Smart supply chains: industry 4.0 and resilience in the UAE food and beverage sector

Abstract

The United Arab Emirates (UAE) food and beverage (F&B) sector is structurally import-dependent and critical to national industrial diversification, food security, and circular economy goals, making supply chain resilience a strategic priority. This study investigates how the adoption of Industry 4.0 technologies (Internet of Things, artificial intelligence, big data analytics, blockchain, cyber-physical systems, and cloud computing) enhances supply chain resilience. Drawing upon the Resource-Based View, Dynamic Capabilities Theory, the Dynamic Resource-Based View, and Supply Chain Resilience Theory, the research posits that Industry 4.0 adoption impacts resilience directly and indirectly via supply chain and dynamic capabilities as mediators, with digital organizational culture acting as a moderator. A quantitative, cross-sectional research design was utilized, gathering data via a structured survey administered to 395 senior supply chain and operations managers within UAE F&B manufacturing companies. The collected dataset was analyzed using partial least squares structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM) via SmartPLS with 5,000 resamples to evaluate measurement validity, structural paths, and moderation effects. The structural equation modeling results support all six hypothesized paths. Industry 4.0 technology adoption exerts a significant positive effect on supply chain capabilities ( β = 0.849, P < 0.01$) and dynamic capabilities ( β = 0.869, P < 0.01$). Both supply chain capabilities ( β = 0.735, P < 0.01$) and dynamic capabilities ( β = 0.769, P < 0.01$) positively influence supply chain resilience. Furthermore, Industry 4.0 adoption has a direct positive impact on resilience ( β = 0.856, P < 0.01$), and digital organizational culture positively moderates the technology-resilience relationship ( β = 0.729, P < 0.01$). The findings demonstrate that modernizing F&B supply chains requires more than standalone technological investments; digital tools must be combined with internal capability building and a supportive digital organizational culture. For UAE producers, leveraging solutions like IoT traceability and AI forecasting—underpinned by a data-driven culture—strengthens overall network adaptability and recovery. These insights align with national strategic frameworks such as the UAE Circular Economy Policy 2021–2031 and Operation 300bn.