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2 Technologies Driving Digital Transformation
Mac Sullivan
NNR Global Logistics, Dallas, TX, USA
The Fourth Industrial Revolution (4IR) and the past three industrial revolutions before it are defined by the technological innovations that occurred during each period of socio‐economic change. Our exploration of 4IR therefore is not simply about the understanding the transformation of systems around us, but it is also about the opportunity to understand, discuss, and guide how these technologies will shape our future (Schwab and Davis 2018). In order to analyze the impacts of 4IR, the authors of this section will go through some of the most influential technologies that are defining our latest technological revolution.
Technologies like self‐driving cars and virtual reality have often fascinated science fiction lovers; however here the authors will examine them in the context of how they will shape the future of the supply chain industry. These innovations are often presented as being solutions to some of the biggest issues plaguing businesses and consumers. However, there is a certain amount of hype that must be set aside. On the other hand, McAfee and Brynjolfsson (2014) famously wrote that “Many people are falling behind as technology races ahead,” giving way to the idea that maybe there is not enough excitement to push business to think of emerging tech as viable solutions. In the following chapters, in order to keep us from falling behind or getting too far ahead of ourselves, the authors will peel back the layers of mystery and excitement that have grown around these new ideas and solutions and show some amazing use cases that are having a real impact on the future of work. Each chapter in this section focuses on a particular technology that has come about or been significantly improved by innovations that followed the Third Industrial Revolution. The authors present these technologies that are fueling 4IR through a pragmatic lens by explaining each technology, how it works, its application in logistics and supply chain, and the additional challenges that it may bring.
To start the section, Axel Neher discusses one of the defining topics of 4IR that is the Internet of Things (IoT). IoT enables traditionally offline, disconnected devices to gather and transmit data on a network. Neher discusses applications of IoT in logistics management and describes how it can be used to increase supply chain visibility and monitor goods within a container or on a truck as they are moving.
3D printing, otherwise known as additive manufacturing, is broken down in the Chapter 4 by Johannes Kern, who offers a background to the technology and use cases that are being seen in production. He discusses different methods of 3D printing and describes to us how giving end users a new role in the supply chain is having a disruptive effect.
White‐collar workers throughout the supply chain ecosystem are not immune to the effects of automation; however, this shift in work has been less visible in mainstream media. In The Role of Robotics Process Automation (RPA) in Logistics, Mac Sullivan, Walter Simpson, and Wesley Li show that robotic process automation (RPA) is offering a real alternative to offshoring of clerical work. Underpinning the success of process automation and optimization is the need for logistics companies to map out how they currently operate and systematically break down complexity.
One of the hottest topics in the past five years across the financial world has been blockchain, which is known