ABSTRACT
The components that characterize sustainable business models in the coffee industry – such as fair prices, conducive working conditions, sustainable production, and ecological protection – pose challenges for international coffee manufacturers in maintaining their financial performance. Therefore, sustainable business models must be more competitive than traditional ones. While sustainability strategies are to a large extent public – meaning, they can be imitated by others – when combined with complementary assets, they can yield additional assets, resources, and capabilities, ensuring these firms a long-term competitive advantage. Based on the dynamic capabilities of resource-based theory, our study explains how the use of blockchain technology reinforces critical dynamic capabilities to differentiate the brand as a source of intangible assets and inclusive value creation in sustainable international coffee supply chains. Overall, our study helps balance the distribution of value among the coffee supply chain partners located in industrialized and developing countries.
