Technology selection in supply chain management - Influencing factors and success practices

Purpose
As emerging technologies and the concept of industry 4.0 are on the rise, available solutions for SCM get more complex and dynamic. Because technology adoption is crucial to stay competitive but resources of companies are limited, the purpose of this paper is to gain insights into successful management of technology selection in SCM.
Design/methodology/approach
Using an interview-based case study approach, in-depth polar cases of technology selection in various industries were collected. Resting on the collected data, transcript coding to analyze information within and across the cases was used. Drawing on contingency theory, supply chain-specific influencing factors and according management practices were identified.
Findings
The research reveals eight groups of contingency factors which influence the design of successful technology selection in SCM, e.g. complexity and criticality. Moreover, ten themes of response variables were identified, systemizing the options when designing technology selection. Those themes can be differentiated into selection process and selection organization.
Research limitations/implications
The paper is limited by its qualitative approach and the number of case studies conducted.
Practical implications
The results provide implications for practitioners by structuring the problem and solution space of technology selection and giving guidelines on choosing technology selection design adaptively.
Original/value
This research is among the first to provide in-depth insights in technology selection from a firm’s perspective considering SC specific contingencies. Also, it introduces a new perspective on technology selection as a management process.