Enhancing Supply Chain Efficiency And Business Growth Via Skill Development And Green Practices: Evidence From Food Processing Startups

Abstract

This study explores the impact of Skill Development & Training (SDT), Policy & Financial Support (PFS), Supply Chain Efficiency (SCE), Business Growth & Market Expansion (BGME), as well as the  Green Supply Chain Practices (GSCM) on food processing startups, aiming to mainly  enhance the business growth as well as  sustainability through supply chain efficiency. This research makes use of  Structural Equation Modeling (SEM), reading survey responses through a structured  questionnaire, with constructs measured on Likert scale. The findings  mainly confirm that skill development as well as the  policy support measures significantly improve the supply chain efficiency, which in turn fosters business growth as well as the  sustainability adoption. The structural model assessment shows that  the Policy & Financial Support (PFS) has the strongest effect on Supply Chain Efficiency (β = 0.979, p < 0.001), emphasizing the role of government incentives and financial assistance in the process of optimizing operations. Similarly, Supply Chain Efficiency significantly influences both the Business Growth (β = 0.725, p < 0.001) as well as  Green Supply Chain Practices (β = 0.850, p < 0.001 indicating that operational efficiency is a key enabler of sustainability in food processing startups. Reliability and validity tests, including composite reliability (CR > 0.7) and discriminant validity (Fornell-Larcker and HTMT ratios), affirm the robustness of the model. Multicollinearity was assessed through Variance Inflation Factor (VIF) values, all below the brink of 5.0, confirming that predictor variables make a unique contribution to the model. The model fit indices (SRMR = 0.05, NFI = 0.92, RMSEA = 0.06, χ²/df = 2.11) validate the theoretical framework, demonstrating a strong alignment between hypothesized relationships as well as the  empirical data. Test results indicate that skill development and policy support positively impact supply chain efficiency, which in turn drives business growth and green supply chain adoption (p < 0.001 for all hypotheses). The explained form of variance (R² values) shows that the model accounts for 97.9% of the variance in SCE, 94.6% in BGME, and 62.1% in GSCM,  confirming the robust predictive strength of the framework. The factor-loadings similarly support discriminant validity, making sure that each assembly captures a completely unique aspect of delivery chain  performance, commercial enterprise expansion, and sustainability adoption.  Heterotrait-Monotrait Ratio (HTMT) results, with values ranging from 0.575 to 0.798, confirm that the model constructs are empirically distinct and measure different theoretical dimensions. Overall, the study provides a strong empirical evidence that investing in workforce training, financial incentives, as well as the  policy support can very much significantly enhance supply chain efficiency, which in turn actually drives business growth as well as the  sustainability adoption in the process of  food processing startups. These findings offer practical orientation for policymakers, startup founders, and industry leaders, emphasizing the necessity for capacity-building projects, regulatory assistance, and sustainability-focused regulations to create resilient, efficient, and environmentally conscious supply chains. The observation reinforces the interconnected nature of operational efficiency, market intervention, business enlargement, and sustainability integration, highlighting the significance of a holistic method in optimizing supply chain practices. The verified structural version presents a dependable framework for further studies, supplying insights into how food processing startups can obtain boom in the long run.