Implementation of technologies must be aligned with sectoral needs
*By Darci de Borba
Industry 4.0 has played a key role in the digital transformation of supply chains, promoting greater resilience in the face of disruptions and uncertainties. These technologies promote greater visibility, flexibility, collaboration, and transparency in supply chain management. A recent study¹ proposes a model that structures the interactions between digital capabilities and resilience attributes, offering practical implications for managers and policymakers. The findings highlight that, although digitalization is an essential tool for strengthening supply chains, its adoption requires an integrated strategic approach aligned with the operational specificities of each sector.
The increasing complexity of global supply chains and the impacts of disruptive events, such as health crises, geopolitical changes and natural disasters, highlight the need to strengthen the resilience of logistics and production systems². Supply chain resilience has become a critical factor in ensuring the continuity of material flows, minimizing operational losses and maintaining organizational competitiveness in uncertain scenarios³.
In this context, Industry 4.0 emerges as a set of technologies capable of digitally transforming supply chains, promoting greater agility, visibility and flexibility. Technologies such as the Internet of Things (IoT), artificial intelligence (AI), big data analytics, blockchain and cloud computing enable process automation, risk prediction and rapid adaptation to changes in the external environment. Digitalization enables the transition from linear supply chain models to more dynamic and connected networks, known as Digital Supply Networks.
However, while Industry 4.0 offers significant opportunities for strengthening supply chain resilience, its adoption requires a well-structured strategic approach. The implementation of these technologies must be aligned with industry needs, the digital maturity of organizations, and the integration capabilities between logistics partners. Supply chain resilience is defined as the ability to withstand, adapt to, and recover quickly in the face of operational disruptions². This ability depends on three main factors:
- Visibility: Ability to monitor processes and identify risks in real time;
- Flexibility: Ability to adjust production, logistics and supply quickly in response to external changes;
- Collaboration: Coordination between logistics partners to mitigate impacts and accelerate recovery.
Events such as the Covid-19 pandemic have demonstrated the vulnerability of traditional supply chains, which prioritized efficiency and cost reduction over resilience. Dependence on single suppliers, lack of real-time data, and difficulty in quickly adapting to market changes were some of the main challenges faced by global companies. The adoption of Industry 4.0 technologies can mitigate these challenges by providing greater operational intelligence and responsiveness. For example, the use of AI-based predictive modeling allows companies to anticipate supply disruptions and adjust their strategies preventively. Similarly, blockchain solutions increase the reliability and traceability of transactions, reducing uncertainty and increasing process security [4].
Ghobakhloo’s study¹ developed a strategic roadmap that identifies 16 key Industry 4.0 functions for supply chain resilience, divided into three categories:
- Data and Automation Functions: They include process monitoring, information quality and logistics automation, which ensure a continuous and accurate flow of information.
- Collaboration and innovation functions: They include complexity management, organizational flexibility and collaboration in the supply chain, allowing greater synergy between the agents involved.
- Response and adaptation functions: They involve adaptive capacity, business continuity management and operational transparency, essential to ensure rapid recovery from disruptions.
According to the study, the adoption of these mechanisms can create a virtuous cycle of digital resilience, in which supply chains move from reactive structures to proactive and intelligent models, reducing vulnerabilities and increasing business competitiveness. Industry 4.0 represents a turning point in the digital transformation of supply chains, offering innovative solutions to increase resilience in the face of uncertain scenarios. However, the effectiveness of these technologies depends on a strategic implementation that considers the challenges of integration, cost and digital maturity of organizations.
The findings indicate that companies’ digital maturity is a critical factor in their ability to respond to crises, and that an integrated approach is essential to maximize the benefits of emerging technologies. The digitalization of operations allows for better risk predictability, optimization of logistics flows, and greater transparency in transactions between agents in the chain. However, the implementation of these technologies requires gradual strategic planning, starting with basic solutions such as monitoring and automation, before adopting more advanced tools such as predictive AI and automated crisis response.
The managerial application of this model suggests that companies should invest strategically in digital infrastructure, talent training and cybersecurity, ensuring data reliability and system interoperability. In addition, collaboration between different links in the supply chain should be intensified through interconnected digital platforms, enabling the exchange of information in real time. The implementation of AI-based predictive models can transform risk management, enabling a more proactive stance and reducing the need for emergency responses to unexpected crises.
Finally, it is possible to conclude that Industry 4.0 is not only a competitive differentiator, but a necessity for the long-term sustainability of supply chains. However, challenges such as high implementation costs, organizational resistance, and data regulations still need to be overcome. The successful adoption of these technologies will allow organizations to position themselves more robustly in the face of global uncertainties, ensuring greater continuity and operational efficiency.
*Darci de Borba is a researcher at the ABES Think Tank, a planning and research technician at Ipea, a PhD student in Administration at the University of Vale do Rio dos Sinos (UNISINOS) and a Master in Administration from the Pontifical Catholic University of Rio Grande do Sul (PUCRS).
Notice: The opinion presented in this article is the responsibility of its author and not of ABES - Brazilian Association of Software Companies
Article originally published on the IT Forum website https://itforum.com.br/colunas/industria-resiliencia-cadeias-suprimentos/
References
- Ghobakhloo, M., Iranmanesh, M., Foroughi, B., Tseng, M.-L., Nikbin, D., & Khanfar, AAA (2025). Industry 4.0 digital transformation and opportunities for supply chain resilience: A comprehensive review and a strategic roadmap. Production Planning & Control, 36(1), 61–91. https://doi.org/10.1080/09537287.2023.2252376
- Tortorella, G., Fogliatto, F. S., Gao, S., & Chan, T.-K. (2022). Contributions of Industry 4.0 to supply chain resilience. The International Journal of Logistics Management, 33(2), 547–566. https://doi.org/10.1108/IJLM-12-2020-0494
- Ivanov, D., & Dolgui, A. (2021). A digital supply chain twin for managing the disruption risks and resilience in the era of Industry 4.0. Production Planning & Control, 32(9), 775–788. https://doi.org/10.1080/09537287.2020.1768450
- Sunmola, F. T., Burgess, P., & Tan, A. (2022). A Meta-review of Blockchain Adoption Literature in Supply Chain. Lecture Notes in Business Information Processing, 444 LNBIP, 371–388. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-04216-4_32
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