Análise exploratória da transformação digital nos processos das cadeias de suprimento

Abstract

Digital transformation presents itself as a new paradigm in supply chain processes. Organizations do not operate in isolation, needing to cooperate with the Supply Chain (CS) to boost the businesses in which they are involved. In this context, companies begin the process of digital transformation, seeking an interconnected, agile, and intelligent Supply Chain, and thus integrating the flow of information and products. This integration will occur vertically in the organizations' internal processes, horizontally in the Supply Chain and during the product's life cycle, from development to final disposal. The development of technologies with high capacity for data capture, storage, processing, and application, together with cost reduction, allows this transformation. Digital technologies were organized into three classes: i) Enabling; ii) Integrators and; iii) Application. Therefore, this work aims to evaluate the application of digital technologies in the supply chain processes in the company and the impact on capabilities and the effects on competitive criteria. For this, a case study protocol was developed, with guidelines for case selection, data collection, and analysis. The case study protocol was used as a planning, data collection, and analysis instrument for the case study. Thus, a multiple and holistic case study was carried out in two large companies. In the analysis of the results, technologies that did not belong to the previously defined classes were observed. To understand the digital transformation, the fourth class of technology was created, called Digital Infrastructure. The results of this research indicate that digital transformation is taking place in companies. However, there are differences according to the company's main process, customer, and business. The difference is most evident in the processes in which digital technologies are applied. In the company with a physical product and which supplies to other businesses, the implementation of digital technologies was more evident in the manufacturing process. The company that supplies directly to the end consumer employs digital technologies similarly in the processes to improve the product and the service.