Blockchain in supply chains: impact on Ecuador's foreign trade
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.56294/saludcyt20262577Keywords:
Blockchain, competitiveness, International Trade, Supply Chains, technology, exportsAbstract
Introduction: the digital transformation of supply chains represents both a challenge and an opportunity for international trade, especially in emerging economies where operational efficiency is a determining factor of competitiveness. In this context, blockchain technology is emerging as an essential tool for improving transparency, traceability, and cost reduction. The study investigated its impact on the banana and shrimp sectors in Ecuador, with the aim of evaluating its effects on logistics efficiency and export performance.
Method: a mixed methodological approach integrated quantitative and qualitative techniques and dynamic simulations. Data normalization processes, Random Forest predictive models, DEA-BCC efficiency analysis, and semantic coding of interviews with strategic actors in the supply chains were applied.
Results: the findings showed significant reductions in customs clearance time (-32.9% in the banana sector and -40.2% in the shrimp sector), logistics costs (-23.3% and -21.5%, respectively), and monthly documentation errors (-60.5% and -69.4%). Operational transparency also increased by more than 100% in both sectors. Simulations projected cumulative efficiency improvements exceeding 50% over five years under full integration scenarios. Cultural and organizational barriers that limited full adoption were also identified.
Conclusions: the triangulation of methods confirmed the relationship between operational improvements and stakeholder trust, validating a favorable return on investment. The results position Ecuador as a benchmark in digital agro-export modernization and suggest future lines of research focused on integration with complementary technologies and the longitudinal analysis of sustained impacts.
References
1. BALZA-FRANCO VI, CARDONA-ARBELAEZ DA. La relación entre logística, cadena de suministro y competitividad: una revisión de literatura. Revista ESPACIOS ISSN. 2020; 798:1015. https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Vladimir-Balza-Franco/publication/341977224_La_relacion_entre_logistica_cadena_de_suministro_y_competitividad_una_revision_de_literatura_The_relationship_among_logistics_supply_chain_and_competitiveness_a_review/links/5edba1c192851c9c5e879597/La-relacion-entre-logistica-cadena-de-suministro-y-competitividad-una-revision-de-literatura-The-relationship-among-logistics-supply-chain-and-competitiveness-a-review.pdf
2. Pimentel AJC, Pecho GIP. Aplicación de Blockchain Implementación de la tecnología blockchain utilizando solidity para mejorar la seguridad en la gestión de la cadena de suministros de la empresa Trapex: Solidity como Herramienta para la Seguridad Empresarial. Revista Científica: BIOTECH AND ENGINEERING;4(3). https://revistas.untels.edu.pe/index.php/files/article/view/120
3. González SM, Rejón JÁP, Sánchez BH, Ramón R del CG. Estado del Arte de la Blockchain y su Aplicación a la Cadena de Suministros de las Plataformas Petroleras en la Región de Campeche. Ciencia Latina Revista Científica Multidisciplinar. 2023;7(3):5941-61. https://ciencialatina.org/index.php/cienciala/article/view/6601 DOI: https://doi.org/10.37811/cl_rcm.v7i3.6601
4. Palau EJÁ. La logística del mañana: retos y oportunidades en la era digital. Oikonomics: Revista de economía, empresa y sociedad. 2018;(9):13-27. https://dialnet.unirioja.es/servlet/articulo?codigo=6813742 DOI: https://doi.org/10.7238/o.n9.1802
5. Ajila JPL, Aguilar MAE, Romero HRC, Campoverde JQ. Análisis de la producción y comercialización de banano en la provincia de El Oro en el periodo 2018-2022. Ciencia Latina Revista Científica Multidisciplinar. 2023;7(1):7494-507. https://ciencialatina.org/index.php/cienciala/article/view/4981 DOI: https://doi.org/10.37811/cl_rcm.v7i1.4981
6. Sánchez Suárez Y, Pérez Castañeira JA, Sangroni Laguardia N, Cruz Blanco C, Medina Nogueira YE. Retos actuales de la logística y la cadena de suministro. Ingeniería Industrial. 2021;42(1):169-84. http://scielo.sld.cu/scielo.php?pid=s1815-59362021000100169&script=sci_arttext
7. Perez JM, Montañez LS. Estrategias emergentes del Offshoring en la Gestión de la Cadena de Suministros Global. Revista de Investigación Valor Agregado. 2023;10(1):146-64. https://riva.upeu.edu.pe/index.php/ri_va/article/view/2053 DOI: https://doi.org/10.17162/riva.v10i1.2053
8. Gestión sostenible de la cadena de suministro en la industria alimentaria del Ecuador a través de la tecnología blockchain, período 2019-2021. https://www.google.com/search?q=Gesti%C3%B3n+sostenible+de+la+cadena+de+suministro+en+la+industria+alimentaria+del+Ecuador+a+trav%C3%A9s+de+la+tecnolog%C3%ADa+blockchain%2C+per%C3%ADodo+2019-2021.&rlz=1C1CHBF_esEC969EC969&oq=Gesti%C3%B3n+sostenible+de+la+cadena+de+suministro+en+la+industria+alimentaria+del+Ecuador+a+trav%C3%A9s+de+la+tecnolog%C3%ADa+blockchain%2C+per%C3%ADodo+2019-2021.&gs_lcrp=EgZjaHJvbWUyBggAEEUYOTIGCAEQRRg8MgYIAhBFGDzSAQgxMzczajBqN6gCALACAA&sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8&zx=1759200685405&no_sw_cr=1
9. Prado SSM, Campoverde VKL, Solórzano SSS. Blockchain un nuevo concepto de Responsabilidad Social Corporativa en exportadoras de camarón de Ecuador. Revista Scientific. 2021;6(20):206-23. https://dialnet.unirioja.es/servlet/articulo?codigo=9588012 DOI: https://doi.org/10.29394/Scientific.issn.2542-2987.2021.6.20.11.206-223
10. Ruiz-López SE. Estrategias de Gestión de la Cadena de Suministro en un Mundo Globalizado. Revista Científica Zambos. 2024;3(2):97-119. https://revistaczambos.utelvtsd.edu.ec/index.php/home/article/view/19 DOI: https://doi.org/10.69484/rcz/v3/n2/19
11. Morelos J, Cardona D, Hernández H. El Operador Económico Autorizado (OEA): la apuesta de la Organización Mundial de Aduana a la Seguridad de la Cadena de Suministros y el Comercio Internacional. Revista científica anfibios. 2022;5(2):101-9. http://www.revistaanfibios.org/ojs/index.php/afb/article/view/116 DOI: https://doi.org/10.37979/afb.2022v5n2.116
12. Galarza-Sánchez PC, Solano-Gutiérrez GA. Análisis comparativo de plataformas blockchain en la optimización de la cadena de suministro. Multidisciplinary Collaborative Journal. 2024;2(3):25-40. https://mcjournal.editorialdoso.com/index.php/home/article/view/39 DOI: https://doi.org/10.70881/mcj/v2/n3/39
13. Cruz NKE, Torres NMC, Valero MIG, Torres A del RF. Análisis de la solución blockchain aplicada a las cadenas de suministro en la ciudad de Babahoyo. Journal of Science and Research. 2020;5(CININGEC):831-44. https://revistas.utb.edu.ec/index.php/sr/article/view/1041
14. Chang Y, Iakovou E, Shi W. Blockchain in global supply chains and cross border trade: a critical synthesis of the state-of-the-art, challenges and opportunities. International Journal of Production Research. 2 de abril de 2020;58(7):2082-99. https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/00207543.2019.1651946 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/00207543.2019.1651946
15. Guerra CBM, Erazo TEE, Freire VGM, Moreno LFH. Tecnología Blockchain y su Implementación en los Sistemas Contables: Efectos en la Eficiencia y Transparencia. Ciencia Latina Revista Científica Multidisciplinar. 2023;7(4):8569-97. https://ciencialatina.org/index.php/cienciala/article/view/7578. DOI: https://doi.org/10.37811/cl_rcm.v7i4.7578
Published
Issue
Section
License
Copyright (c) 2026 Paola Elizabeth Vega Piedra, Yesenia Elizabeth Sánchez Torres, Leonardo Alberto Velasco Alarcón (Author)
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
The article is distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License. Unless otherwise stated, associated published material is distributed under the same licence.
