Evolution of digital supply chain management in the freight transport industry: A comparative study
Résumé
This study examines the evolution of digital supply chain management in KwaZulu-Natal’s freight transport ecosystem across road, maritime and air. Using a mixed-methods design, we combined expert interviews with a practitioner survey to identify adoption patterns, enablers and constraints. Guided by established lenses including the Technology Acceptance Model, Resource Dependence and Transaction Cost perspectives, we map digital tools in use, perceived benefits and capability gaps. Findings show uneven maturity across modes; leadership commitment, skills development and interoperable data are recurrent enablers, while legacy systems, connectivity and cyber-security concerns persist as barriers. We propose a phased, monitoring-and-evaluation-linked model to support incremental adoption and performance tracking. The study offers practical direction for operators and policymakers on sequencing investments and strengthening governance of digital operations. The focus on a single province and reliance on self-reported perceptions limit wider generalisation, and the sample includes relatively larger firms. Future work should extend comparative analysis to other provinces and include small and micro operators. Overall, the paper contributes an integrated view of digital adoption in a freight hub and a usable model for sector decision-making. The provincial scope (KwaZulu-Natal) and the emphasis on medium-to-large operators limit wider generalisability. Future work will extend the analysis to additional provinces and purposively sample small and micro enterprises to surface size-specific adoption pathways.
Citer ce document
Accès au document
Texte intégral en lecture en ligne, réservé aux abonnés SPHAERO et aux membres de l'institution. Se connecter
Voir l'article sur le site de la revueAuteur(s)
Statistiques
Consultations : 1
Téléchargements : 0