How sustainable is smart farming? The contribution of service platforms to innovate Italian agribusinesses

Framing of the research. The agrifood industry needs to embrace digitalization strategically innovating toward ecological transition and sustainable growth. A framework, empirically informed, is proposed, and a mixed-methods in the Italian wineries’ context is adopted. of the paper. This paper aims to analyze how the sustainability of , especially wine producers, could be improved by implementing agricultural systems in place of conventional ones with the support of a service provider. . A sequential mixed methods approach based on both secondary primary data was conducted. The quantitative analysis focused on a cost-benefit between conventional versus 4.0 wineries. The qualitative analysis was through a multiple case study, focusing on the interplay between the service and the wineries. Ten interviews were conducted with both actors. . The results contribute to the literature by enriching the conceptual proposed and updated with empirical evidence. It describes dimensions relationships that enable the actors involved in reaching higher sustainability at the firm and network levels. limitations. The limited investigated sample, based on a low number of , does not allow a consistent generalization of the results. implications. Evidence from the case studies can inform both and policymakers about best practices and process innovation activities, can increase shared value creation in the agrifood ecosystem. of the paper. This is one of the first studies to take into consideration relevant topic, still poorly investigated, by deepening how a digital service provider the wineries’ innovation toward sustainable outcomes.