Document Type : Research Paper

Authors

• Bahareh Deljoo ¹
• Rohollah Ghasemi ²
• Mohsen Moradi moghadam ³
• Ali Mohaghar ⁴

¹ MSc Student in Industrial Management, Department of Production and Operations Management, Faculty of Industrial Management and Technology, college of Management, University of Tehran, Tehran, Iran.

² Assistant Professor, Department of Production and Operations Management, Faculty of Industrial Management and Technology, college of Management, University of Tehran, Tehran, Iran.

³ PhD in Industrial Management, Department of Production and Operations Management, Faculty of Industrial Management and Technology, college of Management, University of Tehran, Tehran, Iran.

⁴ Professor, Department of Production and Operations Management, Faculty of Industrial Management and Technology, college of Management, University of Tehran, Tehran, Iran.

Abstract

The food industry has been transformed by the Fourth Industrial Revolution, particularly through the application of the Internet of Things (IoT). This technology enhances efficiency by connecting various components of the factory—both wired and wirelessly—and paves the way for smart factories aligned with sustainability goals. The aim of this research is to analyze the capability–attractiveness of IoT applications in the food industry based on sustainability indicators and the readiness of selected companies in the food industry of Tehran province to implement these technologies. First, a systematic literature review was conducted to identify relevant IoT applications in the food industry, along with sustainability-based attractiveness indicators and capability criteria. The case study are selected companies in the food industry of Tehran province and its subsidiaries, which are currently deploying IoT technologies across various areas. Using the Best-Worst Method (BWM), the weights of the indicators were determined. Then, decision matrices were developed separately for evaluating the applications based on attractiveness (sustainability) and capability indicators, and each application was scored accordingly. The Technique for Order Preference by Similarity to Ideal Solution (TOPSIS) was then used to obtain final rankings. Based on the capability–attractiveness matrix, the most promising IoT applications identified for implementation in the company include “real-time data collection,” “inventory management and shelf replenishment,” “energy consumption management,” and “smart fire detection systems.” The findings offer valuable insights for identifying and adopting IoT applications in the food industry, considering the capacities and infrastructure of companies.

Keywords

• Internet of Things (IoT)
• food industry
• Best-Worst Method (BWM)
• TOPSIS
• capability–attractiveness analysis

Main Subjects

• Industrial management