David Against Goliath in the Agri-Food Value Chain?

Digital transformation is fundamentally reshaping public service eco-systems (PSEs), generating velocity asymmetries that influence governance structures, service interactions, and power dynamics, contributing to a paradigm shift from traditionally industrially oriented ecosystems to service logic. Ad-dressing key gaps in previous PSE studies, this research examines how digital transformation shapes velocity inequalities among different actors. The agri-food sector was selected as the empirical context due to the profound digital and struc-tural transformations currently reshaping its ecosystem and governance mecha-nisms. This study adopts a qualitative, multi-method approach, combining a systematic desk review and participatory observation within a stable smart agri-food net-work with strong European linkages. Findings indicate that tech giants and startups operate at high velocity, leveraging data-driven service innovation, whereas small farmers and public institutions struggle to adapt due to resource constraints, bureaucratic inertia, and fragmented digital governance. The study highlights the emergence of data-centric service models, underscoring the need for strategic public-private coordination to ensure equitable participation in the evolving PSE. By advancing theoretical insights on velocity inequalities in PSEs, this research contributes to a deeper understanding of how governance mecha-nisms and institutional adaptation shape service-driven digital transitions in com-plex, multi-actor ecosystems.