Technological innovations have historically transformed the industrial landscape, significantly influencing social and economic conditions. Industry 4.0, characterized by advancements such as Autonomous Robotics, Additive Manufacturing, the Industrial Internet of Things, and Big Data Analytics, epitomizes this evolution, enhancing operational efficiency, productivity, and sustainability within the Supply Chain. Recent studies have increasingly focused on the impact of Industry 4.0 on Sustainable Supply Chain Management as organizations transition from traditional methods to green initiatives to bolster Supply Chain effectiveness and efficiency. This thesis explores the integration of Industry 4.0 technologies in inbound and outbound logistics processes and their role in addressing contemporary sustainability challenges across economic, ecological, and social dimensions. Despite extensive research, a gap remains in empirical evidence linking Industry 4.0 to Sustainable Supply Chain Management, particularly in identifying mechanisms by which these technologies address sustainability challenges across various Supply Chain stages. This study aims to fill that gap by examining the benefits of Industry 4.0 adoption in logistics and providing practical recommendations for future improvements. The research addresses two primary questions: (1) What are the benefits of integrating Industry 4.0 technologies in inbound and outbound logistics processes? (2) How does adopting Industry 4.0 technologies within the logistics domain contribute to addressing current sustainability challenges within the Supply Chain? Utilizing the case study methodology proposed by Yin (2009), primary data was collected through interviews with executives and management assistants across three companies. The data obtained was organized following the research questions, and subsequently, these categories were juxtaposed to identify similarities and differences, thereby facilitating the emergence of novel insights. Some findings reveal that technologies such as Big Data Analytics and Cloud Computing, when applied to storage facilities for comprehensive inventory management, significantly impact various Supply Chain areas, including sales, customer service, finance, transportation, and production. In contrast, IoT and automated pallet shuttle have substantially affected companies' sustainability efforts, particularly in social and economic spheres, by enabling product traceability and improving worker well-being. This study provides a comprehensive overview of the impact of Industry 4.0 technologies within the Supply Chain, highlighting current critical issues and addressing gaps in the existing literature. The research also suggests that a broader sample and follow-up interviews could further enhance understanding of the long-term impacts of these innovations.
Le innovazioni tecnologiche hanno storicamente trasformato il mondo industriale, influenzando in modo significativo le condizioni sociali ed economiche. L'industria 4.0, caratterizzata da sviluppi come la robotica autonoma, la manifattura additiva, l'Internet of things e il Big Data Analytics, rappresenta questa evoluzione, migliorando l'efficienza operativa, la produttività e la sostenibilità all'interno della catena di approvvigionamento. Ricerche recenti si sono sempre più concentrate sull'impatto dell'Industria 4.0 sulla gestione sostenibile della catena di approvvigionamento, in quanto le organizzazioni passano dai metodi tradizionali all’adozione di pratiche di Green Supply Chain. La presente tesi esplora l'integrazione delle tecnologie Industria 4.0 nei processi logistici in entrata e in uscita e il loro ruolo nell'affrontare le sfide di sostenibilità contemporanee sui tre pilastri dello sviluppo sostenibile: economico, sociale e ambientale. Nonostante una vasta ricerca, rimane una lacuna nell'evidenza empirica che collega l'Industria 4.0 alla gestione sostenibile della supply chain, in particolare nell'identificazione dei meccanismi attraverso i quali queste tecnologie affrontano le sfide di sostenibilità nelle varie fasi della supply chain. Questo studio mira a colmare tale lacuna esaminando i vantaggi dell'adozione dell'Industria 4.0 nella logistica e fornendo raccomandazioni pratiche per i futuri miglioramenti. La ricerca affronta due domande principali: (1) Quali sono i vantaggi dell’integrazione delle tecnologie Industria 4.0 nei processi logistici in entrata e in uscita?; (2) In che modo l'adozione delle tecnologie Industria 4.0 nel campo della logistica contribuisce a affrontare le attuali sfide di sostenibilità nella catena di approvvigionamento?. Utilizzando la metodologia di studio di caso proposta da Yin (2009), i dati primari sono stati raccolti attraverso interviste con dirigenti e assistenti di gestione in tre aziende. I dati ottenuti sono stati organizzati seguendo le domande di ricerca, e successivamente, queste categorie sono state messe insieme per identificare somiglianze e differenze, facilitando così l'emergere di nuovi elementi di approfondimento. Alcuni risultati rivelano che tecnologie come Big Data Analytics e Cloud Computing, quando applicate a strutture di archiviazione per la gestione completa degli inventari, hanno un impatto significativo su varie aree della supply chain, tra cui vendite, servizio clienti, finanza, trasporto e produzione. Al contrario, l' Internet of things e il sistema dei pallet shuttle automatico hanno influenzato in modo sostanziale gli sforzi di sostenibilità delle aziende, con riguardo alla sfera sociale ed economica, consentendo la tracciabilità dei prodotti e migliorando il benessere dei lavoratori. La presente tesi fornisce una panoramica completa dell'impatto delle tecnologie Industria 4.0 all'interno della supply chain, evidenziando questioni critiche attuali e affrontando le lacune nella letteratura scientifica esistente. Questo studio suggerisce inoltre che un campione più ampio e interviste di follow-up potrebbero migliorare ulteriormente la comprensione degli impatti a lungo termine di queste innovazioni.
Innovazioni tecnologiche nella logistica: migliorare la sostenibilità della supply chain attraverso l'industria 4.0.
GARDUÑO GARCIA SALGADO, ANDREA
2023/2024
Abstract
Technological innovations have historically transformed the industrial landscape, significantly influencing social and economic conditions. Industry 4.0, characterized by advancements such as Autonomous Robotics, Additive Manufacturing, the Industrial Internet of Things, and Big Data Analytics, epitomizes this evolution, enhancing operational efficiency, productivity, and sustainability within the Supply Chain. Recent studies have increasingly focused on the impact of Industry 4.0 on Sustainable Supply Chain Management as organizations transition from traditional methods to green initiatives to bolster Supply Chain effectiveness and efficiency. This thesis explores the integration of Industry 4.0 technologies in inbound and outbound logistics processes and their role in addressing contemporary sustainability challenges across economic, ecological, and social dimensions. Despite extensive research, a gap remains in empirical evidence linking Industry 4.0 to Sustainable Supply Chain Management, particularly in identifying mechanisms by which these technologies address sustainability challenges across various Supply Chain stages. This study aims to fill that gap by examining the benefits of Industry 4.0 adoption in logistics and providing practical recommendations for future improvements. The research addresses two primary questions: (1) What are the benefits of integrating Industry 4.0 technologies in inbound and outbound logistics processes? (2) How does adopting Industry 4.0 technologies within the logistics domain contribute to addressing current sustainability challenges within the Supply Chain? Utilizing the case study methodology proposed by Yin (2009), primary data was collected through interviews with executives and management assistants across three companies. The data obtained was organized following the research questions, and subsequently, these categories were juxtaposed to identify similarities and differences, thereby facilitating the emergence of novel insights. Some findings reveal that technologies such as Big Data Analytics and Cloud Computing, when applied to storage facilities for comprehensive inventory management, significantly impact various Supply Chain areas, including sales, customer service, finance, transportation, and production. In contrast, IoT and automated pallet shuttle have substantially affected companies' sustainability efforts, particularly in social and economic spheres, by enabling product traceability and improving worker well-being. This study provides a comprehensive overview of the impact of Industry 4.0 technologies within the Supply Chain, highlighting current critical issues and addressing gaps in the existing literature. The research also suggests that a broader sample and follow-up interviews could further enhance understanding of the long-term impacts of these innovations.| File | Dimensione | Formato | |
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FINAL MASTER THESIS.V2A.pdf
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https://hdl.handle.net/20.500.14239/26306