Managing the Product-Counterfeiting Problem with a Blockchain-Supported E-Commerce Platform

As a disruptive tool, blockchain technology can eradicate the product-counterfeiting problem in supply chains. However, a blockchain-supported platform charges an operating fee to legitimate manufacturers and retailers for product traceability and authentication. In this study, we employ enterprise profit-driven analytical models using Stackelberg equilibrium theory and highlight the values of blockchain-supported e-commerce platforms in addressing the product-counterfeiting problem. To measure the actual benefits of blockchain technology, we compare the profits of all agents in two different supply chains, traditional and blockchain-supported. Results show that the application of blockchain technology is not always beneficial to manufacturers, retailers, and customers. However, when the manufacturing cost of a legitimate manufacturer is sufficiently high, the manufacturer generates more profits using blockchain technology. Further, for a price-sensitive market, a retailer tends to trade in a blockchain-supported e-commerce platform if the retailer’s qualification in the platform is lower than that in a traditional supply chain, and the manufacturing cost of the counterfeit manufacturer in the platform is higher than that in a traditional supply chain.

An Extended Reselling Protocol for Existing Anti-Counterfeiting Schemes

Product counterfeiting is a continuous problem in industry. Recently, an anti-counterfeiting protocol to address this issue via radio-frequency identification (RFID) technology was proposed by researchers. Yet, the use case of reselling the same product has not been fully addressed which might cause serious problems for the exciting and proposed schemes and transactions. This paper proposes an extended RFID-based anti-counterfeiting protocol to address the use case of the original buyer reselling the same item to a second buyer. We will follow the proposed extended scheme with a formal security analysis to prove that the proposed protocol is secure and immune against most known security attacks.

Application of Block Chain & Artificial Intelligence in E-commerce supply chain to reduce product counterfeiting & increase transparency

Product counterfeiting is a major issue in today’s world. These days product counterfeiting leads to around 1.05 lac crore rupees in India per year. As per a report by business standard, if even 50% of product counterfeiting is stopped with authentication, monitored properly and governed, it can save 50,000 crore rupees per year in India itself, then think about whole world. This research paper is based on the use of block chain along with artificial intelligence to curb the problem of product counterfeiting and maintain the transparency. This research paper also demonstrates the use of blockchain using R studio as a platform. R is a programming language mostly for data analytics purposes. So, the implementation of blockchain in R can give a wide exposure to the data to be analyzed and suitable insights and forecasts can also be made. The research findings give a holistic picture of all the variables that affect the supply chain of E-commerce industry. This study helps the supplier side in curbing their loses and also the consumer side in receiving the genuine product that build trust among both the stakeholders

Revealing the falsification of semi-finished beef products with mechanically deboned minced chicken using the example of dumplings

Human nutrition is an important factor affecting human health. Counterfeiting is one of the most pressing problems in the market, which worries manufacturers, sellers and consumers. There are a variety of product counterfeiting: substitution of expensive food products for cheaper ones, manufacturing of products with low nutritional value, deterioration of the recipe and plagiarism of the brand. It is also necessary to observe the correct labeling of the product, as this enables the consumer to meet his requirements when choosing a product. This article presents the results of our own research revealing the falsification of semi-finished beef products with mechanically deboned minced chicken using the example of dumplings. In the analysis, four fatty acids were selected for the presence or absence of chicken fat in ground beef. The determination of fatty acids was carried out by gas chromatography. Gas chromatographic analysis is considered to be effective for identifying food products due to its high degree of sensitivity, speed and simplicity. Sample preparation stages included the use of sodium methoxide in methanol with a molar concentration of 2 mol/dm3. Gas chromatographic analysis was carried out on a flame ionization detector with a quartz capillary column. For simplicity, reduction of sample preparation time and better results, the samples were filtered under vacuum at atmospheric pressure, which significantly accelerated the filtration process. The analysis of the test sample was carried out in an automatic mode according to the specified program of the chromatograph. Myristic, palmitoleic, margaric, stearic, linoleic, and arachidic acids were chosen as “labels” of fatty acids. It has been shown that even an insignificant addition of one type of impurity of another to meat leads to a change in the fatty acid composition of the product.

An Extended Re-selling Protocol For Existing Anti-Counterfeiting Schemes

Product counterfeiting is an on-going problem in supply chains and retail environments, Recently an anti-counterfeiting protocol to address this issue via cost-effective use of auto-identification technologies such as radio-frequency identification (RFID) was proposed by researchers.Yet the use case of re-selling the same product was not been fully addressed which might cause serious problem for the exciting and proposed schemes and transactions. This paper proposes an extended RFID-based anti-counterfeiting to address the use case of the original buyer reselling the same item to a second buyer. The extended scheme will be followed by a formal security analysis to show that the proposed protocol satisfies the requirements of security correctness and is resistant to compromise through security attacks.

An Extended Re-selling Protocol For Existing Anti-Counterfeiting Schemes

Product counterfeiting is an on-going problem in supply chains and retail environments, Recently an anti-counterfeiting protocol to address this issue via cost-effective use of auto-identification technologies such as radio-frequency identification (RFID) was proposed by researchers.Yet the use case of re-selling the same product was not been fully addressed which might cause serious problem for the exciting and proposed schemes and transactions. This paper proposes an extended RFID-based anti-counterfeiting to address the use case of the original buyer reselling the same item to a second buyer. The extended scheme will be followed by a formal security analysis to show that the proposed protocol satisfies the requirements of security correctness and is resistant to compromise through security attacks.

Crowdfunding for Entrepreneurs

Fundraising has proved difficult for many entrepreneurs and ventures in the early stages of their businesses because of significant information asymmetries with investors and a lack of collateral. In an attempt to overcome such difficulties, since the early 2010s, some entrepreneurs have come to rely on the Internet in order to directly seek funding from the general public, or the “crowd.” The practice of collecting small amounts of capital from the “crowd” of Internet users is called crowdfunding. Crowdfunding research is a relative newcomer to the discipline of entrepreneurial finance. However, the availability of easy-to-access data, the diffusion of this funding channel among entrepreneurs, and increasing policy attention have made crowdfunding one of the most investigated areas of research in entrepreneurial finance. The literature has discussed crowdfunding as more than a simple mean of financing. Crowdfunding also allows entrepreneurs to develop a virtual community of followers, which provides a valuable source of information with which to test and improve early versions of innovative products. Moreover, crowdfunding represents a method of gaining information about market response to a given product and the size of demand for that product, and is a powerful marketing instrument that can be used to increase brand awareness and to promote the arts, social initiatives, and financial inclusion. However, crowdfunding also entails a number of pitfalls for entrepreneurs. In order to collect financial resources from the crowd, entrepreneurs are required to share sensitive information online. This includes information about the entrepreneurial initiative, the team, and the business model they are using. The provision of this information may facilitate product counterfeiting, or the appropriation of the value of the idea by other firms or entrepreneurs. Moreover, crowdfunding entails the risk of social stigma if the funding campaign results in a failure, because information about the performance of the crowdfunding campaign usually remains accessible online. Finally, crowdfunding entails additional challenges related to the management of the crowd of backers after the campaign, since several backers will be active providers of feedback and will interact with the entrepreneurs through direct communication. Despite these disadvantages crowdfunding has become a widely used funding source for entrepreneurs looking for financing for sustainable projects, creative initiatives, and innovative ideas.

Counterfeiting in the Primary Industry Sector and the Threat to New Zealand’s Economy

Counterfeiting in its various iterations presents a potentially significant threat to our international reputation as a premium exporter of primary products. Taking existing international scholarly research in the area of food fraud, this article presents a typology of counterfeit activity as it pertains to the New Zealand primary industry sector. Through selected case studies, we explain how counterfeiting is a far more nuanced and complex problem than generally considered, and conclude that there should be a much stronger appetite for an integrated public-private identification framework that understands these variations in order to effectively pre-empt and mitigate the impact of primary product counterfeiting in this country.

Counterfeiting: conceptual issues and implications for branding

Purpose This paper aims to apply a broader perspective of branding to foster new insights and develop strategies to address product counterfeiting. Design/methodology/approach A review of the counterfeiting and branding literature leads to the development of a new conceptual framework that incorporates proactive, collaborative processes, in addition to the traditional product branding approach. Findings The integrative framework provides a basis to develop innovative, proactive strategies that complement traditional branding approaches to address product counterfeiting. The complexity of an integrative framework (or network) offers more opportunities for the firm to co-create robust meaning with multiple stakeholders. Identity elements are readily copied, whereas meanings are not. These strategies help to control counterfeiting by developing deep and inimitable relationships between managers and other stakeholders in a marketing network. Research limitations/implications A research agenda is proposed to structure future studies on counterfeiting. Practical implications The framework outlines how to leverage collaboration between managers and brand stakeholders to complement conventional approaches to control counterfeiting based on traditional product branding. Originality/value This paper contributes to the growing body of counterfeiting and brand protection literature by adapting and applying contemporary integrative branding concepts, leading to novel strategies to address the issue.