Strengthening consumer trust in beef supply chain traceability with a blockchain-based human-machine reconcile mechanism.

• Blockchain-enabled traceability prototype, including texts, messages and a one-minute video is developed with Australian producers and processors with the aim of improving consumer trust in the cross-border beef supply chain between Australia and China. • The initial traceability prototype is empirically tested with Chinese consumers using focus group discussion methodology. • Empirical evidence from the prototype testing and the insights from supply chain stakeholder are integrated to propose a new feature for trust strength. • A human-machine reconcile mechanism is developed to enable readably chain-wide shared responsibilities in delivering credentialed traceability data to consumers so as to increase consumer trust because just blockchain itself will not cut-it. This study aimed to strengthen trust in the cross-border beef supply chain between Australia and China from a consumer perspective based on a blockchain-based supply chain implementation. Using a design science approach, this study's initial prototype was developed to strength consumer trust. The study was conducted in partnership with Australian agricultural producers and processors, and empirically tested with Chinese consumers using an exploratory, qualitative methodology comprising focus groups. Based on the empirical evidence from prototype testing and the insights from supply chain stakeholders, this paper explores new features for a human-machine reconcile mechanism that enables shared responsibilities between agriculture and supply chain actors in delivering credentialed traceability data to consumers along the Australia-China beef supply chain. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]