Application of Swimlane Modelling for the Digital Transformation of Vegetable Supply Chains: A Case Study from a Developing Economy

The fresh vegetable supply chain (FVSC) is a vital food supply chain for human consumption patterns. There are several hindering issues in the FVSC. Specifically, issues related to logistics operations are directly affecting the socio-economic statuses of the value chain actors and the vegetable ecosystem. Therefore, this research study reviewed the current status of the logistics operations at one of the main economic centers of a developing economy. This economic center operates as a wholesale platform for the FVSC. In this study, Swimlane diagram was improved with the inspiration of Business Process Modeling to visualise the current status conceptual diagram of the FVSC. The key issues related to the activities and processes were identified after assessing the conceptual diagram, known as the “As Is state” model. In the latter part of the study, areas for improvement using technology were identified, and corrective measures were proposed to improve logistics operations in the “To Be State” model. According to the study, integrating the supply chain network with producers, value chain actors, and consumers via a digital platform for data sharing and management will improve supply chain traceability and efficiency. Furthermore, it will increase transparency, allowing the supply chain to be more quality conscious and resilient in order to mitigate operational risks associated with FVSC. This study will contribute to the literature by addressing the current gap between how to digitally transform a traditional FVSC into a data driven digital FVSC.