of blockchain technology and Green Innovation in supply chains, Adaryani et al. (2024) and Khan et al. (2023) emphasize significant research gaps that remain unaddressed, particularly within the context of emerging economies [
37,
61]. These regions possess substantial potential for adopting advanced technologies like blockchain but encounter numerous challenges related to infrastructure, policies, and resource limitations [
61,
62]. Furthermore, Do et al. (2024) reveals that supply chains in a transitional country like Vietnam are often characterized by high complexity, a lack of transparency, and mounting sustainability pressures, underscoring the urgency of adopting innovative solutions such as blockchain [
2].
Drawing on the TOE framework and referencing the TAM model in this study [
31], the findings identify six key driving factors influencing Blockchain Adoption Intention and Green Innovation practices in supply chains [
40,
63,
64]. Accordingly, the results provide empirical support for six hypotheses (H1 to H6) in the first stage of the research conducted within Vietnamese supply chains including Perceived Usefulness (H1a, H1b), Technological Infrastructure (H2a, H2b), Investment Cost (H3a, H3b), Organizational Readiness (H4a, H4b), Government Support (H5a, H5b), and Partnerships (H6a, H6b). Thus, the intention of Vietnamese enterprises to adopt blockchain technology and Green Innovation practices is predicted by the direct impact of the six proposed factors, all of which were found to be statistically significant. This indicates that suppliers within Vietnamese supply chains are willing to integrate blockchain into their SCM practices and Green Innovation strategies. In this study, our results reveal that Organizational Readiness, Partnerships, and Perceived Usefulness are the most significance driving factors affecting the Blockchain Adoption Intention and Green Innovation practices within Vietnamese supply chains. These results align with prior studies, such as those conducted in Bangladesh’s SCM [
33], Turkey’s IT industries [
34], and Italian innovative enterprises [
40]; notably, Xie et al. (2023) highlighted the essential role of Organizational Readiness within Chinese family companies [
43]. However, the influence of Technological Infrastructure and Organizational Readiness factors diverges from the findings of Adaryani et al. (2024), who reported that these factors had an nonsignificant impact on behavioral intention to adopt blockchain in Iran’s poultry supply chain [
37]. Consequently, the findings highlight significant potential for transforming SCM practices in Vietnam by enhancing transparency, efficiency, and sustainability through blockchain integration. This implementation not only helps companies in developing countries meet global market demands for greener supply chains but also strengthens their competitive advantage in an increasingly digitalized economy [
52,
54,
65]. Furthermore, the willingness of Vietnamese enterprises to adopt blockchain underscores a promising future for fostering technological innovation across key sectors such as agriculture, manufacturing, and food processing.
In the second stage, our research examines the relationships among three constructs: Blockchain Adoption Intention (BA), Green Innovation practices (GI), and Expected Benefits (EB) within Vietnamese supply chains. Three hypotheses (H7, H8, and H9) were proposed, all of which were found to be statistically significant (see
Table 5), hence these results address the second and third objectives of this study. The findings indicate that integrating blockchain technology can drive positive changes in Green Innovation practices, contributing to more sustainable and efficient supply chain management [
26]. In the context of Vietnam, where supply chains face growing pressure to enhance transparency and sustainability [
2], these results highlight the feasibility of blockchain and green initiatives to act as solutions for meeting the requirements of globally supply chain [
51]. In the context of a developing country like Vietnam, Fang and Jiang (2024) reported that the number of green invention patents has increased, driven by the growing adoption of blockchain technology [
50]. This aligns with the findings of our empirical study and the results of Al-Swidi et al. (2024) in India. However, our research highlights that the adoption of blockchain technology functions as an enabler, while Green Innovation practices serve as a mediating factor in the relationships among the three constructs. Our research conducted a comprehensive evaluation of both BA and GI as mediating constructs within the same framework. Unlike prior research, which often examines these constructs independently, our findings offer new and unique insights, distinguishing this study from others, such as those by [
26,
33,
50].
6. Conclusions and Research Implications
In this study, the authors successfully identify six key driving factors based on the TOE-TAM framework that influence Blockchain Adoption Intention and Green Innovation practices within Vietnamese supply chains. By surveying Vietnamese enterprises across various sectors, the findings contribute valuable insights to the existing literature, particularly by integrating Blockchain Adoption Intention and Green Innovation practices as dual mediators. These mediators demonstrate how enterprises can achieve significant advantages in the future. According to the results analysis, all hypotheses were supported. Therefore, the proposed framework offers a practical reference for top managers to implement in real-world applications and serves as a valuable foundation for future scholarly research.
In terms of research implications, our research bridges the gap between technology adoption theories by considering the integration of mediators [
31,
40]. The findings contribute to the GSCM literature by integrating Blockchain Adoption Intention and Green Innovation practices as dual mediators within a single framework, which has been rarely assessed in previous studies. Specifically, this study emphasizes the combined mediating roles of BA and GI in linking the six driving factors to the Expected Benefits. This integrated approach provides valuable insights into how these two mediators interact synergistically to drive Expected Benefits, particularly in developing economies such as Vietnam. Furthermore, as suggested by Al-Swidi et al. (2024), our research contributes to theory through an empirical study that validates context-specific factors. Specifically, the results confirm the applicability of six key driving factors in influencing Blockchain Adoption Intention and Green Innovation practices within emerging markets. This provides a robust theoretical foundation for future comparative studies across regions and industries.
On the other hand, our research offers several managerial implications. Firstly, top managers should focus on the key driving factors, prioritizing issues related to Organizational Readiness, Partnerships, and Perceived Usefulness. These factors have the most significant direct and indirect impacts on all prediction factors in this model, making them critical areas for managerial attention. Secondly, the findings suggest that top managers and policy makers in supply chains should view blockchain not merely as a technological solution but as a catalyst for fostering green initiatives. By integrating these two dimensions, organizations can enhance operational efficiency and achieve Expected Benefits such as cost savings, improved transparency, and strengthened customer trust.
Although this study provides valuable theoretical and practical insights, certain limitations remain that warrant further consideration in future research. These limitations offer meaningful suggestions and open new opportunities for other scholars to explore to fulfill the SCM literature. Firstly, this study focuses on assessing six key driving factors: Perceived Usefulness, Technological Infrastructure, Investment Cost, Organizational Readiness, Government Support, and Partnerships within the context of Vietnamese supply chains. These constructs were selected based on prior studies and aligned with the TOE-TAM framework as recommended by other scholars, such as [
31,
33]. However, the authors suggest that future research should consider expanding and exploring additional factors to provide more comprehensive and realistic insights. Secondly, this study is limited to the context of Vietnamese supply chains within an emerging economy that is increasingly integrating into the global market. As a result, our findings may show similarities and differences compared to studies conducted in other contexts. Therefore, we recommend that our proposed model should be tested more broadly to provide more diverse and generalized perspectives.