Abstract
Contemporary business thinking requires that organisations consider the interconnectedness of their supply chains. Supply chains consist of a variety of complex processes with different stakeholders, which may lead to challenges in managing operations. The value for business lies in the successful integration and synchronisation of the upstream and downstream processes. A key enabler for such integration is the deployment of technology, such as a Digital Control Tower (DCT).
In South Africa, there are various third-party service providers (3PLs), who offer DCT solutions as a supply chain integrator to their customers. The objective of this research project is to interrogate the veracity of benefits of DCTs, as stated by these 3PLs. A qualitative research approach was used to explore the experiences of the 3PLs after implementation. Data was collected by conducting interviews with the operations and business development executives of the 3PLs. In keeping with the prescripts of a deductive approach in data collection, the task of analysis and interpretation was enabled by categorising the responses into themes, which correlates with the benefits stated by the 3PLS. These benefits included - improved supply chain visibility, collaboration, reporting and integration. Questions posed to the participants included information required for the approval processes and funding of DCT projects, and the associated risks when undertaking such projects.
A key finding was the limited available information related to empirical DCT implementation projects. Information in the public domain was limited to 3PLs using their solutions for marketing purposes. Responses from participants yielded limited information about project execution details, risks encountered, investment information and customer satisfaction ratings. Participants claimed proprietary rights on the intellectual property (IP) of their solutions, citing their solution as having the competitive advantage. Responses revealed that not all DCT solutions are earmarked for customer deployments, with some participants indicating that they develop DCTs for internal use in their organisations...