Barriers to the adoption of the Metaverse in digital supply chains

PurposeThe study explores key barriers to the adoption of the Metaverse technology in digital supply chain management (SCM) and further unveils strategies that supply chain managers can employ to overcome these barriers.Design/methodology/approachThe study deploys a multiple case study method approach involving 30 semi-structured interviews conducted with supply chain managers from five automobile firms. These firms were in the initial phase of adopting the Metaverse technology. Interviews were the main source of data collection along with additional secondary sources such as firms' reports, media outlets, webpages and policy documents.FindingsThe results reveal seven barriers that impede the successful implementation of the Metaverse in digital SCM. These are lack of collaboration between supply chain actors, lack of commitment from top management, lack of education and awareness, timid organizational culture, financial challenges (cost of developing, integrating and maintaining technology), legal and ethical challenges (privacy issues, data storage issues, etc.) and, finally, lack of technological infrastructure and capabilities.Research limitations/implicationsThe results are based on a sample size of 30 participants. Hence, they should be treated with caution and not generalizable to a broader population. Moreover, this study relies on cause-and-effect relationship to explore the phenomenon of interest.Practical implicationsThe study provides several constructive guidelines to supply chain managers and member firms to overcome challenges related to the adoption of the Metaverse in digital SCM.Originality/valueWhile the digital supply chain literature is enriched with studies focusing on the merits/benefits of the Metaverse, limited studies exist on the main barriers to its adoption. The study contributes to the digital supply chain literature by revealing the technological, organizational and environmental barriers of the Metaverse. The study also unveils specific properties that contribute to the emergence of these main barriers.