Disruptive and Conventional Technologies for the Support of Logistics Processes: A Literature Review

Abstract

The supply chain has become a key element of increasing the productivity and competitiveness of companies. To achieve this, it is essential to implement a strategy based on the use of technologies, which depends on knowledge of the scope and impact of logistics technologies. Therefore, this article aims to identify the main technologies supporting logistics management and supply chain processes to establish their functionality, scope, and impacts. For this, conventional technologies and technologies framed by the concept of Industry 4.0 that allow the implementation of Logistics 4.0 in companies are analyzed. As a result of searching databases such as Scopus, Web of Science, and Science Direct, we provide an analysis of 18 technologies focusing on their definition, scope, and the logistics processes involved. This study concludes that technologies in logistics management allow for a reduction in total costs, improve collaboration with suppliers and customers, increase the visibility and traceability of products and information, and support decision-making for all agents in the supply chain, including the final consumer.

Logistics: Impact of Industry 4.0

“…Table 4. The main ideas screened in the second set of data after the inclusion and exclusion criteria were considered [20][21][22][23][24][25][26][27][28][29][30][31][32][33][34][35][36][37].…”

ICT Validation in Logistics Processes: Improvement of Distribution Processes in a Goods Sector Company

“…These solutions are usually framed in ICT; however, the rapid development of technologies increases the number and scope of the tools applicable to several logistics processes, causing an increase in the ICT available for logistics processes, which impedes decision making about which technology is more convenient to implement [31]. From these technologies, TMS has fulfilled a strategic role in the planning and management of supply chain activities due to the importance of transportation management in the costs and interactions in companies, customers, and suppliers [44], including integrative digital technologies in the supply chain aligned with logistics 4.0 [45] and geographic information systems that support decision making, traceability, and route monitoring for distribution and transportation of goods [46].…”

“…Investment in ICT has positively influenced productivity [29], allowing the supply chain execution (SCE) to optimize the movement of materials between distribution centers and other agents in the supply chain. Moreover, the success of the ICT implementation in logistics processes requires the proper selection and validation [30], the adoption of an appropriate ICT significantly impacts the competitive advantage of logistics companies and logistics operations [18], and companies require investments acquiring, updating, and maintaining technological infrastructure [31]. Therefore, it is necessary to review the appropriate methodologies to solve structured problems and support the selection and implementation of ICT for the secondary distribution.…”

Logistics 4.0 in warehousing: a conceptual framework of influencing factors, benefits and barriers

“…Finally, Winkelhaus and Grosse (2020) investigate the possible benefits and challenges of Logistics 4.0 and provide a framework combining external triggers, underlying technological innovations, and impacts on human interactions and logistic tasks. Looking at the second stream, Cano et al (2021) identify technologies framed into the Industry 4.0 concept that can be implemented also in logistics. Golpîra et al (2021) investigate the areas of application, current development stage, and gaps of IoT in Logistics 4.0 transformation.…”